June 4th - Havana IL

Heading NW up 121 this day, I wasn't sure what to expect but I did know that in spite of storms firing in WC IL and drifting SE, I wasn't going to cross the Illinois River. A significant storm approaching Havana was my initial intercept goal but unfortunately as I arrived to just W of Easton, it pretty much died. Scene below is from downstream under the anvil on the approach.



The distant cell of interest with another semi-supercellular base in the foreground.


With the 300mm


Heading W for a direct intercept, the storm was crossing the Illinois River and in the process of dying. In trying to make the best of the situation, I was treated to a fairly substantial downburst that can be seen via the time lapse video below.




With the 300mm


Unfortunately I was low on fuel so instead of continue to Havana, I backtracked to nearby Easton in search of a gas station. There was no gas station at Easton so I ended up backtracking even further to Mason City. By now a secondary cell had formed in the general vicinity of Havana that would be best storm of the day for this area. I would end up missing this cell as I attempted to head back W once refueled however, a lesser third storm would form and drop to SW of Havana near sundown. I managed to get this one though not much was happening with it.


Arriving at a suitable location, a sizable wall cloud had formed. Beneath it on the distant horizon appeared to be something rising. Hard to see, my first thought was possible landspout but thankfully the farmer who drove by at this time informed me that it a power plant on the river. The 300mm confirmed this and I am very grateful to this farmer for sparing me the biggest embarrassment in that I contemplated reporting it.




The cell didn't waste time dying nor did I really mind considering how horrible the gnats were. Neither bottle of bug spray I used would affect them.


Since I was this far out but not quite at Havana, I drove to the town just to say I had been there and then headed E on 136 to 51 and home. Sunset shining on the back of a tornado warned storm way off in SE IA offered a consolation prize on what had been somewhat of a disappointing run when seeing what others were able to take away from this day.






Suz per your comment from the previous blog entry, I did get one abandoned building but wasn't going to publish it just because it was so dark. By the time we arrived at Nilwood it was pretty much nightfall.