Autumnal Equinox Storm

 

Autumn arrived on Monday, September 22, 2025 and so did a line of storms in Eastern Iowa late that evening, originating from the north and west of the Waterloo area and moving southeast. The following seven photographic images were captured from the grounds at Noelridge Christian Church in Cedar Rapids. Above, cloud-to-cloud lightning spreads under the approaching storm looking northwest at 8:04 pm CDT. Image is a 6 second exposure at f/4, ISO 400, 24mm focal length. 

8:09 pm Radarscope image. Storms near Waterloo and Guttenberg are severe warned. 

8:57 pm. Storms have now lost their severe warnings but are beginning to form a single linear structure.

9:10 pm. The shelf cloud characteristics of a linear storm is now evident in this image looking northwest. The illuminated areas are backlit flashes of cloud-to-cloud lightning. 5 second exposure at f/4, ISO 250, 24mm focal length.

9:12 pm Radarscope capture.

9:14 pm. Looking northwest. Underside of storm looking more ominous now. 5 second exposure at f/4, ISO 250, 24mm focal length.

9:17 pm. Similar capture. 5 second exposure at f/4, ISO 250, 24mm focal length.

9:20 pm. Looking northwest. Rain shafts in the illuminated areas under the shelf as it approaches are seen. 5 second exposure at f/4, ISO 250, 24mm focal length.

9:21 pm. Coalescing line of storms is now as close as 20 miles distant from my location. 

9:26 pm. Panorama image looking north (center), consisting of five separate exposures, each 5 seconds at f/4, ISO 250, 24mm focal length. Heavy rain at center is evident.

9:27 pm. Zoom-in looking northwest, and the turbulent appearance of the incoming storm. 5 second exposure at f/4, ISO 250, 24mm focal length. Nikon Z6ii camera.

9:35 pm. Radarscope image. Storm, in true linear mode, is now about 10 miles distant. The storm, under severe limits, would produce elevated winds, lightning and periods of heavy rain.