Tuesday, October 20, 2009

DVD Production

The 2009 DVD is about 90% complete. For the bad luck that I faced this spring, I'm pretty happy with how this one is turning out. It helps that my DVD's always cover the current year, and previous year and I wound up having an excellent 2008. The crappy luck this year kind of played into the theme for the DVD which wound up being "A tale of two seasons". Just watch how quickly your luck can change out there!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Help Needed...

Figured this should be posted here as well. Some may already be aware of the situation, but might not be aware of the new method to help out here. If you had not heard, good friend and fellow chaser Darin Brunin and his girlfriend Alexis Sullivan lost their apartment the other night during a lightning induced fire. Dick McGowan has set up a method for donations to them, so I will let him finish the talking:

"As some of you already know, yesterday morning, Darin Brunin and his girlfriend Alexis Sullivan, were woken up to a fire that was triggered by lightning in Lawrence, Kansas, which consumed the top apartments where they lived and left their apartment uninhabitable. Fortunately, two good samaritans rang all of the resident's door bells in the building, giving them all enough time to escape, unharmed. Here is a link to the story.

According to the fire department, they have lost pretty much everything and unfortunately didn't have any insurance. They both have received support from the Red Cross and have been temporarily moved to another apartment, but still lack a lot of essential goods for their new home (including clothes) . It is to my understanding, that they will not be able to return to the apartment to see what's left/salvageable for another week, until a structural engineer evaluates the scene.

Unknown to them, I am asking anyone who wishes to contribute to their devastating loss, to send funds to my paypal address: midwesternmeso@hotmail.com

You may also email myself at the same address to give Darin and Lexi any support or encouragement, and I will pass it along to them. If you wish to donate anything else, please PM me or email me and I will send you an address to where you can send something.

If you can not do this, I fully understand (as would Darin and Lexi). Thank you so much to everyone who have already given their sympathies to Darin and Lexi; they are both thankful for all of those who have been so kind to them and have given them the support they need."

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Shabonna State Park / Twin Groves Wind Farm

After a rough Monday, I had most of my Tuesday evening free so I decided to take off for a drive around 4 PM. Ended up meandering my way to Shabonna State Park. It was windy and chilly, but what are you going to do? It will be a whole hell of a lot worse in a month or two. After the lake, I wound up back at the Twin Groves Wind Farm near Interstate 39. Still don't understand how some can protest these things.







Thursday, October 1, 2009

Another Time Lapse

On a cool, dreary evening with dashed severe weather hopes in the central US, there's nothing better to do than to time lapse an old favorite.

This would be the evolution of the minisupercell near Manchester, Illinois on June 3rd 2008. This thing didn't stand a chance, with almost no surface flow to speak of. However, a morning bow echo left an outflow boundary draped across central Illinois and this storm was able to take full advantage.

Why late season chasing sucks.



YES!



Damn it.

No I did not chase today, however. Desperate as I was, this one wasn't worth it no matter how you tried to swing it.