• After witnessing the continued decrease of involvement in the SpotterNetwork staff in serving SN members with troubleshooting issues recently, I have unilaterally decided to terminate the relationship between SpotterNetwork's support and Stormtrack. I have witnessed multiple users unable to receive support weeks after initiating help threads on the forum. I find this lack of response from SpotterNetwork officials disappointing and a failure to hold up their end of the agreement that was made years ago, before I took over management of this site. In my opinion, having Stormtrack users sit and wait for so long to receive help on SpotterNetwork issues on the Stormtrack forums reflects poorly not only on SpotterNetwork, but on Stormtrack and (by association) me as well. Since the issue has not been satisfactorily addressed, I no longer wish for the Stormtrack forum to be associated with SpotterNetwork.

    I apologize to those who continue to have issues with the service and continue to see their issues left unaddressed. Please understand that the connection between ST and SN was put in place long before I had any say over it. But now that I am the "captain of this ship," it is within my right (nay, duty) to make adjustments as I see necessary. Ending this relationship is such an adjustment.

    For those who continue to need help, I recommend navigating a web browswer to SpotterNetwork's About page, and seeking the individuals listed on that page for all further inquiries about SpotterNetwork.

    From this moment forward, the SpotterNetwork sub-forum has been hidden/deleted and there will be no assurance that any SpotterNetwork issues brought up in any of Stormtrack's other sub-forums will be addressed. Do not rely on Stormtrack for help with SpotterNetwork issues.

    Sincerely, Jeff D.

2023-01-03 REPORTS: IL

Joined
May 1, 2004
Messages
3,417
Location
Springfield, IL
Targeted Taylorville, IL at 20z for low topped rotating storms. 12z NAM highlighted a prefrontal surface trough as a focal point for convective initiation between I-55 and I-57 in Illinois. Super cold temps aloft clipped the northern end of the warm sector north of I-64 with low 60s F temps and near 60 F dews at the surface south of I-74 making for robust low level instability, and ample vorticity along the trough wind shift line.

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Mesoanalysis 0-3km CAPE and surface vorticity midafternoon:
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Departed Springfield, IL at 2:30pm eastbound on I-72 to head off percolating convection extending from northeast of Taylorville to near Litchfield, IL. Watched downstream 10 miles west of Decatur as clusters of showers gradually intensified. At 3:44 pm a funnel cloud formed well south down the gust front of one of the larger cells nears Mechanicsburg, IL. The funnel roped out while tightening into a weak tornado with dusty ground circulation at 3:48 pm. Looking west from 1 mile south of Illiopolis:

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Pursued cell north through Illiopolis, noting new circulation, again displaced from the main updraft southward down the gust front. Looking east-southeast from 2 miles north of Illiopolis at 4:05 pm:

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I couldn't confirm a significant presence at the surface with this circulation.

Stair stepped northeastward on the grid pursuing what was now a classic yet low topped supercell. At about 4:34 pm a robust funnel cloud formed, this time collocated with the supercell's main updraft, which likely led to the formation of a more significant tornado. Noted a fully condensed elephant trunk tornado at 4:36 pm. Looking northeast from a mile west of Maroa, IL:

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Encountered the damage path on Highway 51 on the northside of Maroa with a grain bin and other debris along the road and light debris strewn across the adjacent field. Tracked the cell northeast a few more miles before calling the chase at dark while tornado warnings continued southwestward down the line.
 
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