Second Round Was A Knockout

A second early season severe weather event in Iowa, just one week removed from the first, occurred on Monday, March 6, 2017. An SPC Enhanced Risk was posted for much of the state at 7:00 that morning. By 1:30 pm CST, storms began firing up about 50 miles west of Omaha, Nebraska, and 25 minutes later Tornado Watch 61 (above) was issued, including most of Iowa.

The storms organized into an impressive and intense unbroken line, well beyond the north and south borders of Iowa. The top panel in the image above shows a WeatherTap radar screen capture at 3:45 pm, and the bottom a RadarScope image for 4:15 pm. The line of storms were moving ENE and at a swift pace--around 53 kts at times.

Meanwhile, in Cedar Rapids at 3:55 pm, favorable storm conditions prevailed, as seen above in my Davis Vantage Vue weather station screen.

This view of the west-northwest sky from Noelridge Christian Church in Cedar Rapids at 6:20 pm shows the approach of the leading edge of the line of storms, the most intense area now located about 100 miles distant, near the Interstate 35/US Highway 20 interchange in central Iowa. iPhone 6 Plus camera image.

It is now 8:30 pm and I am set up for spotting on Oliver Court, just south of Boyson Road and just west of Alburnett Road in Marion, Iowa. The sky (above, looking west) is supercharged with
lightning. The most intense area of the storm line was at this moment 34 miles to the WSW, near Belle Plaine, Iowa, and approaching fast! This image was an 8 second exposure at f/6.3, 250 ISO and 22mm focal length. Nikon D7200 DSLR camera images.

8:45 pm and the lightning is becoming more intense, with thunder rumbles over my head. In the background is the Bowman Meadows housing development.

8:47 pm. The heavy line of storms was now 19 miles to the WSW, near Newhall, Iowa. The wind had picked up considerably. Gusts cause me to hold on to the camera tripod to keep it steady during exposures and I almost lose my hat several times! (Gusts were probably around 50 mph). The above lightning photo is a 2-image stack. Sirens were now sounding and I was trying to keep a low (lightning) profile by crouching low (not recommended).

My iPhone RadarScope image capture at 8:53 pm. Sirens were wailing. The blue circle shows my spotter position on Oliver Court.

Suspicious lowering in a tornado-warned area approaching from the southwest and about 14 miles distant, near Walford, Iowa. The time corresponds to the radar image above. Minutes after this image was captured I finally took refuge inside my car. Outflow-blown drenching rain crawled along the ground like a mini front in my direction, and my car was soon engulfed, along with (estimated) 50-60 mph winds and nickel size hail. Some 10 tornadoes were reported in the state on this day.