July 19 Clayton County Iowa Severe Weather

An Enhanced Risk for severe weather for northeast Iowa was posted by the Storm Prediction Center on Wednesday, July 19, 2017. Sustained severe weather moved east from South Dakota in the morning into southern Minnesota and northern Iowa, reaching Clayton County by 5:50 pm. Before its arrival, I selected an open spotting location on Highway 13 at the top of a hill about one mile north of the town of Strawberry Point. Above, I await the approaching storm at 6:04 pm in this panoramic image facing northwest. Note its wind-driven "cake layered" appearance.

6:08 pm. The leading edge of the storm, now about 7 miles distant, has taken on a shelf cloud look.

6:11 pm. A dramatic capture of the leading edge of the shelf cloud in the NNE sky.

Also 6:11 pm. Turbulent leading edge of the shelf cloud in the SW sky. Storm movement was right-to-left in image.

Vertical capture of the same view a few seconds later. The leading edge of the shelf cloud has generated small and very brief funnels.

6:12 pm. The shelf cloud has created an sun-illuminated arch as it moves toward the back right of this panoramic image (southeast). Nikon D7200 DSLR camera.

Radar capture of the area for 6:05 pm. Note the red tornado-warned box in NE Clayton County.