Ethan Schisler
EF5
I have not seen a reports thread from this event yet, but I chased today and per usual Iowa was fairly underwhelming. Despite being in about 5 different tornado warning polygons through my chase from almost the Nebraska border back into West Central Illinois, I didn't take a single photograph and only recorded some Iphone video of high winds, blowing dust, and hail on my way home. I got home to find myself a few miles back behind tornado warned QLCS storms literally at my house. So that was a bit nerve-wracking especially at 11 oclock at night. Overall though as far as chasing goes, I executed things fairly perfectly. Managed to chase one supercell coming out of Southeast Nebraska into Southwest Iowa early on that was high based. Another storm coming out of Missouri into Iowa that eventually moved into the Albia/Ottumwa area east of 35 and then the other tornadic storms that traversed West Central Illinois. 700 miles worth of driving, not too bad, just not a lot to show for it. I wish I had some photos or something to post for everyone, but I don't. I can't say it wasn't an exciting chase, just not real worthy in the documentation department.
As far as chase strategy goes, I originally headed out of Galesburg around 11AM for the Fort Scott, KS area....however getting to Cameron, MO I noticed HRRR hinting at discrete development in Southeast Nebraska and pushing up toward the 35 corridor by evening with relatively significant UH tracks. And it wasn't really showing much except for linear development down toward my original target. I also liked how the winds in lieowa were backed better too (somewhat). So I diverted up I-35 and caught some storms coming out of Nebraska as I described in the paragraph above. I contemplated dropping south on 35 toward KC after chasing these initial storms, however impending darkness and messy storm modes, led me to just continuing eastward where I encountered additional tornadic storms.
As far as chase strategy goes, I originally headed out of Galesburg around 11AM for the Fort Scott, KS area....however getting to Cameron, MO I noticed HRRR hinting at discrete development in Southeast Nebraska and pushing up toward the 35 corridor by evening with relatively significant UH tracks. And it wasn't really showing much except for linear development down toward my original target. I also liked how the winds in lieowa were backed better too (somewhat). So I diverted up I-35 and caught some storms coming out of Nebraska as I described in the paragraph above. I contemplated dropping south on 35 toward KC after chasing these initial storms, however impending darkness and messy storm modes, led me to just continuing eastward where I encountered additional tornadic storms.
