Andover KS Tornado

Storm Chase Details

Chase Date: April 29, 2022
Chase Partners:
Solo

Chasers Encountered:
JR Hehnly

Miles Logged: 395
States Chased: KS
Tornadoes Witnessed: 1
Severe Risks: SPC Outlooks

Chase Recap:

I was pretty sure I had busted at 8pm and by 8:11 I was watching the Andover Kansas Tornado.

Forecast

Tough forecast. The entire dryline was primed, and any breach of the cap would result in a monster. Loaded gun soundings all over the dryline. I couldn’t ignore the fact that Oklahoma looked primed, but so did southern Kansas. Dick McGowan sent the 300mb chart from the 03z RAP, which was all I really needed to see.

2022-04-29 03Z RAP 21hr forecast 300mb Height & Wind
2022-04-29 03Z RAP 21hr forecast 300mb Height & Wind

Of course, I’d still want to consider staying in Oklahoma. A big day could happen near home, and I’d hate to miss it.

12z Soundings

April 29, 2022 12z Fort Worth Sounding
April 29, 2022 12z Fort Worth Sounding
April 20, 2022 12z Topeka Sounding
April 20, 2022 12z Topeka Sounding
April 29, 2022 12z Norman Sounding
April 29, 2022 12z Norman Sounding
  • April 29, 2022 12z Fort Worth Sounding
  • April 20, 2022 12z Topeka Sounding
  • April 29, 2022 12z Norman Sounding

    • Morning Hand Analysis

    14z Hand Analysis 2022-04-29
    14z Hand Analysis 2022-04-29

    Of biggest note of the morning hand analysis was the outflow boundary analyzed near Hutchinson. This would likely provide some localized SRH for the storm to work with later.

    12z NAM Output

    9hour

    • 12 hour

    • Departure

    I left Norman around 1 and headed north.

    Full Video

    Andover Kansas Tornado Video from April 29, 2022

    Links

    Ben Holcomb is a Storm Chaser that lives in Oklahoma. He has observed over 200 tornadoes since 2007 and has appeared on most national and some international television news networks. Ben loves to travel and has been to all 50 states as well as 19 countries and 38 national parks. Ben works as a Linux Engineer.