5/23/2004 REPORTS: MO/IL/IN/IA/MI/WI/OK

[Dan Robinson]

Dave Crowley, Justin Teague and I witnessed a spectacular mothership meso on Sunday near Bristow, OK with frequent CG lightning and possibly a brief tornado. Today was supposed to be a down day to rest up bewteen multi-day marathon chase trips, but we ended up chasing after all.

Severe storms fired along intersecting boundaries in northeast Oklahoma, outside of forecast risk areas - and put on an awesome show. Here are some shots:

Digital camera shots:
http://wvlightning.com/2004/may23a.jpg
http://wvlightning.com/2004/may23b.jpg
http://wvlightning.com/2004/may23c.jpg
http://wvlightning.com/2004/may23d.jpg
http://wvlightning.com/2004/may23e.jpg
http://wvlightning.com/2004/may23f.jpg

Timelapse (RealVideo, 3.7MB):
http://wvlightning.com/2004/may23timelapse.rm

Frame grabs of possible tornado/funnel:
http://wvlightning.com/2004/may23v1.jpg
http://wvlightning.com/2004/may23v2.jpg

Timelapse of possible tornado (RealVideo, 728KB):
http://wvlightning.com/2004/may23.rm

CG activity was frequent and spectacular:

Video (RealVideo, 801KB):
http://wvlightning.com/2004/may23lt.rm

Frame grabs:
http://wvlightning.com/2004/may23lt1.jpg
http://wvlightning.com/2004/may23lt2.jpg
http://wvlightning.com/2004/may23lt3.jpg
http://wvlightning.com/2004/may23lt4.jpg
http://wvlightning.com/2004/may23lt5.jpg
http://wvlightning.com/2004/may23lt6.jpg
http://wvlightning.com/2004/may23lt7.jpg
http://wvlightning.com/2004/may23lt8.jpg
http://wvlightning.com/2004/may23lt9.jpg

Detailed report coming eventually - currently preparing for a chase in NE/IA tomorrow.

 

[Jason Montano]

I was on the cell in Lincoln Co. to the SW of that one. It too had a mothership meso and at one point a small funnel spin up.

I left my house around 1900, after watching the storms build from my backyard. I heading E on I40 and then N into Stroud. Just NE of Stroud on hwy 66 I had a great position under the RFB (rain free base). Rotation was gettting better and at one point the RFD clear slot was very visible followed with precip wrapping around the back side. Watched a WC form and dissipate a few times and perhaps a few funnels, it was hard to tell b/c it was getting dark.

Stuck around after dark watching some great CG and saw a power flash to my NE, could not see what was the cause but expect it was only straight line winds. This cell was almost stationary moving very, very slowly to the ENE. I have some pics but the OU server where my website resides is not allowing be to upload anything, so when I figure the problem out I will post them.

PS: that is a great time lapse Dan!!

 

[Ben Pinette]

I'll make this short, as I don't have much to report:

Was stuck at work until things started to go up. Left late, got stuck targeting the wrong storm, busted watching non/marginally severe while TOR's were issued 30 miles north. At 45MPH NE movement, there's no way I was catching them.

TOR's issued for Livingston/Genesee and maybe others yesterday in MI, not sure if any are confirmed yet.

 

[Laura Duchesne]

What about Ontario folks? We had a tornado watch all afternoon and evening LOL.

My friend and I left my place at 2:45 pm and headed SW towards the London area. Overall, we saw some possible tornado damage in the town of Thamsford from the day before, 2 shelf clouds, an inflow stinger, possible wall cloud, brief tornado just SW of London at around 8:45, and an incredible lightning show. Got back home at 11:45, 9 hours later with a total of approx 420 km.

 

[Ben Pinette]

Glad to see someone up here faired better than I did! Good catch Laura.
I tend to forget all about EC and what's going on just 50-100 miles east of me. How about some links to some EC pages for future reference? I wonder what customs would say if I told them I'd be in the country to chase storms and should be returning in 6-7 hours?

 

[Dan Robinson]

Completed 5/23 log with photos and video:

http://wvlightning.com/may232004.html