Targeting the north-central Kansas/south-central Nebraska area, significant convection was ongoing just after 4 p.m. as noted by a developing storm near Superior, NE.1. Dropping south on Hwy. 14 to intercept the southernmost cell in Mitchell Co., Kansas, the updraft base became visible after emerging from the core north of Beloit, KS. Sporadic areas of rotation were noted 2., but for the most part, the cell was disorganized. As the cell moved into the moisture axis though, it organized substantially and produced a large rotating wall cloud southwest of Scottsville.3. Blasting east on Hwy. 9, the first tornado of the day formed at 5:51 p.m. near Scottsville 6-7 miles to my northeast and persisted for a couple of minutes before dissipating.4. Continuing east on Hwy. 9 to south of Jamestown, the cell displayed a nice updraft base while a large dusty wedge obscured by the precip shaft from my position was ongoing.5. However, a funnel soon formed under the base to my north 6.; 7. and crept halfway to the ground.8. Soon, the vortex began lifting 9., but not before one more attempt at reaching ground level as a brief wisp of condensation appeared about two thirds of the way to ground level.10. As the funnel dissipated, an area of anticyclonic rotation intensified at 6:09 p.m. as the wedge tornado to its east began partially showing itself.11. A debris swirl became visible under the rotation as this rare tornado's funnel became better defined.12.; 13.; 14. Lasting but a minute, the dust whirl became diffuse 15.; 16., but the funnel persisted as the dusty wedge tornado northwest of Jamestown became visible in the distance to the left of the funnel.17.; 18. I zoomed in tight on the funnel to capture it's anticyclonic rotation 19., but both it and the wedge soon met their demise. Continuing east of Jamestown to stay with the supercell's next cycle, a rope funnel began snaking toward the ground at 6:20 p.m.20.; 21. As the tornado condensed fully, it also begin entering the rope-phase as the white "S"-shaped rope contrasted beautifully against the dark, menacing hail core.22.; 23. However, the tornado lasted only a short period of time before lifting as a horizontal funnel 24. and dissipating. Shortly after the rope dissipated, a new funnel formed to my west 25. and continued for about a minute before dissipating at 6:23 p.m. As the funnel dissipated, a large amount of dust was being updrafted under a bowl-shaped meso to my north. Eventually, the dust took on the appearance of a wedge tornado 26., but I could never discern tornadic rotation with the feature. Making my to Hwy. 28 and continuing east, the cell displayed an intense meso as it was transitioning into a forward-flank meso HP beast.27. After stopping for gas in Concordia, I blasted north on Hwy. 81, then east of Belleville on Hwy. 36. The storm was now a rapidly cycling, full-fledged HP supercell. One of the cycles produced a large meso, which displayed intense low-level rotation.28. The meso appeared to produce a couple of funnels before morphing into what appeared to be a large cone tornado.29. However, because of the cell's HP nature, it was impossible to tell whether or not the feature was actually a tornado or just vast amounts of precip. encircling the meso. Without good road options, I soon decided to end the day and enjoyed the incredible structure the storm presented 30.; 31. under a canopy of glowing mammatus.32.
Also, I must extend my appreciation to Dave Lewison for his excellent nowcasting. Be sure to check out these incredible radar loops(reflectivity; velocity) he saved and stitched together.
