6/17/2013 - Hay Springs, NE Storms

This slight risk day featured several marginal chase opportunities up and down the High Plains. We decided to hedge north into Nebraska to get away from some of the other chasers (likely focused on the Colorado target) and to visit the very beautiful area of northwest Nebraska. This also put us closer to the plays in the northern High Plains for the next few days. We initially targeted an outflow boundary north of Scottsbluff, NE, but had to stop to get 1) a tire plugged and 2) photograph a beautiful late morning storm north of Oshkosh, NE. We continued on to the target soon thereafter, waiting patiently for convection to form north of Scottsbluff.  I finally pulled the plug on my original target as the convection was pulsing and radar indicated a "meaty" supercell moving off the Black Hills (of course, a supercell did finally form along the boundary; alas, too late for my patience).  As we neared Chadron, NE, this storm was clearly struggling on radar but, nevertheless, put on a nice visual display. Eventually new storms formed to the north and rolled towards our location, producing an amazing sunset that none of us will soon forget. Overnighted at mom and pop motel in Chadron.

Initial late morning storm -- lapse below illustrates just how cool this little gem was.

Unique lifting band creating virga along the anvil of the late morning storm.

Struggling supercell near Hay Springs.

Behind the initial storm near Hay Springs, a line of convection developed and produced a stunning display in the evening light. It was difficult for me -- an amateur photographer -- to capture this scene correctly. I just didn't do the colors justice.

Lapse of scenes captured.