02.06.2025: Wichita Falls - Clarendon - Wellington - Mangum, OK - Granite - Vernon - Wichita Falls (434 miles)
Rating:
A line of storms is in the forecast for later today. We head west towards Amarillo to welcome
anything that moves from higher/drier terrain of eastern New Mexico towards the high plains. After
a food and gas stop in Clarendon, we see promising cumulus clouds in the sky west of us: Just like in the forecast, these clouds organize into a linear cluster of very windy thunderstorms that pick up the red dust and look very impressive:  We measure 50 mph outflow: Then we spot new activity to the east of us near the southwestern end of Oklahoma. So we head east into Mangum, Oklahoma and barely slip through an approaching hail shaft to the east side of this left-moving beauty:  Not hard to imagine the strong wind gusts on either side of this dense hail- and waterfall:  But there is more! In the distance forms another cell that shows the same gusty downdrafts, especially to the left (north-east):  We try to stay ahead of these storms on our further track eastward, make short stops, get out of the car, turn around and take photos:  Greenish-blue colors, we love the impression under these storm clouds today:   Dusty swirls are picked up, but no serious rotational air column:  But the darkness and structure of these storms, just wow!  As the evening comes closer, another big war ship appraches from the Red River. It has those low frequency bass thunder rumbles in the distance. The place we stand is otherwise completely silent. So are we, as we listen to that spectacle:  Left/north side of the new storm. It has a shelfcloud with low fractus shooting northward:  That shelf overtakes us too about 15 minutes later:  Behind the shelf front, more storms just keep coming, and with darkness it gets easier to catch the lightning. We just stay put and trigger our cameras, what an amazing day and night for us once more:        Lightning time-lapse: |