Another much anticipated chase day with severe storms predicted including tornadoes. 

The weather models had a very difficult time coming to an agreement on the predicted outcome, but we chose to head to the general area the models targeted for tornadoes to develop.  The Storm Prediction Center put out an Enhanced Risk of Severe Storms with a 10% Hatched area for Tornadoes.

My son Ryan and I headed north for the Missouri / Iowa border early in the morning.  Storms were expected to redevelop behind morning convection that was racing off to the east.  Once we reached the Iowa border, we traveled west just inside the border on the Missouri side.  Just before noon, storms began to redevelop.  It didn't take long for one of the cells to go Severe Warned.  Then it seemed all of the storms followed suit to become Severe. 

Things looked very promising for an uptick leading to Tornadoes.  We traveled north into Iowa to stay out in front these storms to let them develop only to see all storms weaken, become Non-Severe, and line out into rain blobs.

It was now a waiting game as more storms were predicted to form later in the afternoon.  Wasn't long before new storm initiation formed behind the dying line and these storms quickly became severe warned.  It transitioned from individual storm cells to a solid line.

We sat and watched as the line approached.  A base was seen as the storm approached.

As we sat on a country road northeast of Farmington, Iowa.  We were happy to see the storm coming at us become tornado warned as it approached.  As it got closer to us, rapidly rotating rain curtains began wrapping under the wall cloud announcing the beginning stage of a potential tornado.  

As the storm passed us on the country road, those rain curtains tightened even further wrapping around the forming funnel.

 

We moved back out of the country road to Highway 218 and drove north to follow the storm just to our west.  Unfortunately for us, the now reported tornado on the ground was completely wrapped in rain giving us no view as we traveled north with it.  You can barely make out the tornado in the highly enhanced photo (#4 below) as it was about ready to cross the highway in front of us.

We drove right up next to the circulation of the storm as it crossed the road and spun in the field next to us on the east side of the highway, but still we had no view of the tornado.  The storm moved northeast and the road network made it impossible for us to get close again.  We followed it north as the storm got further away from us to the east giving us only a distant obstructed view.  The rest of the line to the south gave us the view of the advancing gust front. 

As dusk approached, we made the decision to head back home.  We worked our way south, but noticed that there was a new cell that formed behind the line of storms that had moved off to the east.

It grabbed our attention enough to alter our route home.  We maneuvered ourselves out in front of this isolated storm northeast of Quincy, Illinois.

We were able to watch as the storm moved over us with a slowly rotating wall cloud.  It never showed any sign of increasing intensity to form a tornado, but still was a pleasant surprise with nice views up against the sun-setting skyline.

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The day played out in the area we had targeted.  We were in pretty good position the whole day as storms initiated, but it was disappointing to be so close to a tornado and not be able to see it.  A few other storm chasers were fortunate enough to be in a position to briefly see the tornado as it dropped down free of the rain.  It's all about being in the right spot at the right time.

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