2001: A Chase Odyssey


MESO regrouped in Smithville, MO for the first half (Alpha) of 2001: A Chase Odyssey on May 17. The second half (Beta) convened in Norman, OK on May 24 and consisted of a slightly larger group.

ALPHA CHASE TEAM:
  • Nancy Bose (Verbank, NY)
  • Allan Detrich (Fremont, OH)
  • John Griswold (Ruskin, FL)
  • Chris Howell (Ypsilanti, MI)
  • Brian McNoldy (Fort Collins, CO)
  • Eileen Blass (Kennett Square, PA) -- MEDIA
    		• BETA CHASE TEAM:
  • Nancy Bose (Verbank, NY)
  • Steve Chambers (Cincinnati, OH)
  • Allan Detrich (Fremont, OH)
  • Doug Elick (Cincinnati, OH)
  • John Griswold (Ruskin, FL)
  • Chris Howell (Ypsilanti, MI)
  • Josh Jans (St. Clair, MN)
  • Deb McKay (Stockholm, NJ)
  • Brian McNoldy (Fort Collins, CO)
    		• REMOTE DATA ASSISTANTS:
  • John Bender (Yorkville, IL)
  • Jill Borden (Yakima, WA)
  • Jason Breakiron (Manassas, VA)
  • Chris Merrill (Chicago, IL)

    • The Alpha fleet consisted of two vehicles: an Isuzu Trooper and a Dodge Ram 1500. The Beta fleet consisted of three vehicles: an Isuzu Trooper, a Dodge Ram 1500, and a Dodge Grand Caravan.

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    5/17 UPDATE
    5/18 UPDATE
    5/19 UPDATE
    5/20 - 5/21 UPDATE
    5/22 - 5/23 UPDATE
    5/24 - 5/25 UPDATE
    5/26 UPDATE
    5/27 - 5/28 UPDATE
    POSTSCRIPT


    5/16: Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability just west of Smithville, MO.
    5/17: A thin line of thunderstorms developing above a weak dryline near Emporia, KS.
    5/20: A mature supercell near McAlester, OK.

    5/20: Some of the hail we encountered that afternoon... at times reaching 1.25 inches in diameter.
    5/20: John Griswold gazes over the dimpled hood of his truck. The hail was indeed big enough (golfball-size) to leave many obvious dents in both chase vehicles.
    5/20: Sunset-lit supercell just east of Kiowa, OK.

    5/20: One of inumerable lightning bolts we saw from Route 1 in OK on our way back to Ada from McAlester.
    5/25: A very large dust devil along Rt. 83 near Wellington, TX.
    5/26: Beautiful display of mammatus near Aspermont, TX. These were some of the largest ones any of us had ever seen.

    5/26: A well-defined wall cloud drops down from a strong supercell just southwest of Aspermont, TX.
    5/26: Classic sunset in the Texas panhandle.
    5/26: Another shot of a classic Texas sunset.

    5/27: Part of an incredible light show just northwest of Clinton, OK. The approaching storm was a line of strong cells, each one containing a visible mesocyclone.


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