Epilogue...

All these trips are different; you expect the unexpected, the disappointments and the moments of elation. There are so many aspects of storm chasing that you can only possibly experience a small subset on any given trip hence the compulsion to return again and again. Despite chasing only in Texas and Oklahoma we’ve spent nearly all that time in virgin territory, well for me anyway. If you thing the Plains are big then think again and add a nought or two; they are effectively endless.

It’s always fun to chase with buddy, it was great to have Rich along (not sure which one of us is Walter Matthau and which is Jack Lemmon), and to meet Valarie and Aiden. Great job by Peter and Malcolm in the front seats – part flight deck, part mission control. Fantastic craic throughout.

This trip kept delivering: 5 days of severe storms is at the very top of expectations including three days of being on tornado warned storms. You pays your money, you takes your chance. I’ll need to check but that’s probably the most productive trip so far. Coming here earlier in the season means that there’s more moisture around and the atmosphere recharges more quickly but the downside is more rain and faster moving storms.

Top moment? In the 5 previous trips I’d never seen proper giant hail so, by a small margin that has to be it -Day 2. That was also an exhilarating chase and we could easily have seen a tornado; dumb luck was against us, that is all.

It’s curious; the week has flown past in the blink of an eye but because we pack so much in individual events feel like they happened ages ago. So it is, make hay whether the sun shines or not.

Total miles this week: 3072

Grand total miles over all 6 trips: A lot TBC

See y’all next time.