- Terry Faber (Meteorologist/Research Associate Univ. of Miami), Jeremy Pennington (Meteorologist/Graduate Student Univ. of Miami), and Scott Stuccio (Meteorologist WYOU TV 22 in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, PA) arrive in Fairlawn at 10:30pm
- Leave Fairlawn around 11:00pm
- US 21 S to I-71 S to I-70 W
- End night just W of OH-IN border at 3:15am
- See a lot of lightning and drive through heavy rain
- Inception of Scott's famous lisp!!

- 9:30am leave hotel and drive W on I-70 across IN and through IL to St. Louis
- Continue W on I-70 through St. Louis and begin to track storms
- Have a storm near us (Lake of the Ozarks and Fulton, MO heading NE at 35 mph) and a nice set up near Kansas City
- Decide to head W to KC but quickly change our minds to stay in the area
- I-70 W to US 54 N to Co. Rd. B E to St. Rte. 19 N to St. Rte. 154 W
- Hear of a tornado in Pike Co. (near New Hartford, MO)
- Head back E on St. Rte. 154 to St. Rte. 19 S to St. Rte. 154 E to US 54 E to Bowling Green, MO
- Miss the storm completely. It raced off to the E over the border into IL
- Decide to call it a night; very frustrating
- Head N on US 61 to Hannibal, MO
- Eat dinner at Long John Silvers (1st time in 10 years!)
- Set our sights on Springfield, MO for the night
- S on US 61 to St. Rte. 19 S to St. Rte. 22 W to US 54 S through Jefferson City
- S on St. Rte. 5 to I-44 W

- Leave hotel around 10:00am and eat at Bob Evans (discover Jeremy's passion for maple syrup!)
- Head W on I-44 through Joplin, MO and continue W on St. Rte. 66 into KS
- Take US 166 W to Arkansas City
- After weather radio data we decide to head S on US 77 for Ponca City, OK but after Scott speaks w/ the station (WYOU) we head W on US 166 to I-35 N to Wichita, KS
- Take I-235 around Wichita and get on St. Rte. 96 N to Hutchinson
- Hear of a cell in Gove and Trego counties heading E at 30 mph.
- Think to intercept it around Great Bend so head W on US 50 to US 281 N
- Approach the storm but along the way notice some shooting, towering cumulus
- Continue N on US 281 for 7 mi and stop to view the storm
- Very strong outflow and very cool temperatures
- Storm still strong but very impressive storms (possibly reachable) to our S so split from our 1st storm
- Take US 56 E to St. Rte. 14 S to St. Rte. 96 S into Hutchinson
- 2 huge cells in Sumner and Harper counties and 2 more cells just N of these straddling the Cheney Reservoir
- Set our sights on the northernmost cells
- Head S toward Wichita on St. Rte. 96 in intercept the N cells but they completely die
- The 2 stronger cells to the S sucked all of the energy out of the cells to the N
- Our first storm way up N formed a bow echo near Salina, KS but no rotation and eventually died
- Decide to stay in Wichita for the night
- Take I-235 around the city to US 54 E to get our last daylight glimpse of the dying storm
- Eat dinner at Shoney's (smotered chicken) while entertained by a beautiful and exciting lightning display
- System turned MCS overnight (huge line of storms stretching from E CO to SE KS)

- Leave Wichita, KS at 9:30am S on I-35 toward OK border
- Continue S on I-35 through OK City and into TX
- Stop in Gainesville, TX to survey the situation
- Head W on US 82 to St. Rte. 59 S toward Bowie, TX
- Boundary just N of the Red River and dry line to the W near Abilene, TX
- Once in Bowie head N on US 287 to Wichita Falls and turn SW on US 277/82 to Seymour, TX
- T-storm warnings and tornado watch go up SE of Abilene and along I-20 in Sterling, Coke, Mitchell, Nolan, Fisher, Taylor, and Jones counties
- Head toward Abilene on US 183/283 S through Throckmorton
- Blow through Albany, TX and head S on St. Rte. 351 into Abilene
- Storm closest to us (near Hobbs, Roby, and Rotan, TX) racing off to the N at 30 mph; impossible to catch w/ minutes of daylight remaining
- Stay on tail end of storm for an hour to catch wonderful lightning (Mother Nature's fireworks display)
- Follow the storm until Aspermont, TX then turn around to spend the night in Abilene
- US 380 W to US 283 S to US 277 S
- 2 confirmed tornados; both near Abilene; one around 7pm and the second around 1 am

