2008 APRIL 7: ELEKTRA, TEXAS TORNADO


 

  On Monday, 4-7-2008, I encountered vigorous enhanced cu in Baylor and Wilbarger Counties around 2:30 PM. These struggled with the capping inversion but continued to regenerate at the focal point of what appeared to be a small mesolow. Finally one of these broke the cap and the chase was underway. A cluster of three cells merged rapidly into a large supercell. Just west of Electra, the storm produced the brief tornado I show below.

 



I was unable to see debris at the ground, but my friends Bob Fritchie and Rachael Sigler, with numerous other chasers, witnessed the circulation and resulting dust swirl. Scott Blair chased with us this day as well.



As this storm weakened, we repositioned to new convection to the southwest: two new storms which became isolated supercells on their own.

The northern storm was near Mankins. Despite interference via outflow from the southernmost storm, this cell maintained an impressive radar presentation and several wall clouds.



Finally we dove south toward Archer City and followed the last storm east until it morphed into a deeply-grooved barrel updraft, a gorgeous little LP to end the day.