April 22 Linn, Jones County Iowa Severe Storm

A severe thunderstorm watch was deemed by the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) as "unlikely" for eastern parts of the state of Iowa during the afternoon hours of Monday, April 22, 2019. I was therefore not especially vigilant for storms that suddenly went severe-warned there around 3:30 pm. In reaction to that, I hastily gathered my bare essential spotting/photography gear and set out to the east in Linn County via US Highway 151 and Springville Road (X20). In the video frame capture image above I am southbound on Springville Road, south of the town of Springville at 4:07 pm CDT. The core of a severe storm is seen on the horizon, just right of the vanishing point of the highway. This structure featured a very expansive anvil.

4:08 pm. Another video frame capture. Lightning laces the underside of the anvil as I approach Martelle Road (E45) from Springville Road.

4:09 pm. Nikon D7200 DSLR still images. Closer yet to Martelle Road. The most intense part of the storm, seen just over the horizon, was now about 3.5 miles to the south. The storm was moving right-to-left in the image.

4:10 am. Pulled over now during my brief spotting position on Martelle Road (E45) at Springville Road. Springville Road stretches south into the distance in the image. Rain bands lead the most intense part of the storm, located about 3.5 miles distant.

4:11 pm. Radarscope Pro image capture showing severe-warning, lightning, hail core areas, and my position.

4:18 pm. Another brief spotting position, this one on Martelle Road (E45), about .75-mile east of Springville Road in eastern Linn County. Image looks west at low hanging scud from the approaching storm. The scud spectacularly formed and dissipated in less than two minutes.

4:24 pm. Base velocity image of intensifying area of the storm (white arrow), along with my spotting position (target icon).

4:26 pm. Looking southeast at an intense storm lowering from Linn Grove Road at Martelle Road, 2.2 miles west of Martelle, Iowa. The above and below radar images closely correspond to this time and place.

4:25 pm. Base reflectivity of storm, showing my spotting position and proximity to hail core. Storm motion was to the northeast.

4:28 pm. Eastbound on Martelle Road, just west of town. The most intense area of the storm is about two miles distant.

4:33 pm. Stationary and located about one mile south of Martelle. This image looks east, with the departing storm in the background.

4:33 pm. Scattered hailstones on the ground. A placed penny (left center) adds scale to their size.