- Target area extends from San Angelo to Midland to Lubbock to Abilene
- After breakfast (IHOP sugar football b/t Terry and Jeremy) head W on I-20 to US 84 N to Lubbock
- Head into Post, TX and turn W on US 380 to Tahoka
- Call OU and make decision to head to Brownfield, TX
- W on US 380
- See our cell on radar and head S on US 62/385 to Seminole, TX
- Try to get to SW side of storm so go S on farm road 181
- Roads flooded w/ running water too high to cross so turn around and continue S on US 385 to Andrews, TX
- Tornado confirmed on dopplar just S of intersection of farm road 181 and St. Rte. 115
- The cell, originally moving N at 10 mph turns SE at 5 mph (virtually no movement)
- Still have to get to SW region of storm and continue S on US 385 to farm road 158 W
- 1.5 miles from intersection the wall cloud becomes visible
- Pass Paul Lee and Eric Blake already parked along the side of road along w/ another dozen chase vehicles
- A lot of rotation w/ this storm and warm inflow . . . great potential for a funnel, but instantly, the warm wind at our backs is countered w/ a cold outflow wind in our faces
- The wall breaks up and rotation ceases; storm is dying
- Another cell to the E looks impressive on radar so latch onto that storm
- Take farm road 158 E to Midland and hop on I-20 E until St. Rte. 137 S
- Fill up w/ gas and watch great, pink lightning from the parking lot
- Take St. Rte. 137 S for a few miles and give up b/c of darkness
- Follow the awesome lightning back to I-20 and head E to Big Spring, TX for pizza and sleep

- Wake up to a scorpion in our hotel room
- This day is not very promising but we think we should give it a shot (that is what this trip is for)
- Eat breakfast at Denny's (very chipper waitress); the first of four consecutive restaurants to mess up Scott's order; the birthplace and birthday of our trip mascot Raffe!
- Head E on I-20 to US 87 N through Lamesa and Lubbock to I-27 N into Amarillo, TX
- Hop on I-40 E and stop just E of Amarillo to gather data
- Super slight chance of activity in SW KS
- Decide to give it a shot so take I-40 E to St. Rte. 207 N to US 60 W into Pampa, TX
- See dust devil
- Think of continuing N to Perryton, TX but turn E on farm road 282 to Miami, TX
- No promising activity so we give up
- After scenic shots of Miami (canyons) take farm road 748 S to St. Rte. 158 E to Wheeler to US 83 S to I-40 E toward Elk City, OK
- Stop in Elk City for dinner and to play catch and a short nerf football game (injury - Scott's right ring finger jammed)
- Stay at an Econolodge in Elk City for the night

- After late wake-up head E on I-40 toward Oklahoma City
- Continue S on I-35 to Norman to visit w/ Steve Gaddy
- In Norman in time for lunch at Interurban
- After lunch visit OU's Energy Center to gather some information and check email (catch a glimpse of Howie Bluestein)
- After Energy Center, Steve, Terry, and Scott play racquetball while Jeremy and I give ourselves a tour of OU's campus (very nice!)
- Head back to Steve's around 5:30pm and Terry, Jeremy, and I play disc golf at the park across the street (close game . . . good competition)
- After a scrumptious spaghetti dinner prepared by Steve and a few rounds of Pitch, we head N on I-35 to KS border
- Continue on I-35 N through Wichita and then pick up I-135 N to Salina, KS where we stay for the night

- Just before checking our of Motel 6 we discover our right rear tire is flat (2" flat head screw punctured the inner tube)
- Kudos to Jeremy for changing the tire while Scott and Terry wheel the flat to the nearby Amoco station
- I jog to McDonald's to get everyone breakfast
- After a one hour set back we head W on I-70 toward Colby, KS
- Turn N on St. Rte. 23 to Oberlin, KS
- Head W on US 36 to St. Francis, KS
- Stop to play chess, catch, eat, and make phone calls
- A lot of ugly cirrus around; discouraging
- Continue W on US 36 into CO and stop in Idalia, CO to gather information
- Told cumulus should begin to form w/n the hour so head N on US 385 to Holyoke
- Once in Holyoke realize nothing is going to happen so hop on I-80 E into NE
- Stop in North Platte, NE for dinner (Country Kitchen) and after dinner stop at Cody Go-Karts
- Continue E on I-80 and stay in York, NE for the night

