• While Stormtrack has discontinued its hosting of SpotterNetwork support on the forums, keep in mind that support for SpotterNetwork issues is available by emailing [email protected].

07/03/07 REPORTS: MN/WI/MI/IL/IA/ND/SD/NE/KS/CO

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike Hollingshead
  • Start date Start date

Mike Hollingshead

07-7-3-3705.jpg


Tornado warned supercell nw of Pender Nebraska. This thing looked ok early on, then looked like garbage. Then as we were punching east into it, so we could stay with it by going south on the highway over, it became tornado warned as scud began lifting pretty good. We were in hard rfd winds from the north, in the slot as we did so. Then as we drove under and east of the lowering we were in strong easterly winds. Then we got to our highway to drop south and one point the easterly winds rapidly switched to westerly. This was all a few minutes before the above image. It was pretty amazing to see just how crappy this thing was before it did all that.

07-7-3-3706.jpg


Same time and location. We are looking to the west in the vault area. There were a couple nice bands curling back to the nw. It didn't look decent like this for very long before it got very linear again and died.

07-7-3-3743.jpg


I was basically heading home when I happened upon this. As I made it into Decatur NE, along the Missouri River, I noticed two bright fireworks go off ne of town. I wasn't sure where they were exactly, but knew they were the start of the show(you know those big alert flash/booms they do to get you ready). I could go east across the toll bridge to Onawa Iowa, or I could turn south on 75 and drive straight home. I just about turned south but said screw it, I'll go see where these are at. There was really no lightning at this point, as the cell I'd been on was dying fast. As I turn east in town to head over the bridge, I see the show start. I was rather surprised to see they were right there in town. I drive across the toll bridge and pull over. There was no lightning still, but I could see two small towers to the nw. I began shooting the show and the one tower flickered. I thought, no way, this is going to actually happen. It took a while for that tower to get going, but soon it was pretty active, though 95% were all in cloud with no visible bolts. Not long into it, my dying storm was sprinkling on me(ahead of this one, the one I'd been chasing earlier). It didn't affect the shooting much though.

07-7-3-3757.jpg


07-7-3-3753.jpg


Got a lot of these I'll have to add later. Most of them were just the illuminated tower.
 
I need to read up on out of body experiences so next time I make decisions like I did yesterday, I can give myself a good old fashioned kick in the a$$ and see if my head pops out. You would think as long as I have been doing this, I would know better, but I had myself totally convinced there would be no significant redevelopment after the first line/MCS moved though. We almost managed to drive around EVERY warned storm. Thank goodness I had Cullen with to keep me focused on the last cell coming out of Stearns county after bailing on the boundary just east of Mankato. He pointed out the VIL kept coming back after the cell pulsed a couple of times. At least we salvaged a persistent leading edge shear funnel in western Wright county on a severe storm before licking the wounds and heading home. As we were coming home, Nick Elms was nice enough to let me know the cell just to the northwest of Albert Lea had gone torn warned. It was bad enough seeing it on my own screen. Being reminded I gave up on my own target too early was salt in the wounds and I deserved it.


More pics http://mnwxchaser.com/07july03.html

Video grab:
070703003s.jpg
 
I left OMA at 530, made SUX and putted around town taking anvil shots until the warnings came out. Parked at exit #2 in SD on I-29 and watched the line come through.

Went to the Casey's and got my Big Bopper, while there the TOR for Dixon County went off. Semi-blasted south on 29 to US-20, then 77 to NE-15. Went about a mile on NE-15 before I came to my senses :) and took US-77 to Fremont then home. The storm looked too 'thin' and your pictures bear that out.

I kept an eye on the cell, everytime I looked the base was higher than before :rolleyes:.

What a year--I hadn't been chasing since May!
 
DAMN!

Took off and ended up in Emmet and Kossuth Counties as the storms turned "severe", saw some nice cores, cloud formations etc. but no severe weather. Got back home at around 10pm and told a couple friends of mine who called that it looked like the threat of severe weather was over for my area, it wasnt.. I showered and went to the new casino that had just opened at around 11:30pm and just before I went inside I noticed frequent lightning off to the west but saw nothing severe or even strong looking on my weather channel radar that I have on my cell phone. 5 minutes after I got inside a very strong storm showed up on my cells radar and soon after a severe thunderstorm warning was issued for my County, but by then alas my friends and I were drinking and I wasn't about to go outside. At around 3am my friend Eric and I went back home and soon learned from my dad that hail to at least the size of nickels had punded my home town (which was around 2 miles from the casino) and that very strongs winds had came through, I was like DAMN I missed it!:mad: My friend and I did a drunk :D :p (on foot) post storm damage survey until around 4:30am and took pictures of lots of significant tree damage in Washburn and the next day I sent these pics and info to the Desmoines NWS. The Irony of this was that the most severe weather hit my home town while I was 2 miles away and I had driven all the way to southern MN and basically saw jack, if I would have just stayed home and not went to the Casino I could have shot video of a pretty impressive hail and wind storm! :eek: But since I dont have a crystal ball, :confused: psychic, etc. I'll just say that sh-t happens and hopefully I'll have better luck next time ;) :D
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Sat around Lake Crystal,MN and fished waiting for initiation in the south. Just as I left(nature calls at bad times:eek: )the cell in Blue Earth County went severe. Raced to Hwy 22 South and caught up with it near MN Lake. Just as I stopped into the gas station in MN Lake tornado warnings went up for Fairbault Co. MN. Rotation was showing up just to the East of me, so I again fly SE to Wells...Take HWY 109 east in Wells. Stopped about 3 miles east of Wells and spotted a nice cone funnel NE of my position. I decided to stay put and avoid the massive hail core that was going to envelope the road about 1/2 mile ahead.
Some pics...
Jul03331.jpg

Jul03336.jpg

Jul03337.jpg
 
Back
Top