Supercells In A Dust Storm — Travis Farncombe

Published on April 22, 2022

When we set out for the Texas Panhandle, with a target of Happy TX, I never imagined the challenges we would face. A powerful LLJ blasted the region with 50 to 60 mph sustained winds. The sky filled with dust and visibility was as bad as I have ever seen it on the Plains. Although this region looked ripe for supercells and maybe some panhandle magic, it was going to prove *very* tough to see anything…

This dust is gonna be a problem Canyon, TX 04:33 PM

Developing supercell swimming in dust Kress, TX 06:17 PM

ABOVE: At last the supercell tried to shake off the dust and reveal itself as it approached from the southwest.

ABOVE: The supercell developed a flat, circular base and began to take on classic characteristics as the sun began to set, setting an eerie but beautiful scene through the dust.

ABOVE: Probably the closest our storm came to becoming tornadic happened near Wayside at around 8:20pm. The supercell wrapped hard and tried to develop a nub lowering at the top of the updraft curl.

ABOVE: Pretty colours and beautiful structure set the scene as the storm passed over the Palo Duro Canyon.

ABOVE: The storm wasn’t tremendously active in terms of lightning, but it did manage to light up for a few minutes as it became tornado-warned and, finally, moved away to the northeast. All in all, dusty and difficult – but fun – chase day!

Travis Farncombe

I am the founder Highways & Hailstones. I live with my family in Toronto, Ontario - about 2000 miles from Oklahoma City and the heart of Tornado Alley. Every spring and summer, I travel down there, to the American Midwest, to witness the most awe-inspiring weather on the planet.

The first time I chased was ten years ago; I signed up as a guest with a storm chase tour company, and joined that group for a week on the plains. I saw my first tornado on that trip. It was a silhouette on a dark Kansas night, betrayed by strobes of lightning flickering in the distance. While the rest of the tour guides and group scanned the storm to the south, a lingering flash drew my glance to the north, and there, unmistakable, was a backlit cone. It was serendipity. I yelled cone tornado!, and a storm chaser was born.

After chasing for a few years as a guest with Silver Lining Tours, I gradually began to spread my wings and chase on my own, having learned enough from Roger Hill and other veterans to chase safely and responsibly. I became a guide with SLT in 2015. Now, I am a certified spotter and chase locally in Southern Ontario, as well as down in Tornado Alley. I am always meeting new people, always learning, and always humbled by the power of nature.

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