June 15 Multiple Rounds of Storms

Much of the state of Iowa was under a Storm Prediction Center (SPC) Slight Risk posting on the afternoon of Saturday, June 15, 2019 (above), and indeed storms began forming just after 1:00 pm CDT.

1:23 pm. Storm Prediction Center posts Severe Thunderstorm Watch #359 for much of Iowa.

I began to formulate an intercept plan with a target of two strong storms areas in Tama County. Because of its closer proximity to Cedar Rapids, I set out for the easternmost cell, located near Dysart, Iowa (circled area in the Radarscope image above, corresponding to 1:27 pm).

Above, I found a spotting location at 26th Avenue at 71st Street (E44), about .75-mile west of Newhall, Iowa. A non-severe storm, 14 miles distant and located between Elberon and Garrison, was approaching me from the northwest at 2:35 pm. Shortly after this time my attention shifted to another storm on radar, this one farther west in Marshall County and now severe-warned. In short order, I  chose to abandon this storm to pursue the new one.

2:55 pm. Westbound on US Highway 30 at 21st Avenue (V66), 3 miles south of Van Horne in Benton County Iowa. In the background at right a large updraft can be seen through foreground clouds. The severe storm cell was located about 32 miles distant, just east of Marshalltown. It was severe warned from 2:35-3:50 pm.

With echo tops on this storm cell billowing to 40,000 feet or more, I chose an advantageous spotting location--this one at the same location where I had monitored the eastern reaches of the July 19 Marshalltown tornado event last year. Above, the camera looks northwest at 3:15 pm from Highway V18 at 320th Street, just north of US Highway 30 in southeastern Tama County. Note the vigorous updraft at left. I chose to check in with the Benton County ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Services) network frequency, in wary anticipation of incoming dangerous weather.

Radarscope image for 3:20 pm, with my location at the lower right.

3:22 pm. A larger view of the same scene.

Radar frame capture roughly corresponding to the photograph above it. My location is shown by the target icon at bottom right, with the black arrow pointing toward the most intense area of the storm. White arrows indicate the storm's track.

3:22 pm. Vertical capture of the updraft, sporting a beautiful overshooting top.

3:55 pm. Panorama of the storm, now visibly weakening. In fact, it had lost its severe warning five minutes before. I politely checked out of the Benton County ARES net and headed for home.

But the day's storms were not done yet. A new line of severe storms began organizing to the west of Cedar Rapids between the five and six o'clock hour. After adding spotting partner Billy Gant for a new intercept, I chose this location--74th Street at 30th Avenue (Highway 201), one mile south of US Highway 30 and three miles north of Norway, Iowa in southeastern Benton County--just in the nick of time. A shelf cloud from a quickly approaching gust front was bearing down upon us. Above, the camera looks west along 74th Street at 6:40 pm.

Radarscope image roughly corresponding the photograph above it, showing the severe-warned line of storms and our spotting position. Storm movement was due east.

6:42 pm. Panoramic capture of the same view.

6:42 pm. Looking northwest. Shown is the northern edge of the shelf cloud.

6:45 pm. Looking west down 74th Street at a possible forming and incoming funnel. Brief and weak tornadoes sometimes spinup along the leading edges of gust fronts such as this.

6:46 pm. The funnel cloud was looking more pronounced. It did not drop to the ground, but the ensuing rain sure did. Long lasting drenching rain followed us all the back home after we finally bailed out of this location. Wind speeds probably approached 60 mph here. A full afternoon/evening of volatile weather on this day to be sure! Nikon D7200 DSLR camera.