I had once before spotted at this location (June 12, 2013), with good results. With severe weather approaching this spot at 255th Street (D34) at Highway 13 in Delaware County, Iowa, the camera looks northwest over tall corn at 3:30 pm CDT, Saturday, July 23, 2016. Shortly after this capture, tornado warnings were issued for the area.
Although the radar storm track showed a tornado-warned path heading close to my 255th Street position, more promising stormy skies toward the northwest prompted me to pack up my gear and move toward Manchester, Iowa, a little over 2 miles to the north. The brief repositioned spotting location seen above shows an area of interest in the southwest sky. Location was alongside 210th Street at 145th Avenue, about 2 miles west of Manchester. Time was 3:56 pm.
Further repositioning after following the area of interest. This image, captured at 4:02 pm at the intersection of 140th Avenue and 230th Street, looks south about 2.5 miles southwest of Manchester. Tornado warnings continued on my weather radio.
Inching forward (south) about a half-mile, I watched the most intense area of this storm move away (toward the southeast, background right). Time was 4:07 pm. It was at this point when heavy rains with high wind speeds began to arrive. I was fearful I might be caught in a flash flood situation on the gravel road, so I hastily retreated the way I had come.
It was too late to avoid the rain and wind. Blinding rain and winds I estimated at 60-70 mph caused my vehicle to fishtail as I inched forward on the gravel surface. I was especially fearful of being blown off the road at the highly-exposed US Highway 20 overpass (seen above). After waiting out the storm at the corner of 140th Avenue and 220th Street shortly thereafter, the rain and wind finally died down some 15 minutes later, allowing me to head for home. Nikon D7200 DSLR camera.
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