Cloudy Here, Severe To The East

Low level stratus clouds and a more winter-like appearance prevailed just before 8:00 AM on Sunday, November 17, 2013 (top image) as seen from the parking lot at Noelridge Christian Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The image looks northwest. Light rain and temperatures nearing 60 degrees F were the existing weather conditions. Further east and hours later an unusual soup of unstable and spring-like ingredients created 88 tornado occurrences in the states of Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky, killing seven people and laying waste to the town of Washington, Illinois. The bottom image shows a map of tornado and funnel sightings on November 17.