May 26, 2006 Storm Chase | High Based SVR storms in Western South Dakota

May 26, 2006 Storm Chase | High Based SVR storms in Western South Dakota
All photos © Copyright 2006 Matt Ziebell

Nothing too big today as the moist return flow had just started during the overnight hours. A much better setup was in store for tomorrow in ND, so I chose to chase the Black Hills today versus the CO upslope to cut down on the drive that awaited me. I got to Sturgis by early afternoon and grabbed some lunch and data. Not more than 15min after eating, some explosive development was already underway just to my north. The Cu that were there before had now gone fully vertical and become Cbs. I watched their trends for a while and eventually headed east for new development. The best cell would be later on in the afternoon southwest of Faith. This cell exhibited much better girth, a stout updraft and later a small funnel during the updraft's demise. I tried my hardest to capture this after pulling over on HWY 34; though the stills show no evidence despite it being much more visible earlier on--crap! I continued north and east chasing some isolated SVR convection producing some 1" hail near the ND/SD border. One of these cells actually had a small rounded base. After this, I continued north for Bismarck and while south of Flasher, ND, hit a 3/4" thick metal loophook that instantly deflated one of my new tires. It was already dusk with SVR convection still approaching from the west, so I was under incredible pressure to get the spare on in time and get to Bismarck (the nearest city with a motel!). I made it out of there in time and arrived almost 1.5hrs later in Bismarck after limping along at 45-50mph...sigh.

Bridger, SD: Home to survivors of Wounded Knee

Convection takes off near Sturgis

Good shear, but just too high based

Surging updraft underway

SVR at this point...small funnel observed later on

Weaker cell near Faith

Small rotating base near ND/SD border (HWY 31)

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