Not ramping up :(

Well, hello you.

Around this time of the year I usually write something about how we're gearing up for departure to the USA for our annual storm chasing trip, but this year, for rather obvious pandemic-related reasons, we're not.

I will likely still write some blog entries, though, over the next couple of weeks - to keep the spirit of the trip alive, and also where we might hypothetically have gone, at times.

This year would have marked by 20th time storm chasing in the states, and it will be the first time Helen and I have not been over since 2003 - every year from 2004 to 2019 inclusive was a chasing trip.

Regarding the outlook for next week, which I would normally be looking very closely at by now, and writing about - a large omega-block in the upper atmosphere will keep storm chances low for what would have been our first few days out there - perhaps one or two High Plains clusters developing in an upslope regime under the ridge. Late in the week and into the following weekend, some hints of a more SW'erly flow and at least some moisture return - so I would have been optimistic of getting some chasing in, especially later next week.