May 26: Hill City Thunderstorm
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First tower goes up along warm front in northwest Kansas.
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Thundershower is drifting slowly northeast. Conditions are marginal today, so I'm not expecting much.
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Storm approaching Hoxie, Kansas.
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New tower growing on northern side of storm.
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A few minutes later.
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Cloudburst on eastern side of storm, a few miles west of Hill City.
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Hole forms in cloud from downdraft.
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View looking north.
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Outflow begins to dominate the storm.
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Smooth cloud bands indicate some rotation.
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Josh Wurman and Sean Casey, along with various members of their research and IMAX teams, occupy dirt road with panoramic view of storm.
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Serious storm chasers with serious equipment.
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Rotation to the west.
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Meanwhile, ragged cloud base develops overhead.
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Another scenic view in this relatively weak storm.
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Interesting structure though no tornado potential.
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A few minutes later
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I start heading east as dusk approaches. This is the view looking back towards the westernmost cell.
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Driving east towards the intensifying leading edge of the developing MCS.
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Another breathtaking site over the Plains and a reminder that marginal Spring days can still produce beautiful storms (or a marginal day of chasing in the Plains is better than the vast majority of Southern California thunderstorms).
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One last look back west. These types of scenes make it all worthwhile.