Mother Nature has decided she wants to park a high pressure ridge over the plains for much of next week. This is pretty much going to quash the chance for tornadoes where they can best be spotted. Seasoned storm chasers sometimes refer to this as the “Death Ridge”, not because it causes death, but rather because it kills the chance for tornadoes to chase.
Of course my storm chasing trip of the year starts tomorrow evening after work.
There is still a potential for severe storms, albeit a lower chance, in the likes of Texas and farther east than I would normally go. Is all of this disappointing? Somewhat, but my yearly storm chasing trip isn’t just about storm chasing. It’s also my way of enjoying a retreat, where I spend hours exploring small towns I’ve never been to, seeing sights I’ve never seen, and enjoying the vibe of a part of the country I’ve never lived in.
Yes, I’ll be heading for every little red blip that might pop up on the weather radar and I’ll always plan my destinations around the Storm Prediction Center’s forecast map, but if I only get lightning shots or rain shots or even beautiful shots of sunlit skies, I’m good. It’s a week away from the norm, and while my norm is pretty great, getting away from the norm for any reason can be great too.
