And It Begins...

The first real threat for severe weather in the state of Iowa for 2019 occurred on Wednesday, April 17.
Shown above is the SPC outllooks for the day, with half of Iowa being in a Slight Risk. An eastward tracking storm cell located west of Des Moines became severe warned about 3:00 pm CDT. I waited to see if the storm would continue to retain its severe warning as it progressed eastward, and about an hour later, it was located east of Des Moines, near the Marshalltown area, still holding its energy. It was time to pursue an intercept, so I chose US Highway 30 for the quickest route.

Westbound on US Highway 30 just east of Van Horne, Iowa at 5:11 pm. At my 11:00 o'clock position (WSW) is this severe-warned storm, whose most intense area is located about 36 miles distant, near the town of Gilman, in Marshall County.

5:51 pm. My spotting position for the approaching storm, still maintaining its severe warning. The location was 17th Avenue, about .1-mile north of US Highway 30, and about 2.75 miles southeast of the town of Keystone in western Benton County.

5:51 pm. Panorama from my spotting position. Looking west.

5:52 pm. The approaching severe storm was nearing my position, and with it the possibility of hail, so I readied myself to return east on US Highway. As I reached the intersection of 17th Avenue and US Highway 30 I stopped to capture this approaching structure to my southwest. Lightning was frequent and rain began to fall.

5:52 pm. Similar panorama image.

5:54 pm. Capture right before I got back into my car and hurried back to the east. I returned to Cedar Rapids, always just ahead of the storm, which continued to hold its severe warning the entire way. Nikon D7200 DSLR camera.

Radarscope image, corresponding to 5:49 pm, of the storm and my position (target at right).