Continued from the previous page.

STORM WATCH

I mentioned in the last entry about the excessive amount of rain the MT-WY-SD-ND region has gotten this spring, compounding the problem of snowmelt from a winter that set record snowfalls throughout the western states.

Not only have the High Plains received more than enough rain, they are also known for their sometimes-violent storms.

We've had our share of thunderstorms since our arrival at Ellsworth. The first one was the most nerve-wracking, so when subsequent ones rolled in we were in a heightened state of awareness.

The next series of eight storm photos, which I've dubbed "The Leading Edge," show that first storm coming in.

Incoming storm from the southwest.  You can see the Black Hills in the background,
below the line of orange.  The Patriot Gate is on the left in the foreground.

Because of our "vaulted," unobstructed position at the Ellsworth FamCamp we can usually see 'em coming for miles and miles. Like being in a "gatekeeper" position, that also has its advantages and disadvantages!

For those people who can't see these storms approaching, there are weather radios and Ellsworth's audible warning system, which we've heard twice while here.

Ellsworth also has a designated "safe place" during storms for folks who aren't in a sturdy building where they can get underground.

The CG host told Jim when he checked in that we could hunker down half a mile away inside the Security Forces building if a bad storm was heading our way. There's also a sign posted outside the campground office to that effect.

Good thing the host told us, because we sought refuge there one day last week. If we hadn't known about it we probably would have gone to the masonry building in the campground that holds the rest rooms and laundry area.

The odd thing is, the Security Forces option appears to be a well-kept secret even to security personnel!

The day we sought refuge had been mostly sunny and in the 80s F. After supper, however, our weather radio and the local TV stations warned of an approaching storm with the potential for heavy rain, lightning, hail, and winds exceeding 60 MPH.

That is an ominous prediction when you're living in a relatively flimsy (compared to a brick house) RV! Our eyes were glued to the sky, our ears were tuned to the ratio and TV, and our virtual antennas were up. Way up.

I got all of these dramatic photos as the storm moved over the city toward us from the southwest.

We were hoping, of course, that the clouds would miraculously go far enough to the north or south to completely miss us. As they kept coming closer, Jim and I were debating whether to go to a safe place or stay in the camper.

We've sought shelter only once previously in a situation like this (over a year ago at Huntsville SP in Texas). While nothing bad happened to us or the camper that time, I was glad we took the precaution.

You just don't know till it's over; better to be cautious than injured or dead.

So when the Ellsworth AFB loud speakers advised everyone to take cover, we put Cody in the truck and hurried over to the Security Forces building. By the time we got there it was raining and the wind was so fierce we had trouble opening/closing the doors of the truck.

The young folks who cautiously admitted us inside the building were a little surprised to see us and weren't sure where to have us wait. It wasn't just the fact that we had our dog with us. They didn't seem to know the CG hosts were telling people to seek shelter there.

To our surprise, no one else from the campground came in while we were there. Maybe they went to the campground rest room/laundry building. Maybe they stayed in their flimsy RVs.

I can guarantee you that I would have been more than paranoid if I'd stayed in the camper during that storm! Even a 40 MPH wind can rock it from side to side if we're positioned the wrong way. In our current campsite the southwest wind hits the Cameo broadside, not end to end. End to end is better.

The young security officers invited us (including Cody) to wait in the Heritage Room in the center of the building. This appears to be a conference or break room:

We looked at the displays on the walls and watched TV for about 20 minutes until the fast-moving storm blew over:

Cody was a good boy and got some well-deserved attention from the young man who came to tell us it was safe to go back to the camper.

We were relieved when we got back to the campground that the Cameo and nearby trees sustained no visible damage. Considering how ominous those clouds looked, we consider ourselves very lucky.

Last shot in that series of eight

Although we've had two more days with warnings for dangerous lightning, high wind, hail, and/or heavy rain, that was the worst weather we've had while we've been here. Yesterday some areas around us had quarter-sized hail, high winds, and flooding. I'm glad we missed the brunt of that storm.

When we first bought insurance for our vehicles in South Dakota our agent said the rates were a little higher than in our previous state because of the risk of hail damage. We see what he means!

This evening the base loudspeakers and our weather radio warned us again about the potential for a nasty storm. The camper rocked for a couple scary minutes from another SW wind hitting us broadside but we didn't get much rain and no hail.

This is what the sky looked like:

Looking past a neighbor's camper

Two days earlier this week were chilly and rainy, leaving some fields flooded temporarily on base and prompting flood warnings in the Black Hills.

Rain has been a major problem in many areas around us recently -- we've heard the most about Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska.

Ironically, it is so dry in Arizona and New Mexico that a huge fire on the border of those states is causing problems with smoke as far away as Iowa. That may also be the cause of some haze over the Black Hills recently.

ET call home?  Scene from another storm.

Most of the time it's been sunny in the Rapid City area. We are grateful for that. Everything is so green it's obvious the area has gotten copious amounts of moisture. Temperatures have ranged from the low 40s to the low 90s, with most mornings in the 60s and most afternoons up to the 80s.

Those temps are a little higher than we prefer but they haven't deterred the dandelions on base -- they're all over the place!

A dandelion shares space with a pretty blue wildflower.

Definitely still in our Dandelion Time Warp.

COLORFUL SKY DRAMA

As you saw in the storm photos, the clouds can be very dramatic at Ellsworth.

Our campsite is the perfect stage to see not only incoming storms, but also spectacular sunsets. This is as much Big Sky Country as anything we've seen in Montana or other western states. Several evenings have had absolutely amazing sunsets. In addition to the sunset photos on the last page, here are a few more I've taken from our campsite in various directions:

 

Note the full moon; I took this photo tonight after the storm passed through.

The most vivid sunsets are usually over the buildings west of the campground:

 

 

 

 

I saved the "Kodachrome Moment" for last. That is one of the most dramatic sunsets I've ever witnessed.

Continued on the next page: exploring the base on foot and bicycle + where we're going next

Happy trails,

Sue
"Runtrails & Company" - Sue Norwood, Jim O'Neil, and Cody the Ultra Lab

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© 2011 Sue Norwood and Jim O'Neil