Hello my dear blog...looks like you've done some changes since last I checked in LOL! I did say I would keep in touch more often, but this time, I have a pretty legitimate reason for not checking in. For the last few months, despite changes on the job (mostly for the worst rather than for the better), I have been working hard to save up money for one of my biggest accomplishments yet: storm chasing for class credit!! Yes...I was actually able to enroll in a class for a grade as well as get to do something I could only dream of since I was in the fourth grade! Even now, just three days into the trip, I'm still amazed that I'm even here to begin with. Opportunities like this one don't come around very often, and when it does come and you're ready, you should do it if you're blessed and able. Right now, I'm more blessed than anything because Lord knows how much my heart is into the weather. I left on June 8th to come to Kansas City where we started off, and so far so good! I was very nervous about flying on my own, but surprisingly, I didn't get lost or anything! The plane ride was very smooth and beautiful. I was also nervous because when I made it to Kansas City, I realized that not only was I the ONLY female, but I was the ONLY African-American person out of the whole group! Needless to say I fit right in, and being the only girl has its privileges. I know my stuff quite well which is always a plus, and I was able to socialize with the guys and fit right into the conversations, especially when it came to the NBA Finals and football LOL! I was also close enough to enjoy a wonderful dinner and hang out evening with my cousin Ashley. I so wish I was able to hang out longer, but it was time for us to get on the road the next day, so playtime was over for now.
Yesterday, we started out heading towards Beatrice, Nebraska which is in the southeastern portion of Nebraska. This was super exciting being that I've never come to Nebraska to hang out. I did pass through it when we went to Ashley's college graduation, but we never stayed put in Nebraska. I saw everything from dairy farms to the Flood Plains from I-29 as we traveled. By 2:15, we had arrived in Beatrice with the targeted cold front 60 miles to our west, and while we waited for the storms to come to us, the guys and I were throwing a frisbee and passing a football while the breeze cooled us off some, even though it was hot. We spent about an hour at Robertson Park there before it was time to get moving again. Before leaving, our professor checked the data again and realized that all of the instability (the fuel needed for the storms) had moved to a new area, so it was on the road again for us going north. We ended up going south towards a cell 35 miles away from our location which produced some amazing cumulus clouds, placing us in Maryville, KS. We enjoyed the view of the updraft going into the storm as well as an amazing shelf cloud moving along with the front. It was nothing I had seen before and I just had to get a shot of it! Off to the west near Wichita, we were able to see another major storm explode, producing one of the best lightning displays I'd seen in a while! On our way to Salina, we were even able to see Kansas State University which was a very nice campus. We didn't get in until after 11 and had to be back up and ready by 8 so you know we barely slept.
Today, our target area was Abeline, Texas, but it was so hard to stay awake only sleeping FOUR hours! The group went due south into Texas, and on the way there, I was able to see Oklahoma State, the outskirts of Hesston, Kansas which is one of my favorite places due to the tornado that struck in March of 1991, the Kansas Turnpike (also famous for a tornado event in which a storm chaser, his kids, and colleague survived under an overpass), and even a wind plant coming into Texas! We covered over 700 miles today which made it difficult at times to keep our eyes open, but we were in for a show. We started seeing the clouds build around Stamford, and the closer we came into Coleman, TX, the darker the skies were. It even had a bit of a greenish tint to the skies as we continued down the highway. I saw tons of CG (cloud-to-ground) lightning, felt phenominal winds, and saw my first ever rain foot, the section of the storm where the precipitation was pushed out and rolls up at the surface like a foot. That was some pretty amazing stuff!! The ride back was the best not only because of the beautiful sunset, but we were able to see another storm pop up off to the northeast that had an overshooting top, something I don't really get to see much at home. Since Subway has been our main courses the last few days, two of the guys and I decided to go across the street and eat dinner at The Pizza Place (yes, the place is called "The Pizza Place" hahahaha! It was pretty tasty, too!
For now, I'm about to touch up on some of my homework to turn in by Friday since I know we'll be on the road a lot and can't really read and study in the car, but I just wanted to reflect on the day. Even though we haven't seen any tornadoes just yet, the storms I have seen were amazing! There's really no other way for me to put it besides amazing. Just seeing the sights of the Plains as well as seeing Mother Nature at her worst...ah one can only dream. The only difference right now is that the dream has become a reality for me. I always saw myself going out there and chasing storms and hoping to gain a better perspective from them, and now it's happening...it's FINALLY happening! I couldn't be more thankful and proud of myself for never giving up on my dreams no matter how difficult things in life may be. ALWAYS look to God first, and HE will be the one to guide you through anything and everything. Without Him, none of what I'm doing would be possible, and I couldn't be more happier doing something that I love genuinely. Hopefully one day I'll get to go out there again, but for now, I'm going to keep living in the moment and enjoy the beauty of nature as well as visiting new places. Take care, and I hope to check back with you very soon while I'm out in the field :-D!
