May 19, 2005 Lightning Strike Commentary

[michaelwmoss]

Commentary Video I made for the lightning strike I saw on May 19, 2005:

http://radio.nhcwx.com/modules.php?name=Co...showpage&pid=22

You can see the strike at:

http://www.radio.nhcwx.net/zina/index.php?...4d214fac96d54a0

 

[Susan Strom]

That was pretty cool, thanks for posting that. The fireball on that one strike was pretty sweet. That looked like a big night - that huge MCS and esp the cell on the triple point. That supercell in Kankakee Cty IL - I suppose people in Utica IL were probably monitoring the weather that night for sure, I don't believe that's too far away.

 

[michaelwmoss]

Thanks Susan as always I bet those people in Utica where TREMBLING when they heard the Tornado Warnings for that storm. And it did in fact produce some brief tornadoes in Northern Indiana.

I got an unexpected funnel cloud today in Central Johnson County. Will be making a post as soon as I have the pictures up in an album

 

[Susan Strom]

I drove across country last June and passed through many small towns including Utica IL (know where Starved Rock State Park is on the river there? Utica is right there). This was just 2 months after the big twister that ripped up the town and killed 8 people (including a lady that my dad knew in high school back when he lived in Illinois years ago).

Pretty startling stuff. Even after 2 months of cleanup, blocks of town were just gone, a huge grain elevator had been crumpled like an aluminum can and there were missing houses and substantial damage. One store owner had a picture of the twister. What a beast, let me tell you. Huge black wedge coming over the ridge. What a sight.

I had lunch at Duffy's Tavern, and talked to some locals. The Tavern a historic building that was being scaffolded up for repair because half the building had been taken. Duffy's is down the street from the former Milestone Tap, the stone building (which was gone) where people hid out in the basement but some perished when the stone structure collapsed on them. They thought it would be safe and solid Right there on the corner was their memorial and pictures. Everyone in town had a tornado story.

I bought a ceramic sign from a potter who has a gallery on the main street there. It says "Live by the sun, feel by the moon." I have it hanging in my house and every time I look at it I think of all the nice people in Utica.

I suppose during the night of your storm a lot of people were paying attention. Accdg to your map, that night looked like a really big night, how those thunderstorms developed.

 

[michaelwmoss]

Indeed they were Susan. I am curious though, are there any pictures out there of the Utica Tornado? I have never seen one, though I have seen a few pictures of the damage. Terrible, Terrible Storm

 

[Andy Wehrle]

Originally posted by michaelwmoss
Indeed they were Susan. I am curious though, are there any pictures out there of the Utica Tornado? I have never seen one, though I have seen a few pictures of the damage. Terrible, Terrible Storm

Try these pages: http://www.wildlifescenicphotos.com/utica_...torm_photos.htm

http://creativejetstream.com/id13.html

Talk about a rapid confluence of parameters-the area wasn't even in an SPC severe thunderstorm risk area until 0100Z when the event was already well underway.

 

[David Draun]

4-20-04, Man that was a wierd day. SPC had no GENERAL thunderstorm risk out for that area either. I was in Dekalb, and it was cold and rainy with temps in the low 40's, by dinnertime it was partly sunny and 65. Talk about a strong warm front. I looked at the doppler at all the flying eagle shapes south of Chicago, and I just thought "damn, how did this happen?"
I remember our discussions on the forum about the event. I was wrong to blame SPC for "blowing" the forecast, and you all corrected me, and a few others for that matter.

That is really a sweet lightning strike there. I have been over here in Iraq so I have not experienced the severe weather season at all, except for March 28th in Chicago. Kankakee, IL is 60 0r 70 miles east of Utica, I believe, but I'm sure many Utica residents were quite wary.

 

[michaelwmoss]

Originally posted by Andy Wehrle+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Andy Wehrle)</div>

<!--QuoteBegin-michaelwmoss

Indeed they were Susan. I am curious though, are there any pictures out there of the Utica Tornado? I have never seen one, though I have seen a few pictures of the damage. Terrible, Terrible Storm

Try these pages: http://www.wildlifescenicphotos.com/utica_...torm_photos.htm

http://creativejetstream.com/id13.html

Talk about a rapid confluence of parameters-the area wasn't even in an SPC severe thunderstorm risk area until 0100Z when the event was already well underway.[/b]

MY GOD!! That was terrible! Bigger than I thought and the damage was worse than I thought!!

How did the SPC miss this one I wonder?

 

[michaelwmoss]

Originally posted by David Draun
4-20-04, Man that was a wierd day. SPC had no GENERAL thunderstorm risk out for that area either. I was in Dekalb, and it was cold and rainy with temps in the low 40's, by dinnertime it was partly sunny and 65. Talk about a strong warm front. I looked at the doppler at all the flying eagle shapes south of Chicago, and I just thought \"damn, how did this happen?\"
I remember our discussions on the forum about the event. I was wrong to blame SPC for \"blowing\" the forecast, and you all corrected me, and a few others for that matter.

That is really a sweet lightning strike there. I have been over here in Iraq so I have not experienced the severe weather season at all, except for March 28th in Chicago. Kankakee, IL is 60 0r 70 miles east of Utica, I believe, but I'm sure many Utica residents were quite wary.

I also think the sun came out more than they orginally thought. That drier air coming in helped to create the extra sunshine and put up more of a boundary/dry line along the warm front