Kelly's photo of the taxi way.

Radar at 12:50 PM:

Radar at 1:24 PM:

Radar at 2:01 PM:

When I got out first to the launch area at 12:15 PM, taking my glider from the
hangar on the north end down to south end, there was a cloud street over the
runway from the south 20 miles to north 10 miles. A little cloud street to the
west and otherwise all blue or overcast sky from the cirrus clouds.

When we looked at the radar fifteen minutes later after a brief sprinkle it
showed the only development in Texas was right at Big Spring. By 1 PM there was
a shower to our southeast and another one to our northeast. They stayed constant
and didn't move for the next almost an hour as the cu's build above us and to
the east. It was blue to the west.

At 1:30 PM there was plenty of rain to the north, northeast, and southeast. The
task committee met, but two of the pilot wanted to wait and see what happened. I
decided to put my glider in the hangar after putting all my gear in the car. I
would wait there. Kevin Carter promised to look after my glider if I wanted to
keep it out in the launch area, but I thought it was safer in the hangar.

As I took the glider north on a cart I felt the cool breeze of a gust front
coming from the southwest. I hurried to the hangar and got it put away. Bruce
was hiding his glider behind the hangar next to the launch area. Only Cory on
the safety committee was left behind to help out Belinda with the task of
canceling the day.

I made my way quickly back down to the launch area and all was chaos. Terry
Wolford had been hit by a side wire helping out pilots whose gliders were being
tossed about. The EMT's had bandaged his head.

Kevin was breaking down his tied down glider and it was starting to rain big
rain drops. I got his harness in Jay's truck and drove him back to the hangar
with his glider folded up and tied down in the launch area. A few other pilots
were just getting their gliders broken down in the rain.

Belinda had cancelled the day and felt that the safety committee hadn't been
able to help her (except for Cory) as we were trying to save ourselves.