Darrin Rasberry
LOCATION: Central Iowa
TIMES: 2:30 AM - 9:00 AM
CHASE BASE: My home.
EXPECTATION: Liking the parameters for strong elevated storms, I decided to activate as a mobile spotter, just in case hail or winds reached severe level near my home. However, I actually expected only heavy rain to dime-sized hail, and modest winds, figuring that minimal instibility would inhibit sustained severe storms.
CHASE: I monitored the GRL3 from 11 PM until approximately 12:30 AM. Unfortunately, I dozed off in my computer chair until 2 AM, and was awakened by a call from a concerned local friend watching the situation from his home at the time. As a consequence, I was not able to position effectively, preventing me from evaluating the situation with the storm and give Ames advanced severe warning.
I judged the arrival of the hail core of the storm to be right over my home, so I drove south a mile or two to escape city lights and to take footage of a good lightning show along with the potential hail.
Watching the GRL3 while mobile showed a decreasing hail core strength in the approaching storm from potential severe to only a .25 diameter icons, while further down the line near the Weather Service in Polk City showed an increasing hail strength to 1.25 inches and significant severe likelihood. I headed twenty miles south, and arrived at Polk City a moment after the hail struck. Unluckily (or perhaps luckily, given the strength of the wind at the time) I missed experiencing the core itself, but I did witness a partial covering of penny sized hail on the roads. However, other spotters (and likely KDMX itself) had witnessed the hail, and the storm became severe warned. The core over Ames had also strengthened right after my departure, and hail up to quarter-sized was reported in the area thankfully by other more astute (and less opportunistic) spotters.
Judging the storm speed to be too fast for me to catch the Ames cell, I turned my attention to another cell heading toward the Des Moines metro area. Not wishing to enter a city area for purposes of spotting, I instead set up in the nearby town of Altoona. The storm quickly became severe-warned, with reported penny-to nickel-sized hail heading toward my position, but the hail threat died out by the time the storm arrived.
I moved toward Newton, thirty miles to the east, to intercept yet another cell - I liked this cell better due to its slower storm motion. I arrived in the outskirts of Newton and witnessed a brief scattering of dime-sized hail, alongside a Sheriff vehicle presumably spotting as well. Although I did not judge the storm to be severe-warned, it was nonetheless warned as such, so I followed the core east of Newton, where I witnessed a very brief patch of hail fog for the first time ever.
CONCLUSION: Although I dropped the ball with falling asleep at the helm and missing potentially warning Ames of severe hail possibilities ahead of time, I enjoyed my local night-time chase, and got to witness several instances of strong to severe hail, strong winds, and a superb lightning show. Since the storms moved quickly, I had no time for pictures, and I am not sure if my Hi-8 on my dash still had available tape at the time of the fog. Nonetheless, I am glad I had the experience, and I will learn to stay more aware (and awake) in the future.
TIMES: 2:30 AM - 9:00 AM
CHASE BASE: My home.
EXPECTATION: Liking the parameters for strong elevated storms, I decided to activate as a mobile spotter, just in case hail or winds reached severe level near my home. However, I actually expected only heavy rain to dime-sized hail, and modest winds, figuring that minimal instibility would inhibit sustained severe storms.
CHASE: I monitored the GRL3 from 11 PM until approximately 12:30 AM. Unfortunately, I dozed off in my computer chair until 2 AM, and was awakened by a call from a concerned local friend watching the situation from his home at the time. As a consequence, I was not able to position effectively, preventing me from evaluating the situation with the storm and give Ames advanced severe warning.
I judged the arrival of the hail core of the storm to be right over my home, so I drove south a mile or two to escape city lights and to take footage of a good lightning show along with the potential hail.
Watching the GRL3 while mobile showed a decreasing hail core strength in the approaching storm from potential severe to only a .25 diameter icons, while further down the line near the Weather Service in Polk City showed an increasing hail strength to 1.25 inches and significant severe likelihood. I headed twenty miles south, and arrived at Polk City a moment after the hail struck. Unluckily (or perhaps luckily, given the strength of the wind at the time) I missed experiencing the core itself, but I did witness a partial covering of penny sized hail on the roads. However, other spotters (and likely KDMX itself) had witnessed the hail, and the storm became severe warned. The core over Ames had also strengthened right after my departure, and hail up to quarter-sized was reported in the area thankfully by other more astute (and less opportunistic) spotters.
Judging the storm speed to be too fast for me to catch the Ames cell, I turned my attention to another cell heading toward the Des Moines metro area. Not wishing to enter a city area for purposes of spotting, I instead set up in the nearby town of Altoona. The storm quickly became severe-warned, with reported penny-to nickel-sized hail heading toward my position, but the hail threat died out by the time the storm arrived.
I moved toward Newton, thirty miles to the east, to intercept yet another cell - I liked this cell better due to its slower storm motion. I arrived in the outskirts of Newton and witnessed a brief scattering of dime-sized hail, alongside a Sheriff vehicle presumably spotting as well. Although I did not judge the storm to be severe-warned, it was nonetheless warned as such, so I followed the core east of Newton, where I witnessed a very brief patch of hail fog for the first time ever.
CONCLUSION: Although I dropped the ball with falling asleep at the helm and missing potentially warning Ames of severe hail possibilities ahead of time, I enjoyed my local night-time chase, and got to witness several instances of strong to severe hail, strong winds, and a superb lightning show. Since the storms moved quickly, I had no time for pictures, and I am not sure if my Hi-8 on my dash still had available tape at the time of the fog. Nonetheless, I am glad I had the experience, and I will learn to stay more aware (and awake) in the future.
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