Monday Morning

Harassed a few damselflies yesterday.

Clinton Washout Part II

The Saturday afternoon and evening activity which included tornado warnings out west as mentioned in the previous post would eventually subdue with nightfall. Thinking that all would be well with the ongoing Clinton Art Festival, the parent system responsible for everything would churn across Macon County during the overnight into Sunday. As it did, strong winds drawing into the mesolow from east to west developed on the north side with gusts measuring anywhere from 35 to 50 MPH! This concentrated area of high wind passed through southern Dewitt County and directly over the event resulting in a number of pop-up tents getting thrashed including ours. Thankfully, no one in our group endured any loss as we took our work home since we were in an open area in another county where anything could happen and obviously did. Others were not so fortunate although the rain from the day prior having caused some to pack up and not return may have been a blessing. There were less than half of the original 20 vendors remaining and fewer potential losses.









Ours, wonder how far it might have gone if not for the obstacles?


This one had concrete weights still attached to the inside!


We said we would rebuild and we did!



c/o NWS Lincoln

Fitting end to a rather intense and busy weekend.

Clinton Washout Part I

This past weekend was the first annual Clinton Antique Mall Art Show in Clinton Illinois. The Barn Colony Artists group from Decatur was in attendance as was I to assist in setup and to also show some of my photography. Saturday started out nice but had a mild turnout. The event would wrap up early due to showers and storms lifting from the southwest. Upon zipping up the tent, I took off towards home but paused to shoot the somewhat photogenic leading edge.




c/o RadarScope





This wave of precipitation was of no concern with respect to the festival or at least our tent that could handle it. While at home relaxing and watching new development later, a tornado watch would be issued namely for points southwest. On the verge of falling asleep, my iMap Weather Radio app went off with an alert that did not register until Ava was like "DADDY THERE'S A TORNADO WARNING FOR SPRINGFIELD!!!" Jumping up to make an immediate assessment, I quickly got my stuff together and rolled out but not for the existing warning. To the south and east of the warned cell, I noted circulations moving into Christian County that could potentially intensify so I carefully maneuvered in that direction. On back roads southwest of Mt. Auburn I found myself watching both a strong area to the immediate west and a weaker eastern component to stream nearly overhead that upon passage became a bit more vigorous. While being both cautious and attentive under this broad area of rotation, I was awed by an array of circular motions as well as plumes of condensation that were rapidly ascending. Unfortunately I am at loss to name this phenomena for I could not discern vorticity to use the term 'funnel cloud'. No complaints though for anomalous macro mesoscale features fascinate me to no end and the experience was very surreal.

The stronger area to the west that also developed a 'hook' on radar shortly before this shot. I wish I could have got it at the precise moment so to offer visual confirmation for everyone following this storm online.








My attention was now turning to what had passed nearly overhead including multiple areas of interest with the strongest area of rotation further upstream and can be seen in the end video. Things would eventually calm down for points east of Springfield despite new warnings in Sangamon County.




Much later towards dusk and downstream from the previously warned cells out west aligned along the same boundary draping SE into Macon County, some mushy structure in the blue hour light. Although warnings had all but expired by now, this would not be the end of the story to this particular weather event.

ISS vs. Minifigs

An 82° (almost vertical) pass of the International Space Station inspired a fun composite idea the other morning :)

Early Wednesday Morning MCS

Prior to the arrival of a well forecast MCS (mesoscale convective system) during the overnight into Wednesday, a cluster of storms to the SE put on an impressive light show.









Attention would soon shift to the complex coming in from the west that had damaging winds associated. On arrival, things would go to extreme with the issuance of a tornado warning and myself planted right in the middle. Thankfully, overall issues were minimal with the most significant wind damage occurring just to the north.













CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION C/O THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

End of May

Unlike this time last year when devastating tornadoes were wreaking havoc and loss all the way from the southern plains through Illinois, our final day of May was exceptionally tranquil. Conditions were perfect for a morning walk that netted a few scores including a female snapper at close range through the wide angle as well as pencil eraser sized juvenile chorus frog. The thirteen lined ground squirrel is a photo first for they are extremely skittish. You would be too if you were the favored meal for a hawk!

Super Soakers

With a stationary boundary in place and winds drawing from the SE, it was believed that last Thursday would have landspout potential similar to the day before. Such did not occur and instead, storms of the pulse variety with heavy rain dotted the region. A few from north of Decatur were mildly photogenic and had some slight rotation although any significant structural development was short lived. Storms were moving a non-typical SE to NW making the event somewhat interesting though I would have been fine with sitting this one out.









Near DeLand looking NE, I would circumnavigate the area of heaviest precipitation to get a better look at the updraft region.


Now along the northern edge and looking SE, a flash flood warning would soon be issued for this area.

Farmer Troll

A weak, slow moving frontal boundary was poised to drop through the region last Wednesday. With this in mind along with surface winds drawing out of the SE despite a weakly sheared upper environment, I thought it might be a day for cold air funnels and had even mentioned it to friends. A suspect feature underneath a developing shower observed from my front porch some time later reinforced this thinking.


After completing a few errands, several cells quickly appeared on radar including a stronger complex coming out of Logan county. Heading north with zero expectations, a dust devil to the NE traveling SE to NW in sync with the surface flow feeding towards the incoming storm was the first item of note.


The complex did not look like much at first but would generate moderate outflow that spun up a vigorous gustnado as seen in the end video. Likewise, it would begin to develop structural characteristics.




In extreme NE Macon County is where things took a not so fortunate turn for the interesting. By now, confirmed landspouts were occurring up north in Woodford County. Coupled with all that I had observed thus far, upon noticing a stationary plume of dirt under the updraft of this now mature cell, I immediately perceived it too as a spout. Going so far as to notify the weather service and later make mention on social media, it would not be until close examination of video the following day where I would make the embarrassing discovery that a slightly obscured tractor was responsible for the disturbance. False reporting has become an issue now that so many people are involved with weather and the last thing I wish to do is contribute to the problem yet I did just that. Though I followed up with explanation and apology, the damage is done but at least this can serve as an example on what to consider as a possible cause the next time you see a suspicious column on the horizon.




Once the feature dissipated (because the tractor came to a stop), I was still enamored by the structure which has traditionally been my primary focus anyways.


Meanwhile, a second area of interest began to take shape to the immediate west.


Utilizing the only available foreground subject...


It would serve double duty for what now had my full attention.




This area would become less organized however, I would follow and watch as it cycled again with promise but never achieve full potential.




It is worth noting that this is through a wide angle lens so not only is it very broad but also extremely tall.


Despite the mishap, I suppose it's not bad for a day that was only supposed to see garden variety weather.