We kicked off Day 2 of SWIFT with a 7:45 muster, and whatever doubts may have remained as to whether or not this was all really happening were put to rest- the plains of Illinois stand as a stark contrast to the dense streets of Annapolis. Our first event of the day was a trip to the Scott Air Force Base, where we visited their Operational Weather Command. Here, we received a brief (but very educatinal) lesson on the duties and operational coverage of the base- coverage which extends as far as Greenland, but stops peculiarly and very specifically short of Western Nebraska. We also had a chance to go to their command center and ask as many questions as we desired for a bit.
The team returned to the hotel around 1000, upon which we packed quickly and set up a weather brief in one of the rooms. Despite wearing my personal lucky socks today, it appeared as if conditions were quite poor in anywhere that we could have feasibly reached in the day (for the veterans tagging along, there was decent shear, but practically no CAPE). Our spirits remained resilient, however, and we elected to pitstop in St Louis and finish the day as a hiking/ travelling day.
The closest we came to a tornado today (gas station, southwest MO, May 11 2019)
St Louis did not disappoint, although it could have been maybe a bit les rainy. We did make it to the famed arch, of course, and it certainly did not disappoint- it is, in fact, a giant arch, and I doubt anybody's expectations were too far out of proportion to be let down. Speaking of expectations, though, they were quite high for lunch- we were planning on visiting the quote unquote greatest ribs in the united states, Pappy's Smokehouse (although come to think of it, I can hardly remember which reputable publication granted it this honor). Nevertheless, Pappy's ambiguous internet hype had reached it- the line went out the door, and us on the logistics team couldn't help but feel the burden of everybody's great rib expectations. But fears subsided as our food arrived, and as far as I am aware, lived up to at least the title of "very well made ribs in the St Louis area" (this reporter is admittedly not the best judge of rib quality as he is from New York, so I ask that you keep those expectations in check to those inevitably following in our historic storm chasing footprints).
Escaping from the deadly clutches of yummy BBQ, the group headed southwest with its sights set on the Lake of the Ozarks- specifically the Ha Ha Tonka state park (yes, that is a real name that apparently means laughing waters, although further citation may be required). The park, an eclectic combination of sharp rock ledges, picturesque caves, a (likely cursed) ruined European castle, and a natural bridge with impeccable lighting and a mysterious past. The stop made a nice change from the hours of driving we've spent thus far, and although CAPE was low, morale was certainly high.
We can now add spelunking to the list of necessary SWIFT qualifications
Now we are hurtling towards Springfield, MO where we have scheduled to spend the night. In the following days, we'll continue on to Tulsa to attend the next of our professional development items on Monday, but in the space before then only time can tell what will happen (and perhaps the SPC's convective outlook). Until then, this is your humble Logistics Team Squire signing off. Good night, fair winds, and even fairer low-level vorticity!
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