Air NewZealand currently have a good deal to USA.
Auckland to Denver return is $NZ 2162 (includes tax). Must be paid for within 7 days of booking and the last day for booking and payment is Jan 23rd. ( Flight Centre)
We plan to depart Auckland on Sat evening May 12th for Denver spending two weeks chasing.
We depart Denver for NZ on Sat May 26th arriving back in Auckland early Monday 28th (subject to availability)
Those interested in coming along let me know as I plan to make a booking tomorrow.
The chase party so far is Brian, NZstorm, sheryll and myself.
Location: West Coast Road, Manukau Peninsula, North Island
Unread postby Manukau heads obs »
some lessons we need to learn from last year:
*we need mobile internet access
*12 volt laptop convertor (I have one now, so can tick that off)
*never turn around to chase a CB on the horizon in the rear view mirror!
We will spend our first night at Limon east of Denver. There is a Super 8 Motel there, it will be much cheaper than using accommodation around Denver Airport. I'll make a booking when we have confirmed numbers.
A problem with mobile internet is the coverage. In many of the back country areas where we could end up chasing it would be unavailable. The coverage tends to be based along the main interstates. The only way of getting good weather information coverage is by buying the Baron package which looks pricey to me for the use we would get. And in a poor season like 2006, it would have been a waste of money. But if there are the numbers going, the Baron could become cost effective.
I need to discuss the dates and the fact it's now likely to be two weeks with my employer (I was thinking about 10 days).
We don't go back till Monday (8th), so I'm not in a position to know if I can get time off yet. Even then it will require careful consideration of our workload.
I have mobile internet and am a Ham so I can also talk directly to the storm guru's over there. I really would like to go, but it's a case of can I get the time off and can I afford the cost.
Suggest some of you consider becoming hams (it's not hard these days) also. The exams are cheap and can be organised quickly these days. Once licensed, there are no ongoing costs (it's a free annual license under a GURL). A lot of people seem to simply memorise the answers to the multi choice questions and pass with only a couple of days study these days.
tgsnoopy wrote:Suggest some of you consider becoming hams (it's not hard these days) also. The exams are cheap and can be organised quickly these days. Once licensed, there are no ongoing costs (it's a free annual license under a GURL). A lot of people seem to simply memorise the answers to the multi choice questions and pass with only a couple of days study these days.
I don't know about ricky, but I own 4 handhelds and two mobile dual banders... I'm sure we can cover equipment requirements without drama's. Oh, and I've got the GPS covered too.
Maybe we should do that visit to the NSSL/NWS in Oklahoma that we couldn't make last year. (we had to chase in Nebraska instead). May be arrange that over there this time, when we know for sure we have a down day.
I'll be driving again for Storm Chasing Adventure Tours in 2007 from mid-May to mid-June if all goes as planned, i.e. work doesn't interfere (this will be my 5th year). Hopefully 2007 will be better than 2006! Saw the only two tornadoes sighted on the whole season of tours last year, and had mostly sunny blue skies for all my time there in 2006. Maybe will cross paths with some of you there? Cheers, Peter
As an aside, what are peoples opinions on the presentation and information contained within the US Convective Outlooks (see Brian's link above) compared to the MetService ones?
The first 'High Risk' of 2007 has been posted by the SPC today.
Yes, Alabama. I hope we dont need to go all the way to Alabama come our trip in May.
what are peoples opinions on the presentation and information contained within the US Convective Outlooks (see Brian's link above) compared to the MetService ones?
Both do their job well, noaa outlooks are mostly concerned with severe weather, Tornado's, large hail etc.
Thats my thoughts. The NZ outlooks are forecasting 'deep moist convection' while the US outlooks are based on forecasting 'severe convective weather' excluding rainfall events. Also, the US forecasts are based more on coverage while the NZ forecasts are based on risk of convection occuring. So actually quite different products.
Re the high risk in USA, this link may be worth a look in the next 24hrs for anyone interested. http://www.alabamawx.com/
A SLIGHT risk implies well-organized severe thunderstorms are expected but in small numbers and/or low coverage. Within a slight risk area, 5-29 reports of 1 inch of larger hail, and/or 3-5 tornadoes, and/or 5-29 wind events are forecast.
MODERATE risks imply a greater concentration of severe thunderstorms, and in most situations, greater magnitude of severe weather. Within a moderate risk area, at least 30 reports of hail 1 inch or larger, or 6-19 tornadoes, or numerous wind events (30 that might be associated with a squall line, bow echo or derecho) are forecast.
The HIGH risk area almost always means a major severe weather outbreak is expected, with great coverage of severe weather and enhanced likelihood of extreme severe (i.e., violent tornadoes or extreme convective wind events over a large area). Within a high risk area, expect at least 20 tornadoes with at least 2 of them rated F3+, or an extreme derecho causing 50+ widespread wind events (50+) with numerous higher end wind (80+ mph) and structural damage reports.
Lots of fatalities today in the SE, 15 dead in a high alone,by the looks:
Currently 19 dead from Tornado's. 15 where students sheltering at a school . The School had 28 minutes warning but I guess no building is safe with a direct hit.
why does that hook show like that...exactly....i have always wondered...
Good question. Obviously the mesocyclone is pulling some precip out of the precip core and circulating it around. I guess a combination of very strong inflow and centrifugal forces mean the precip is kept to the periphery of the mesocyclone giving the hook appearance on radar.
The very large hook in the Enterprise storm comes from the fact that the supercell was more of an HP type (high precipitation). Often with these the meso can become completely rain raped so the tornado can't be seen.
