STORM TRACK: May 31, 1978 (Volume 1 Issue 4)

I recently completed a three week (vacation) storm chase from Texas to South Dakota and back. Randy Zipser and I traveled from May 16 to 29 (on my own May 30-Juno 1). The round trip to and from Fairfax, Virginia covered 11,660 miles. While we encountered severe storms almost every day, unfortunately we did not secure any good tornado pictures. I photographed a half dozen small -mostly shear type- funnels from one storm northeast of Garden City, Kansas on May 30. Missed were two large tornadoes on different days duo to a moment's incorrect judgement and turning down the wrong road. One of those was the big May 31 Emmett, Kansas tornado that was 1/2 mile wide and tracked 20 miles on the ground across open country.

I mention this in passing to lend a little solace to other chasers who, from time to time, share in the frustration of missing the big ones. Despite the best data analysis and experience of hundreds of storm intercepts, each storm is unique and can be misread even by the experienced chaser. Thus far, I have had four comparatively lean years since 1974, which was a banner year for me (three large tornadoes, a supercell and six funnels in a one week period). The way I see it, each missed storm and every lean year is just one more "down payment" on the good ones. This price isn't only paid before but -often- after the fact. Thus, I temper the occasional depressions with the understanding that I'm still paying for the good years. Each frustrating year makes these that much more valuable. Therefore, to those of you who marked this season with notable success -congratulations and many enjoyable evenings of viewing. To those who failed, I offer the previous reflections and a small measure from Omar Khayyam:

With them the Seed of Wisdom did I sow,
And with my own hand labour'd it to grow;
And this was all the Harvest that I reap'd -
"I came like Water, and like Wind I go."