The 2006 chasers at the end of the trip. From left to right: Dave Carroll, Lorenza Cooper, Jacob Carley, Brittany Livingston,

Kevin Myatt, David Ramsaur, Allison Toney, Paula Flinchum, Amy Harless, Seth Price, Stephanie Taylor, Beth Owens.

 Tornado damage in Caruthersville Missouri. Just over a month earlier on April 2nd, a devastating long-track tornado ripped

through 3 states (Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee) on a 100 mile long path. We rolled through the town and the damage

is painfully obvious: a long recovery period awaits the towns in the storm's path.

Missouri bootheel storm: a very photogenic borderline-severe storm, with lots of nice CG activity.

Day one of our trip west found us headed east to north-central North Carolina, where we intercepted a couple of

tornado-warned storms. This view is a video capture of the anchor cell in a short line segment. Radar indicated a TVS

with this storm, and we videotaped a brief tornado in Gorman NC.

All fingers point to Piatt County Illinois...our location for a dramatic supercell intercept. As near-perfect positioning put us

on the front row of a wall cloud parade crossing farmland just north of our location. Knowing that storms would be rolling

southeastward, we positioned ourselves on the western flank of the activity, hoping that a western cell would have more

freedom to ingest warm air and limited moisture (both in short supply during the 2006 season). This time, the storms

would fully cooperate, and produce our best intercept of 2006.

A combination gustnado/rainshaft from a severe thunderstorm in northeastern Colorado. We witnessed at

least 20 gustnadoes this day, a few of which appeared quite strong.

 ...another view of a nice CG from the Missouri bootheel storm.

 Piatt County Illinois. Tornado-warned, with sirens blaring in the distance, the chasers watched 4 separate wall clouds

roar by, and experienced two strong RFD's, with one being noticeably warmer than the other. An amazing storm.

 One of the 20 or so gustnadoes from eastern Colorado.

 Another wall cloud from Piatt County Illinois. I think every chaser can watch the amazing video of this storm

over and over without tiring of it.

 West of McCook Nebraska. Brief meso's showed up with a number of storms this day, including a small funnel

extending below the wall cloud. Walnut-size hail was common in a number of Nebraska counties this day.

Stormy sunset over the western Nebraska plains. 

 A still photo of the Gorman NC tornado. Dry air prevented full condensation funnel formation, however

a distinct debris cloud can be seen at ground level, indicating the circulation has indeed reached the ground.

 Wish we could visit this storm again. Low-level circulation rapidly increased with

this storm in southern Wisconsin, and rain-curtains very typical of those wrapping

around a mesocyclone whistled by the chase vans as visibility dropped to zero.

 A menacing shelf cloud approaches from the west in Clay County South Dakota. A well-defined, and long-lasting

gustnado accompanied this shelf cloud as is moved eastward toward Interstate 29, prompting tornado warnings

for southeastern South Dakota.