[HCRA] FW: [WX4LWX - SKYWARN] kick-off severe storm

[Daniel Sullivan]

-----Original Message-----
From: wx4lwx at yahoogroups.com [mailto:wx4lwx at yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
The Weather Warrior
Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2006 10:34 AM
To: wx4lwx at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [WX4LWX - SKYWARN] kick-off severe storm

What a way to start off the Severe Weather season in the DC area.  

I started my tour in Germantown, Maryland and headed north to Ellicott 
City.  Incepting the storms at I-70 and Rt. 75 I managed to stay ahead 
of the storm for quite a while.  About 10 miles east of Ellicott City 
a distinctive Shelf cloud started to form.  It was slightly elevated, 
but still provide for great video.  Green shading backdropped behind 
the line, indicating there was hail, so I wanted to make sure I stayed 
ahead of the system.  Luckily I-70 was clear and I only needed to 
maintain minimum highway speed since the system was moving at 45mph 
due east.  However, when I made a quick stop at Rt. 97 (just of I-70), 
I took a little too long getting video and trying to get batteries 
loaded to take a digital still.  During this time, I also hear Chad's 
Wall Cloud in Manassass report on the Skywarn Net.  I wasn't sure if I 
was too far north from the "main action", but I did not want to follow 
the storm closer to DC, because being a Monday, rush hour traffic 
would have made it too difficult to stay ahead of the storm.

At this point, I decided to move southeast using Rt.32.  Because of my 
delay at the last stop, this is the first time the core caought up to 
me and I was thrust into the heavy rain and hail.  At first the hail 
was spread out within the rain core, and only measured to Dime Size.  
At one point, around Rt. 108 and Rt.32 and hit a clear pocket.  The 
visual was great, with massive low dark clouds.  Reminded me more of 
a "Great Plains" Derecho than an East Coast Thunderstorm.  However, as 
I soon approached, and momentary went south on I-95 the system quickly 
caught up and again, this time with a great force and veriosity.  Most 
of the drivers along I-95 could not handle the deluge and pulled off.  
Luckily for me, I was able to move left, and blast (at an amazing 
25mph) down I-95 to the next exit, where I made a double exit (u-turn) 
to head back to Rt. 32.  The hail at this point was 80% of the 
precipitation and was upto the size of quarters, and started to cover 
the roadway.  I could feel from time to time the car (my lightwieght 
Dodge Neon), slip a little on the road.  Again, luckily, the road was 
somewhat clear with most of the traffic clogging under highway 
overpasses, or pulled off to the side.  Once I was only Rt. 32 heading 
south and east again, the hail and wind was hitting the rear of the 
vehicle, allowing for faster forward motion.  I manage to once again 
pull ahead of the system at about the point where Rt. 32 turns into I-
97.  

The rest of the chase, was just for me to head across to Kent Island, 
and hit one fo my favority spots to video the approaching storm as it 
crosses the Chesapeake Bay.  Unfortunately, it was after night fall by 
this time, and the video was no more dramatic than other lightning 
video taken elsewhere.

At around 10pm, I concluding my shotting and headed home.  The full 
day consisted of about 250 miles worth of driving, good stock video 
shots, no photography, and a very happy storm chaser who has been 
sufferring from a case of SDS (Storm Depravation Sydrome).  

I'll vid-caps and a detailed chase log on my website by the end of 
night, tonight.  

Jason Foster, N3PRZ (MOE-13)
www.weatherwarrior.net
jason at weatherwarrior.net



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