Twister Near Arthur

A tornado churns the ground northwest of the town of Arthur (city lights) in western Iowa around 8:28 PM, Saturday, April 9, 2011. The track of the storm was to the northeast, between the towns of Ida Grove and Arthur. This view, a video frame capture, looks NNW from along County Highway M31, about one mile south of town. Our two-vehicle chase team was stopped on the road after having followed the twister, which minutes earlier had a wedge shape. The brightness of this image was made possible by a flash of lightning.