Heading back to Colorado, I crossed Tornado Alley this morning and afternoon, a broad swath of landscape from Texas to Nebraska and Iowa that is especially susceptible to tornadic thunderstorms in spring and early summer.
As one who has frequently driven across the Great Plains, I hereby offer a couple of personal recommendations to fellow travelers. First of all, cross this region as early in the day as possible since supercell thunderstorms (and the tornadoes that they spawn) most often develop in late afternoon or evening, fueled by daytime heating. Secondly, tune into local radio stations to stay informed regarding dangerous storms; while the terrain is relatively flat and many storms can be spotted at a distance, this is not always the case, especially when heavy rains obscure your view.
Today, I managed to reach Hays, Kansas, with no major problems, though I did skirt one severe thunderstorm just west of Topeka. After checking into a motel in Hays, however, a tornado warning was issued for this city and we all gathered in the laundry room until the storm passed just to our east. Meanwhile, tornadic thunderstorms have begun to ignite all across eastern Kansas (not to mention an outbreak in Pennsylvania, stretching along the rim of a high pressure dome that sits over the Southeastern U.S.).
As one who has frequently driven across the Great Plains, I hereby offer a couple of personal recommendations to fellow travelers. First of all, cross this region as early in the day as possible since supercell thunderstorms (and the tornadoes that they spawn) most often develop in late afternoon or evening, fueled by daytime heating. Secondly, tune into local radio stations to stay informed regarding dangerous storms; while the terrain is relatively flat and many storms can be spotted at a distance, this is not always the case, especially when heavy rains obscure your view.
Today, I managed to reach Hays, Kansas, with no major problems, though I did skirt one severe thunderstorm just west of Topeka. After checking into a motel in Hays, however, a tornado warning was issued for this city and we all gathered in the laundry room until the storm passed just to our east. Meanwhile, tornadic thunderstorms have begun to ignite all across eastern Kansas (not to mention an outbreak in Pennsylvania, stretching along the rim of a high pressure dome that sits over the Southeastern U.S.).
