April Foolery

On Friday April 1st, we had a series of showers and storms drop into the area from the NW. Though vigorous in nature, they were moisture starved which resulted in a highly photogenic opportunity due to the combination of cloud structure, virga and light. In all I would get to spend time with five cells with the second being among the most interesting as it may have produced a possible land spout seen in both the pictures as well as time lapse video link at the end. The cell to come in after that would also produce an unusual experience in that the rear flank downdraft to descend from behind the main updraft area would create some very gusty winds as well as kick up a tremendous amount of dirt.

First cell to observe off to my SW.


Heading a short distance N to intercept a new cell which was coming in from the NW, note the lowered base.


This base would eventually wrap up and what appears to be a funnel emerges though I was never really able to verify.


The suspicious feature would shear apart and dissipate though the parent base persisted for a short while before it too would dissipate.




New cell approaching.


Note the ghostly white column extending from ground up into the main updraft area. Not long after I would be hit with gusts I would estimate in the 25 to 35 MPH range. Well below reporting criteria but enough that I needed to steady the tripod as well as myself while being hit with flying dirt. A pair of ducks heading N would fly into this maelstrom and find themselves having to retreat S directly in front of me. They make a brief cameo in the end video link.


Moving on...


Looking NE, note the strange scudly lowerings but most notably, the dust foot being kicked up at ground level in the distance.


Rainbows were a given and this is looking over Forsyth IL with the 300mm.


and the other half from further down the road.


Yet another cell would drop out of Dewitt County so I followed it to just outside of Cisco IL.






Behind the previous yet another would develop and though much further NE to eventually pass near Monticello, it would produce occasional lightning and be a fitting end to what had been a relaxing local opportunity. Note the distant "tube" in the scene below which may have merely been a rain shaft or possibly something more per the supplemental video link to follow mine as captured by another gentleman who was out as well.




MY VIDEO

KEVIN RADLEY, CLINTON IL CHASER FROM THIS DAY