July 20 Spring Reset Storms

 

Forecasts for severe weather on July 20, 2026 for areas of southeast Minnesota, northeast Iowa and western Wisconsin were remarkably springlike, with plenty of moisture and forcing in play. The Convective Outlook (shown above) from the Storm Prediction Center at 11:30 am CDT on July 20 shows significant areas of categorical (Enhanced Risk), tornado, hail and wind.

This mesoscale discussion posted by the SPC around 1:55 pm forecasted the likelihood of a tornado watch probability at 95%, with all other severe hazards on the board. With the "hotspot" for tornadoes being forecasted in extreme northeast Iowa and a line of storms beginning to initiate along the Minnesota/Iowa border, I decided to head north from Cedar Rapids on Highway 13 with a target being around Decorah in Winneshiek County around 2:00 pm. Around 2:50 pm storms tracking southeast in north-central Iowa went severe warned, distracting my interest to my original objective. I was then advised to abandon the northeast intercept and turn west, which I did, just south of Strawberry Point in Clayton County. (Storms never did initiate in the northeast).

With an eye of radar and the storm's southeast track, I negotiated myself through the towns of Dundee and Lamont, then headed south on Highway 187 to US Highway 20, then proceeded west. The image above, captured at 3:22 pm CDT, looks west from US Highway 20, about 1.2 miles WSW of Winthrop, Iowa in Buchanan County. The storm seen low on the horizon is located about 75 miles distant, in Franklin County. Storm tracking was toward the lower left of this image.

3:24 pm. Westbound on US Highway 20 about 4.4 miles east of Independence, Iowa in Buchanan County. Severe-warned storm looming ever closer.

3:31 pm. A quick stop at the Independence Walmart to obtain my situational awareness and be advised of a cell to the west of more significant potential, now located near Parkersburg, Iowa in Butler County. I had spotted at this very location on April 14 of this year.

3:35 pm. Under the storm's anvil westbound on US Highway 20, about 2 miles west of Independence.

4:18 pm. Radarscope image, showing my location (blue target icon) and the red tornado-warned polygon. The area near Grundy Center in Grundy County went tornado warned around 4:00 pm. Storms were still tracking to the southeast.

 

4:28 pm. Because of the storm's swift progress (around 40 mph), I realized I had to get south to get to a safer location south of the storm, and I was not currently in a good orientation. This image shows the storm directly ahead of me while westbound on Highway 8, with a tail cloud feeding into it at left. I am a quarter-mile east of Highway 21--my next left turn (south). This location is just north of Dysart, Iowa in Tama County.

4:32 pm radar image, showing the red tornado warning polygon and my blue target icon spotter's location.

4:40 pm radar image. Now stopped at my brief spotting location on 210th Street at Highway 21, 2 miles south of Dysart, Iowa. 

4:41 pm. Looking west from 210th Street at Highway 21. Tornado-warned storm, now exhibiting a shelf cloud appearance, is quickly bearing down upon me.

4:42 pm. A panoramic version of the image above it, with my vehicle in the foreground.

4:45 pm. Similar view.

4:47 pm. Looking southwest from 230th Street at Highway 21, 4 miles south of Dysart. Leading edge of storm is almost upon me! Time to bail and head south (left).

4:55 pm. Southbound on County Road V42 (15th Avenue), about 4.5 miles north of Keystone, Iowa in Benton County. A lowering can be seen in the background. I had unfortunately allowed myself to get swallowed up in the storm and now found myself fighting to negotiate through the high winds and rain. 

5:00 pm. (GoPro Hero 4 frame capture). Southbound on County Road V42 (5th Avenue) in Keystone, Iowa. I was being blasted by 60 or more mph winds, which at the moment I was unable to determine if they were tornadic, RFD or straight line. It got a little dicey from here too. From Keystone I continued south to US Highway 30, then back east toward Cedar Rapids. Almost the entire way I was blasted by wind and rain and spent all of it concentrating on staying on the road! But eventually back safe and sound.

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How We Viewed Our Independence Day

 

We decided to do something different this year for the Fourth of July as far as fireworks viewing, so we headed up to Central City, Iowa, where a dusk fireworks display was held from the Linn County Fairgrounds. On the way there, mother nature had her own special viewing as well. This view looks east at 8:04 pm CDT while northbound on Highway 13 just south of Central City. Occurring at this time was a towering updraft with a lowering beneath it -- but with no watches or warnings attached.

 

Close-up of the lowering.

8:25 pm. Now at our fireworks viewing location on Marion Road South at Central City Road just outside the fairgrounds. This view looks southeast at a sunlit sheared cloud from the previously seen updraft. The system is now dissipating.

9:49 pm. Fireworks under way. Five second exposure at f/5, ISO 100, 27mm focal length.

9:50 pm. 5 second exposure at f/8, ISO 100, 27mm focal length.

A group of four fireworks bursts with similar exposures and settings.

9:48-9:49 pm. Blend of three separate exposures, each 5 seconds at f/8, ISO 100, 27mm focal length.

Another blended image, this one with two exposures. The fireworks display lasted about 15 minutes. Nikon Z6ii camera. 

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July Storm Clouds

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

While visiting in Waterloo, Iowa on Thursday, July 2, 2026, storms rolled in during the afternoon hours--some severe. This image of dark sky looks north from Tilbury Road at 2:03 pm CDT. The left horizon looks toward Waverly, Iowa in Bremer County to the northwest, where the most intense area was located about 17 miles distant. Toward the right horizon and to the northeast was located two tornado-warned cells near Oelwein, Iowa in Fayette County, about 34 miles distant.

Radarscope images corresponding to 2:06 pm showing the Waverly direction (left panel) and the Oelwein direction.

2:04 pm. Looking southwest at an approaching anvil cloud at 2:04 pm CDT as seen from Tilbury Road. This storm cell would mainly produce heavy downpours of rain after it arrived in the Waterloo area. 

The following day (Friday, July 3) 5:18 pm CDT. Looking northeast at billowing updraft from our home in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Though this departing storm cell was not severe warned, it was still robust and visually impressive. Nikon Z6ii camera.

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