Monday’s chase started in Odessa TX with a big decision, Oklahoma or South Western Texas??

Monday’s outlook, we were hoping for a marginal risk in Oklahoma.

With nothing more than a thunderstorm warning we decided to stick with the safer bet and head South. Our short set up drive also meant we had time to sight see in Odessa…

Number 2 on the list of things to do in Odessa, a scale replica of Stonehenge. My new second favorite henge after Carhenge Nebraska.

After soaking in all the culture Odessa had to offer (about 15 minutes worth) we went South for our initial target of Fort Stockton TX.

By midday storms had already started to form a line West of Fort Stockton. Unfortunately a line of storms makes for difficult chasing and a reduced risk of the severe weather we are here to see. After careful analysis Dan set his sights on the only isolated storms of the day, with just one problem they were South of the border down Mexico way. As a result we were in a 200 mile race with the Weather!

Our next stop was Comstock TX, a welcome break at the end of highway 162 (aka the storm chase rally stage!)

Scenic Comstock

Ang made a friend while we filled up in Comstock- This was inside a very local shop…

After checking the radar we decided to try and get a good look at our target storm still building in Mexico. The Pecos river bridge was a great backdrop. A truly impressive structure, second only to the bravery of our compatriots with stormchasing.com who walked out to the middle of the bridge for a photo op!

The Pecos river bridge from a scenic overlook to the South.

Our target storm off in the Distance looking SW.

Our target storm on radar at the time the photo above was taken.

After a short wait we decided to go for broke and keep chasing the storm from Mexico and set our sights on Del Rio TX as the site it would cross into the US.

The storm takes shape North of Del Rio as a bird photo bombs!

Mammatus!

We continued South along the border as the storm continued to intensify as it made it’s way toward the US. Trying to get a good view of the storm in the SW TX terrain was pretty tricky, almost resulting in a accidental incursion into Mexico! Eventually after getting South of Del Rio, we were able to find a view over the Rio Grande right in the path of the approaching storm. With a great location storm chasing became storm whatching.

Watching across the Rio Grande is certainly one of the more unique locations for storm spotting.

All we had to do was sit an wait for the storm to come to us

As we watched the storm, us border patrol was watching us!

Hints of rotation and the winds sculpting the storm into the shape of a cake

The Rio Grande is right ahead, the dirt track in the distance is the Mexican side of the river bank.

We relocated slightly north in the hope of a better view, and we got it!

Lightning and a possible wall cloud…

The storm started to weaken as it reached us, shedding it’s hail core. The white precipitation is hail, recorded up to 1.25″ in size and blending in with heavy rain on the right.

After the storm reached us it was an easy drive to dinner in Eagle Pass TX accompanied by an epic lightning show.

Tomorrow and Wednesday are not looking great for storms so we’ll likely be using both days to set up further North ahead of what is looking like an exciting end to the week.