3-28-07 began as any other chase day, I was excited but at the same time almost expecting yet another late afternoon let down, little did I know it would become a day I will never forget, as it would become my first wedge chase. I started the day by departing Lincoln early in the Morning; I never really made a target for the day I just figured I would get out there early and adjust as the system began to take shape. My first stop was in Kearney NE where I stopped for some lunch, having been looking over data on the way to Kearney I knew I wanted to get farther south so I opted to head in the general direction of Arapahoe NE. I arrived there in the early afternoon. It was while I was in Arapahoe that the initial MD and ensuing watch was issued for the NE panhandle, but continued monitoring of the conditions kept me from darting North. At this point it was becoming clear that NW KS was becoming very instable with decent clearing and CAPE’s approaching 3500j/kg. Looking at the satellite, I noted bubbling CU all along the DryLine in E CO. However extremely low DP and high LCL’s kept me from wanting to get to far West, so I opted just to head south. From Arapahoe I decided I would head towards Oberlin KS. The drive there was somewhat frustrating as I got on some crazy back roads that would get me there quickly but while doing it I lost my internet connection as well as Cell phone calling. Once I approached Oberlin I got my internet connection back up and running, it was at this time that I realized a new MD was out and that a Tornado watch for the NW KS area was to be issued. I filled up with gas in Oberlin and looked over stuff for about a half hour, while sitting there I had bubbling CU all over the place and realized that I had towers becoming storms to my SW. It was about this time that I got in contact with Jeff who let me know that the storm coming up out of Oakley was really intensifying, so I dropped south from Oberlin on hwy 83; it was about at Colby that I intercepted the first storm. Upon arrival, it had a nice rain free base but one could also see that it was struggling due to convection interrupting its inflow, so after seeing a radar image I decided to let it go and head for the storm coming up towards Goodland. From Colby I got on I-70 from my radar image and talking with Jeff it became apparent that this storm was about to put on a show, so I throttled up and punched the core of a new updraft along I-70. I quickly realized that if I headed to Goodland I would have to not only core punch the storm, but also eventually track it back through the city, so I tried to find a road that would drop me south before Goodland. While there were no good roads I was able to find a “Bob’s road” actually called RD 29 that would put me right in the position I wanted to be in. So at the Edson exit (which will be of future relevance) I dropped south on some narrow mud road with cattle gates. Right about as we were turning off the interstate a Tornado Warning went up, shortly after I talked with Jeff who said there was a reported touchdown. So now I was really in a hurry, I knew I would have to sample the outer edge of the storms core but I also knew if I hurried and beat the worst of the core I would come through the rain and see the tornado. Sure enough just as the road was ending, I came out of the rain and witnessed a nice Stovepipe tornado. The tornado quickly took one a “Wizard of OZ” appearance and eventually roped out. After witnessing that tornado I realized that the storm was not finished it quickly began to recycle as I watched it the sun began to set. So I stayed with the storm as it moved back North along my mud road, at that point Kathy called and told me that radar was indicating really strong rotation and sure enough about as we approached the interstate again I could see another tornado back in there, I didn’t have the view a lot of others had making it a red tornado because I was looking NW at the tornado while they were looking SW. I scurried to get back and across the interstate because at this point I could see a big bad RFD that I wanted no part of, and I knew that something big was about to happen. I hurried across the interstate through Edson hoping to stay on RD 29 but realized a train was blocking the tracks so I darted East to my next road option which ended up being a field access road I quickly realized that was not going to cut it so I flew west to the next road 28. After a few miles north on 28 I spotted a very large tornado just barely to my NE. It was a nice wedge tornado, I continued on 28 and eventually linked up to a road called FAS 116 (which was a horrible road) as the tornado continued to move due N. Somewhere In between the interstate and Bird City I spotted two tornadoes, the large wedge and a decent sized stovepipe to the E of the wedge, then closer to Bird City I saw that the Wedge also had a small rope satellite tornado just to the W of the main vortex. I followed the tornado all the way to Bird City hoping that the tornado would stay just E of town, thankfully when I arrived to town and drove through I didn’t see any major damage just some branches scattered about and the town was without power. From bird city I could still see the large tornado to my NNE I wanted to try to get closer to it so I opted to try a paved road on which I could drive a little faster then the mud roads were allowing me, so from Bird City I tried to head ENE on hwy 36 so I could then head up and cut in front of the storm, but about 1 mile east of Bird City I couldn’t continue due to downed power lines blocking the roads path. So not wanting to let the storm go I flew back to Bird City and got in Highway 161. Once on 161 I could still barely make out the wedge way off to my NE. I could also see a new area of rotation forming just up the road from me, so I could not race north to catch back up to the original wedge. It quickly became apparent that this new area was about to produce as a real nasty lowering was backlit by lightning, and sure enough about 5 minutes late I had another tornado on the ground just to my North when we were just south of Benkelman NE. I quickly lost visual of that tornado as it either dissipated or wrapped in rain, at this point, I had seen enough and was ready to begin the long trek home, however did not want to drive into the storm still to my north. So I just slowly tracked along, it was then that I came across what appeared to be a damage path (I am guessing of the tornado I just witnessed to my north) I had to zigzag debris scattered throughout the road primarily huge hay bails. I then continued toward Benkelman were I came across very large hail stones some about Baseball sized and I am not sure how long they had sat there and been melting, I know Benkelman had a report of 4.25 inch hail. At this point I was pretty exhausted and ready to head home, but I still had a storm to my east that for all I knew was still tornadic, at this point I had not had cell phone coverage every since bird city, so I wasn’t sure. But eventually I got a hold of Sean how said that I only had a narrow band to punch through, it still wasn’t easy to do and after seeing hail that large it makes one wonder what their about to see.

Here are a couple of videos from the day, neither are anything special; one thing I realized today is I need to get a new Camcorder!!