Washington Post – by Jason Samenow
Fledgling low pressure forming downwind of the Rockies spun up a towering thunderstorm so imposing that the footage almost seems fake – as if from a sci-fi movie or another planet.
Spectacular cannot even describe the time lapse video from this spinning supercell storm that blossomed in eastern Wyoming Sunday evening, near Newcastle.
Video by BasehuntersChasing on YouTube
Here’s a still shot of the storm:
Some epic structure by Clareton, WY several hours ago!!! #wywx #weather pic.twitter.com/WzCMdKnf6D
— Basehunters Chasing (@Basehunters) May 19, 2014
Capital Weather Gang’s Ian Livingston and his chase partners Mark Ellinwood and James Hyde, on a two-week storm chasing vacation, also captured phenomenal photos of this incredible storm.
Oh my. pic.twitter.com/cy6ksv7gex
— Ian Livingston (@islivingston) May 18, 2014
Horses in the bottom right were running away from the storm. Not too long after hail started falling. pic.twitter.com/TnMcObMEWv
— Mark Ellinwood (@markellinwood) May 19, 2014
We @ustornadoes got an awesome LP supercell structure in eastern Wyoming today. #wywx #supercell pic.twitter.com/FUXRTHdzc7
— James Hyde (@wxmeddler) May 19, 2014
Here are a few more images Ian snapped:
Storm SW of Newcastle WY. Tossing hail at us now pic.twitter.com/1LwlTKwiLu
— Ian Livingston (@islivingston) May 18, 2014
Storm SW of Newcastle a little ragged. May be cycling. pic.twitter.com/xX25r2dHh3
— Ian Livingston (@islivingston) May 19, 2014
Great view of the storm updraft pic.twitter.com/gMZB1IsaBG
— Ian Livingston (@islivingston) May 19, 2014
Sunday was Ian’s first full day of chasing. I’d say he got off to a good start…
Jason Samenow is the Capital Weather Gang’s chief meteorologist and serves as the Washington Post’s Weather Editor. He earned BA and MS degrees in atmospheric science from the University of Virginia and University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Wow! That’s amazing.