Ethan Schisler
EF5
Saturday afternoon/evening featured what I thought was a favorable setup for some high precipitation supercells with a few tornadoes, hail, and damaging winds; across Northern Iowa eventually into Eastern Iowa and Northwest Illinois. I started the day southeast of Mason City, Iowa arriving on the tornadic storm that had fired up near Forest City. I missed the initial tornado, however I was in the town of Rockford, Iowa when things got pretty nasty. We had rain curtains wrapping in overhead and pretty high winds from the east/southeast gusting at times over 60 mph. I maneuvered my way out of town and got east to shoot some photos and video of the HP supercell structure. Couldn't ever discern anything I'd call a tornado, but there were reports of extensive damage in town, so I'm not surprised if one had indeed touched down....the updraft base was completely shrouded in heavy rain and large hail though.
I eventually ditched that storm as it become totally outflow dominant, decided to grab some Culvers in Waterloo, IA and call it a day. We thought anyway.
On the way back southeast a couple tornado warned storms fired up northwest of Cedar Rapids and the chase was on again. One of the storms took on a low precipitation state which was quite amazing to see in Eastern Iowa. The other storm managed to produce 2 or 3 funnels including one that came 1/2-3/4 the way to the ground between Van Horne and Newhall, Iowa. The roads were turning into a mess after dark from all the heavy rain, so I just decided to pull over observe the lightning for a while and then I called it a day and headed home, getting in bed around 1am.
I hate to say it, but it was a halfway enjoyable chase in Iowa. Only reason I hate to say it is because I don't wanna give Iowa any credit
....fun chase day.
Here are a few photographs I took and then a short clip of video. Again nothing definitive, but still a fun day and helps shake off some of my 2018 blues.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/26HvVsD]
June 9 2018 Iowa Supercell Pano by Ethan Schisler, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/26HvUBv]
June 9 2018 Iowa Supercell by Ethan Schisler, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/281Hj4W]
June 9 2018 LP Supercell by Ethan Schisler, on Flickr[/URL]
Here is a video clip that I shot. First clips are in Rockford, Iowa. Then east of there. Then the LP supercell NW of Cedar Rapids. Then the tornado warned storm near Van Horne with the funnels that I saw.
I eventually ditched that storm as it become totally outflow dominant, decided to grab some Culvers in Waterloo, IA and call it a day. We thought anyway.
On the way back southeast a couple tornado warned storms fired up northwest of Cedar Rapids and the chase was on again. One of the storms took on a low precipitation state which was quite amazing to see in Eastern Iowa. The other storm managed to produce 2 or 3 funnels including one that came 1/2-3/4 the way to the ground between Van Horne and Newhall, Iowa. The roads were turning into a mess after dark from all the heavy rain, so I just decided to pull over observe the lightning for a while and then I called it a day and headed home, getting in bed around 1am.
I hate to say it, but it was a halfway enjoyable chase in Iowa. Only reason I hate to say it is because I don't wanna give Iowa any credit

Here are a few photographs I took and then a short clip of video. Again nothing definitive, but still a fun day and helps shake off some of my 2018 blues.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/26HvVsD]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/26HvUBv]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/281Hj4W]

Here is a video clip that I shot. First clips are in Rockford, Iowa. Then east of there. Then the LP supercell NW of Cedar Rapids. Then the tornado warned storm near Van Horne with the funnels that I saw.