Day 1 - Yukon Ho! - May 10, 2019

   On a brisk Friday morning, seven students and two instructors set out from Martin on the first Great Plains Travel Study offered by the University. Despite the cold weather, all were excited to get on the road for this ten-day adventure across the flatter parts of our great nation. Our initial destination was Yukon, OK.

    The goal of the trip was to forecast for, pursue, and observe severe thunderstorms. We were in search of all the hazards associated with such storms: large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes. We were not going out there for thrills alone; this would be a unique opportunity to experience the things described in the textbooks. After all, it's one thing to read about inflow into a severe storm, quite another thing to feel the wind at your back.

    On days where there were no storms to observe, we would look for cultural and natural landmarks to explore. Given the overall weather pattern, we would get to see more than our fair share of such for most of the time. A large upper-level trough covered the country east of the Rockies. That explained the colder than normal weather which, in turn, would inhibit the development of severe weather for much of the next 7 days. After that, the models were hinting at a pattern change.

    We left Martin equipped with internet access, two iPads, and a SiriusXM radio. Internet access is critical for storm chasing; it provides the data necessary to find the storms and stay ahead of them. We would use the iPads to both display radar data and navigate the road network. The radio would help to pass the time; you see, just to get onto the cusp of the Plains, we were looking at a 10-hour trip. The Great Plains are too far away from Martin.

    While the overall pattern was quiet, that doesn’t mean the sky was empty of wonders. We saw several interesting clouds along the way. We saw asperatus clouds; these are gray, wavy clouds which indicate the presence of turbulence. This is one of the newest clouds officially designated by the World Meteorological Organization.

     Next up was mammatus. These pouch-like clouds typically develop in the vicinity of severe thunderstorms, but they can also form in other, less turbulent conditions (like today).

     We also saw some cumulus forming from the emissions of nuclear reactors in Arkansas.

     At long last we reached the Holiday Inn Express in Yukon. This chain is a favorite with chasers as the hotels are clean, comfortable, offer free wi-fi and a hot breakfast each morning. This particular hotel was undergoing renovation while we were there, but it did not impede us in any way.

    Most of went to Rib Crib for dinner. As the name suggests, ribs are their specialty. And they did not disappoint.