Date: 23 June 2009

Location:  Arnold, NE

Chase Partner: Alone.

Summary:   A "dumb luck" chase from the start.   I was heading back to work and kind of purposely left Denver a little later than planned in the hopes something would pop up along the I-80 corridor of Nebraska where a slight risk was tagged for the day.   I left Denver around 1300 and by the time I got to North Platte towers were starting to go up to the North of my location.   GRL3 indicated some rotation and shortly after a tornado warning was issued for the storm.   I cut north out of Brady, NE and as soon as I did, the storm collapsed.   "The Storm Reaper" lives on I thought again.  I turned around and started down Hwy 30 back toward the east just in case I was bailing too early, which as it turned out.........I looked back over my shoulder and the tops were looking very impressive and the tornado warning was reissued near Stapleton.   I shot north again out of Gothenburg to intercept near Arnold.   There was a report of a large tornado near Stapleton, but by the time I got in a position to see anything surface based, it was shrouded in rain.    I kicked myself for not sticking with it from the start, but since I had to be in Chicago to report back to work the following day, I let the thought of the long distance drive overtake the ambition to chase the storm.    Nevertheless, it was still a great storm with awesome structure and a great way to end up the Chase Season for 2009.   

Slow moving Tornado warned storm near Stapleton. 

What a great looking storm.

Maybe the final chase for the old Dakota...........good times!