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The Alma City and Rural Fire Department spotters
joined us on the hill. Several small funnels tried forming, but once
again the shear seemed so strong that the thunderstorm was ripped apart.
It also seemed that the storm was moisture starved |
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The wall cloud had an interesting structure
with two areas lowering toward the ground. Dust was blowing all around
us as noted by the brown haze near the surface. Only a few drops
of rain fell from the storm and lightning would from time to time produce
a spider web pattern at the base of the anvil behind us. |
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At this point we learned that several convective
cells had merged near Interstate 80 just east of North Platte and a tornado
warning had been issued. As we drove north toward Interstate 80,
the inflow was producing a dust storm and the dew point as measured on
board one of our vehicles had dropped to 37 F. The storm was racing
northward at 35 mph and we were, along with most chasers, not going to
catch this one. |
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Although we were technically in the right
place near the triple point, the storms south of the warm front were starved
for moisture and the dynamics were too strong, ripping apart the supercell
structure. Those few who earlier went into the totally cloud
covered region at and north of the warm front were able to intercept the
tornado as it formed in northern Frontier county, crossed the Interstate
and destroyed some homes in Maxwell, NE which is in Lincoln County. |
| The tornado traveled northwestward and the
reason why can be seen in reviewing the radar loop. The upper level
low was moving over the region as can be seen in the direction of the rain
bands over a several hour time period. |
The tornado was caught up in this circulation
and was directed toward the northwest as it traveled on the east side of
the upper level low. |
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