- This day turns out to be the most exciting day of the trip!!
- Target area includes SD, N NE, 1/2 of MN, and IA
- Head E on I-80 through Lincoln, NE and Omaha
- Head N on I-29 toward Sioux City, IA
- Central IA gets hit by storms in early afternoon but no way for us to get there and conditions up N appear better
- Continue N on I-29 into Sioux Falls, SD
- Pick a place to stop and wait just off of I-90 E of Sioux Falls
- A lot of low level stratus limiting our view of any popping cumulus until around 4:00 pm
- Nothing is going so we head NE toward MN
- St Rte. 11 over the border (changes number to 269 in MN) to St. Rte. 23 N into Pipestone, MN
- Stop on NE side of town to gather some information
- Watch the 6:00 news and see current radar; nothing anywhere close to us
- Decide to head N a little ways to see if we can view anything
- A few miles up the road towering cumulus become visible and hear of storms to our E in MN and to our W in SD
- Everything moving E so we choose to intercept the action in SD
- Take US 75 N to Ivanhoe, MN to St. Rte. 19 W to St. Rte. 271 N to Rd. 1 N to Rd. 15 N to St. Rte. 68 across the border (in SD road changes to St. Rte. 22 W)
- Continue on St. Rte. 22 W across I-29 and turn S on US 81
- Paralleling what is now a squall line
- Need to get on other side of line heading due E at 35 mph but winds and rain too strong and visibility too low
- Continue to parallel squall line S on US 81 until St. Rte. 34 W
- See a gustnado and pass by lakes on either side of the van; winds are so strong producing white caps and waves are breaking across the road
- St. Rte. 34 is a mess; not paved, tons of gravel, muddy, lots of bumps, etc. . . put a test to our freshly patched right rear tire
- Turn S on US 81 and then turn W toward Unityville, SD b/c our storm is currently over Salem, SD (progression has slowed down a bit)
- Turn S on road splitting Spencer and Salem
- In b/t US 38 and I-90 pass a house near Spencer that shows evidence of a passing tornado (an estimated 30 minutes earlier): truck overturned, debris and tire strewn across the road, house a mess, damage path in field across the road easily 200 yards wide (maybe 1/4 mile), branch caught under car (Terry loosens it), etc. . .
- Continue S on that road over I-90 to Bridgewater, SD
- Head E on St. Rte. 42 and S on US 81 to Marion, SD
- E on St. Rte. 44 until I-29 and drive N to Sioux Falls for a late dinner (11:30pm) at Perkins
- Before our arrival the sirens sounded in town and we learned that people in the local movie theater were shoved in the basement
- This storm ravaged Spencer, SD (a small town of 300 people) producing an F4 tornado and killing 6 people
- Squall line raced off to the E across MN and WI increasing to 45 and 50 mph
- It produced nearly 3 dozen tornados in SD, IA, WI, IN, MI, PA, NY, OH, MA, CT, and NJ and killed 17 people nation wide
- Kudos to Scott for driving
- Stay in Sioux Falls for the night
- ROTATE - 98 -- Complete coverage of Spencer, SD storm

- Down day
- Decide to see Mt. Rushmore
- Head W on I-90 across the state
- Stop to see Wall Drug
- See Mt. Rushmore and buy souvenirs
- Drive to see Crazy Horse and are greeted w/ a road similar to St. Rte. 34; another test for our plugged tire!
- When we arrive at Crazy Horse, they are closed for the day
- Head back towards Rapid City through Custer State Park
- Pass a dozen deer, but something else takes the prize . . . a bison!
- After spotting a woman flailing her arms and rounding a bend, there appears a huge bison slowly crossing the road; we pass it on our left and Terry (driving) could easily reach out and scratch our friend behind its ears
- Eat dinner in Rapid City and call it a night

- Can very easily be a down day
- Storms in E SD, MN and N IA but may not catch up b/c start our journey too late (10:00am Mtn time)
- Head E on I-90 toward Sioux Falls
- 100 mi into our Eward journey spot a line of cumulus apparently over E SD
- Continue E on I-90 across the SD-MN border
- Take St. Rte. 23 N through Pipestone (haven't we been here before!?!?) And continue N on US 75 until Madison
- Once in Madison can easily see a line of cirrus so take St. Rte. 40 E (then N) to St. Rte. 119 N to US 59 N into Morris, MN
- We can see the storms better but they are very weak
- Head W on St. Rte. 28 and through the storm; high winds and a short bout of heavy rain
- Once through the storm, setting sun illuminates the storm just enough to produce a full, bright, and beautiful bow and a nearly half secondary bow
- Continue W on St. Rte. 28 across the border into SD
- S on I-29 to Watertown, Sd for dinner
- Continue S on I-29 to Sioux Falls for the night

- Head S on I-29 to St. Rte. 46 W
- Another down day but need to seek position near E CO, NE panhandle, and W KS for a probable storm occurrence in that area on 6/3/98
- Take US 81 S across the border into NE to St. Rte. 59 W to O'Neill for lunch
- Take US 281 S to St. Rte. 95 W to St. Rte. 11 S to St. Rte. 91 W to US 183 S to St. Rte. 70 W into Broken Bow, NE
- Take St. Rte. 21 S to US 283 S to US 6/34 W to US 83 S across KS-NE border
- Pass a million Hereford wannabes!
- US 83 S to US 24 W to Colby, KS for the night

- Wake up in Colby to 41 degrees!!
- The cold front has obviously already passed through and raced down into the TX panhandle
- Now the decision is to head E and throw in the towel or target SE CO for upslope storms w/ little chance of tornados
- We decide to head home
- Eat lunch at Long John Silvers/Little Caesars while we discuss DAPE and DINH (Dump Available Potential Energy and Dump Inhibition)
- Take I-70 E through KS and MO and stop in Staunton, IL just off of I-55 N
- Our decision was good b/c no storms developed in SE CO

- Head to Chicago so Jeremy can visit w/ his brother whom he has not seen in 4 years
- Take I-55 N through downtown and head N on I-94 and N on US 41 to his brother's house
- Eat a short lunch at McDonald's and head for home
- Take I-94 S to I-294 S to I-80 E into IN and OH
- Turn S on I-77 and pull into Fairlawn at 1:15 am (6/5/98)
- Stay the night in Akron

- After breakfast, Scott, Terry, and Jeremy leave around 10:00am and head for Butler, PA