Sunday, November 22, 2015

Nov 16, 2015 Pampa tornado (#2 analysis)

I talked with Amarillo NWS throughout the week, while they tried to figure out what all exactly happened.  The overlapping paths caused all sorts of problems in determining which tornado did what damage and the correct times for each. I was sitting about 2 miles south of Miami for 7:05pm to 8pm. From there I saw the end of Pampa wedge #1 from 7:08 to 7:18. Next I thought I saw one continuous wedge from 7:23pm (on going before this, but I couldn't see it) to 7:53pm from storm #2. Through what the NWS saw in the archived radar and my pictures, we determined that storm # 2 actually created 2 wedges within 10 minutes of each other. Around 7:28 wedge number 2 (on storm #2) faded fast with a new wedge forming in close proximity. My view was slightly obstructed from 7:30 to 7:34, but as the area emerged from behind the radio tower that blinded my view the new wedge was on going. That bumped my total for the evening to 6 tornadoes (3 different wedges), from 3 different storms. All that with me ending my chase at 8 and being home by 9:30 on only 1 tank of gas ($22).

Here is a photo analysis of the "wedge hand off" NE of Pampa at ~7:25pm to 7:35.


My first view of Pampa storm number 2 to my SW as the wedge leaves the SE part of town near the Halliburton plant at 7:23pm. First few of these shots are out of focus. The orange glow is from a nearby prison. All pictures are clickable for larger size.
7:24pm the wedge is quickly moving away from the city. Looking WSW.
7:25pm. Looking WSW at the wedge and a possible satellite tornado.
7:28pm the size is shrinking fast as it moves NE.
7:29pm. Still looking WSW, tornado losing ground connection
7:29pm looking WSW still. Size decreasing even more and wrapping rain more present.
7:29pm even further disconnect with the ground.
7:30pm hard to tell if it is even still on the ground. Though not evident from this photo another tornado is forming to the right.
7:34pm Looking west (powerlines run due west). Hard to see, but the original wedge is gone and a new one has formed behind the radio tower (the 2 lights, which are located here: https://goo.gl/maps/pF4KoKbE3Jz).
7:35 pm looking west. Though blurry, something large is evident behind the tower. The old tornado vanished into the rain blob to its left.
7:35pm looking west. Something large still hiding behind the tower.
7:36pm Large wedge has emerged from behind the radio tower moving in the same path as the previous tornado. Tracking NE, missing Miami by 4 miles to the NW.
7:37 looking WNW at the new wedge.
7:39pm. Looking WNW. Wedge is slowly losing its size.
7:39 still looking WNW. My clearest view of my 3rd wedge of the evening.
7:40 Looking NW by this point. One of my best shots of the evening. Large tornado with a huge rfd cut. Possible satellite can be seen right of the main tornado. Tornado still has 12 minutes of life at this point.
7:50pm Looking north. Tornado has shrank drastically but still stout. My last shot of the tornado comes a 7:52, but it likely lasted a few minutes after that due to its size in that picture.


I am hoping to add some corresponding radar data to this analysis at some point.



No comments:

Post a Comment