Monday, June 11, 2012
A Dream Come True
Hello my dear blog...looks like you've done some changes since last I checked in LOL! I did say I would keep in touch more often, but this time, I have a pretty legitimate reason for not checking in. For the last few months, despite changes on the job (mostly for the worst rather than for the better), I have been working hard to save up money for one of my biggest accomplishments yet: storm chasing for class credit!! Yes...I was actually able to enroll in a class for a grade as well as get to do something I could only dream of since I was in the fourth grade! Even now, just three days into the trip, I'm still amazed that I'm even here to begin with. Opportunities like this one don't come around very often, and when it does come and you're ready, you should do it if you're blessed and able. Right now, I'm more blessed than anything because Lord knows how much my heart is into the weather. I left on June 8th to come to Kansas City where we started off, and so far so good! I was very nervous about flying on my own, but surprisingly, I didn't get lost or anything! The plane ride was very smooth and beautiful. I was also nervous because when I made it to Kansas City, I realized that not only was I the ONLY female, but I was the ONLY African-American person out of the whole group! Needless to say I fit right in, and being the only girl has its privileges. I know my stuff quite well which is always a plus, and I was able to socialize with the guys and fit right into the conversations, especially when it came to the NBA Finals and football LOL! I was also close enough to enjoy a wonderful dinner and hang out evening with my cousin Ashley. I so wish I was able to hang out longer, but it was time for us to get on the road the next day, so playtime was over for now.
Yesterday, we started out heading towards Beatrice, Nebraska which is in the southeastern portion of Nebraska. This was super exciting being that I've never come to Nebraska to hang out. I did pass through it when we went to Ashley's college graduation, but we never stayed put in Nebraska. I saw everything from dairy farms to the Flood Plains from I-29 as we traveled. By 2:15, we had arrived in Beatrice with the targeted cold front 60 miles to our west, and while we waited for the storms to come to us, the guys and I were throwing a frisbee and passing a football while the breeze cooled us off some, even though it was hot. We spent about an hour at Robertson Park there before it was time to get moving again. Before leaving, our professor checked the data again and realized that all of the instability (the fuel needed for the storms) had moved to a new area, so it was on the road again for us going north. We ended up going south towards a cell 35 miles away from our location which produced some amazing cumulus clouds, placing us in Maryville, KS. We enjoyed the view of the updraft going into the storm as well as an amazing shelf cloud moving along with the front. It was nothing I had seen before and I just had to get a shot of it! Off to the west near Wichita, we were able to see another major storm explode, producing one of the best lightning displays I'd seen in a while! On our way to Salina, we were even able to see Kansas State University which was a very nice campus. We didn't get in until after 11 and had to be back up and ready by 8 so you know we barely slept.
Today, our target area was Abeline, Texas, but it was so hard to stay awake only sleeping FOUR hours! The group went due south into Texas, and on the way there, I was able to see Oklahoma State, the outskirts of Hesston, Kansas which is one of my favorite places due to the tornado that struck in March of 1991, the Kansas Turnpike (also famous for a tornado event in which a storm chaser, his kids, and colleague survived under an overpass), and even a wind plant coming into Texas! We covered over 700 miles today which made it difficult at times to keep our eyes open, but we were in for a show. We started seeing the clouds build around Stamford, and the closer we came into Coleman, TX, the darker the skies were. It even had a bit of a greenish tint to the skies as we continued down the highway. I saw tons of CG (cloud-to-ground) lightning, felt phenominal winds, and saw my first ever rain foot, the section of the storm where the precipitation was pushed out and rolls up at the surface like a foot. That was some pretty amazing stuff!! The ride back was the best not only because of the beautiful sunset, but we were able to see another storm pop up off to the northeast that had an overshooting top, something I don't really get to see much at home. Since Subway has been our main courses the last few days, two of the guys and I decided to go across the street and eat dinner at The Pizza Place (yes, the place is called "The Pizza Place" hahahaha! It was pretty tasty, too!
For now, I'm about to touch up on some of my homework to turn in by Friday since I know we'll be on the road a lot and can't really read and study in the car, but I just wanted to reflect on the day. Even though we haven't seen any tornadoes just yet, the storms I have seen were amazing! There's really no other way for me to put it besides amazing. Just seeing the sights of the Plains as well as seeing Mother Nature at her worst...ah one can only dream. The only difference right now is that the dream has become a reality for me. I always saw myself going out there and chasing storms and hoping to gain a better perspective from them, and now it's happening...it's FINALLY happening! I couldn't be more thankful and proud of myself for never giving up on my dreams no matter how difficult things in life may be. ALWAYS look to God first, and HE will be the one to guide you through anything and everything. Without Him, none of what I'm doing would be possible, and I couldn't be more happier doing something that I love genuinely. Hopefully one day I'll get to go out there again, but for now, I'm going to keep living in the moment and enjoy the beauty of nature as well as visiting new places. Take care, and I hope to check back with you very soon while I'm out in the field :-D!
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