6ColbyKS6April2001

Date: 6 April 2001

Location: Colby, KS

Chase Partner: None

Summary:

HIGH RISK as I looked at the morning forecast from SPC. Immediately wild thoughts of giant wedges and stovepipe tornadoes dancing across the plains of Western KS as far as the eye could see began to fill my mind, as well as bringing back the childhood memories and fear I had during the Super Outbreak of 1974. I was psyched up regardless of what fear I may have had. The first chase of the season, and it looked to be a wild affair. I departed Denver at 0630 and was contemplating what target area I was going to head to. After receiving an update from the Chase Hotline at 1020 I headed to Dodge City, KS. After arriving in Dodge City at 1150 I had found out that there were storms firing up near Garden City.........with the 10/10 overcast I would have never known had I heard two Skywarn Spotters talking about it on the HAM radio. So I headed back north toward Ness City and spent about 90 minutes sitting on a dirt track watching nothing happen. Tornado warning for Quinter KS........from all the way up near WaKeeney. My mind was playing tricks on me. I was going to miss the Super Outbreak of the new Millennium!! While I sat on my little dirt track near Ness City, a man came up to me. Seeing the antenna on his car told me he "must be a chaser." Virginia plates. Still nothing clicked........my mind was elsewhere. He rolled his window down and introduced himself as Dave Hoadley.......still nothing clicked.....the name was familiar, but my mind was elsewhere........somewhere there was a giant wedge ripping across some farmers field and I had no idea where......still 10/10 overcast. I talked with Dave for about 10 or 15 minutes. He informed me that storms were firing at a rapid pace near the KS/CO border and asked my intentions. I was clueless.......damn 10/10!!! Still I asked myself......who is this guy?........GOD this name is familiar. After a few minutes Dave decided he was headed west to the CO/KS border. I wished him good hunting and off he went. THEN IT HIT ME!! DAVE HOADLEY!! STORM CHASING LEGEND!! DOH!!! What was I THINKING? Oh yeah.........giant wedge ripping through KS farmers field........so after some contemplating on my own part I decided I was going to head back North and then West. The storms themselves were moving to the NNE at a 65-80 MPH clip!!! I figured that at that speed, the upper level winds are wreaking havoc and are probably not letting too many, if any at all become tornadic. So reality was beginning to set in........"High Risk turns to Big Bust" was the headline in my head. I got to WaKeeney, KS and headed West. I picked up a SkyWarn net at Colby, KS and checked in. I situated myself just E of Colby on the edge of a vidoc and listened to the reports coming in. Here it comes!! Still can't see anything from the 10/10, but it is coming!! I can hear the reports!! Someone pretty eager gets on and says they have "rotating wall cloud in sight.......massive inflow".....my heart began to pound!! WHERE WHERE WHERE??? Just West of Monument, KS. I figured I was in about as good a position as I could be!! So I waited........and waited........and waited. The sky got dark......the wind blew.....the rain was wet.....there was a nice gust front.......MAYBE a wall cloud just to the W of Colby......but no tornadoes......and I asked myself on the drive home......"How could I have spaced the name DAVE HOADLEY?.......and I call myself a storm chaser!!" I did however manage to save a Astro Mini van crammed with 12 full grown adults from the impending storm as they fought to keep their van from sliding down a mud embankment. OK Eric.......where is your head at today? 12 ADULTS IN AN ASTRO MINI VAN!! NONE OF WHOM KNEW WHAT I WAS SAYING!! Shortly after the tow truck had arrived, so had the Thomas County Sheriff. I may have saved them.........but I also probably got them deported too. After that I called it a day...........what a bust!!

Wall cloud near Colby, KS

Gustfront Approaches east of town

Here comes the rain again

Sunset on the way home

A blown over semi along the way

Reports for 6 April 2001 from SPC