The author returned to the Permian Basin before noon on April 16th after a short trip to San Antonio. It was noted that driving west of Kerrville to Sonora, mid morning, low LCL's produced Stratus clouds, indicating a nocturnal resurgence of low level moisture return northwestward from the Gulf. At Ozona, broken Altostratus prevailed before eventually clearing skies when arriving in Midland at noon, indicating the central Permian Basin was on the western periphery of the LLJ. An approaching Upper Level Closed Low over the Four Corners of the southwestern US was proceeding eastward which promised accelerating the LLJ and expanding it further west and north to include the Permian Basin. Colder air aloft, rounding the base of the Closed Low, was contributing to steep lapse rates and a strong 300 mb jet of over 100 knots was creating divergence aloft. The stage was set for a severe outbreak and the Permian Basin was included in a Slight Risk category by the SPC. Both speed and directional wind shear, compliments of the Closed Low aloft(from southwest) and LLJ (from southeast) respectively, would provide rotation and the threat of Tornadoes if Supercells developed.
During mid afternoon, the dryline pushed further east from strong surface heating in southwestern Texas and southeast New Mexico, impinging on the northwestward advance of
the LLJ. Surface dewpoints at MAF had droped to the low 40's and were in the teen's in far west Texas as compared with the low 60's as near as the Concho Valley. Lapse rates had steepened but low level 
moisture was waning in the central Permian Basin. The author traveled to south of Spraberry around 2100Z to photograph a small convective tower which was developing in central Midland county which was updraft dominate and struggling with low moisture inflow (see the first two digital images). It was decided to drive to the northeast where radar returns indicated better convection and closer to more abundant surface moisture.
The next image is taken southwest of Lenorah in Martin county of a stronger cell with a lower storm base and expanding anvil. The next two images are taken a little further north near Ackerly in extreme southeastern Dawson County of a double-barrelled storm updraft composite with noted shear tilted storm towers.
The next several images denote an inflow dominate struggling LP south of Lenorah at approximately 2345Z. The updraft base was very low indicating that surface dewpoints were on the rise (Dryline retreating back to the west, providing lift). This was the beginning of a very severe outbreak, notably in Martin and Howard Counties for later in the evening.
The next image was captured looking north beyond Ackerly at a larger storm base and a well developed mid level inflow band and sheared tilt of storm tower.
The final images were captured around 0045Z looking south from the intersection of SH 176 and SH 349 in central Martin county toward the Midland County line at the southern end (tail-end Charlie) of a N-S trending multi-celled complex at a lowering of the storm base updraft which was the precursor to the eventual Tornadic Supercell which was confirmed by storm spotters as a 1/4 mile wide tornado near Knott and Fairview in s
outh central Howard C
.
Below, I am posting a perspective of the lowered Wall Cloud as viewed from the south in downtown Midland, looking north, from a good friend of mine, a geologist, who captured the following magnificent image (not to be reproduced). The image defines the lowering of the updraft base into a descended oval disc which rotated "clockwise". The Clear Slot, notched from an intensifying RFD, can be seen to the immediate left on the image.
During mid afternoon, the dryline pushed further east from strong surface heating in southwestern Texas and southeast New Mexico, impinging on the northwestward advance of
the LLJ. Surface dewpoints at MAF had droped to the low 40's and were in the teen's in far west Texas as compared with the low 60's as near as the Concho Valley. Lapse rates had steepened but low level 
moisture was waning in the central Permian Basin. The author traveled to south of Spraberry around 2100Z to photograph a small convective tower which was developing in central Midland county which was updraft dominate and struggling with low moisture inflow (see the first two digital images). It was decided to drive to the northeast where radar returns indicated better convection and closer to more abundant surface moisture.The next image is taken southwest of Lenorah in Martin county of a stronger cell with a lower storm base and expanding anvil. The next two images are taken a little further north near Ackerly in extreme southeastern Dawson County of a double-barrelled storm updraft composite with noted shear tilted storm towers.
The next several images denote an inflow dominate struggling LP south of Lenorah at approximately 2345Z. The updraft base was very low indicating that surface dewpoints were on the rise (Dryline retreating back to the west, providing lift). This was the beginning of a very severe outbreak, notably in Martin and Howard Counties for later in the evening.
The next image was captured looking north beyond Ackerly at a larger storm base and a well developed mid level inflow band and sheared tilt of storm tower.
The final images were captured around 0045Z looking south from the intersection of SH 176 and SH 349 in central Martin county toward the Midland County line at the southern end (tail-end Charlie) of a N-S trending multi-celled complex at a lowering of the storm base updraft which was the precursor to the eventual Tornadic Supercell which was confirmed by storm spotters as a 1/4 mile wide tornado near Knott and Fairview in s
outh central Howard C
.Below, I am posting a perspective of the lowered Wall Cloud as viewed from the south in downtown Midland, looking north, from a good friend of mine, a geologist, who captured the following magnificent image (not to be reproduced). The image defines the lowering of the updraft base into a descended oval disc which rotated "clockwise". The Clear Slot, notched from an intensifying RFD, can be seen to the immediate left on the image.
