Chase Logs 2009
Finally: A Severe Thunderstorm Intercept--From my Office
July 24, 2009
7:00am-12:00pm
Arden Hills, MNAfter watching a nice severe thunderstorm roll through Grand Forks on radar last night, I figured that I was doomed to another early morning rain shower as the associated front passed through and once again, I would still be without a severe thunderstorm intercept. Just for fun I decided to bring in my PowerShot A630 camera into work today in case I got bored and wanted to take some photos. After booting up my computer at work, I noticed a small band of showers working their way down HW 10 from St. Cloud. I watched as this band just skirted my house, then grew rapidly in intensity and became a severe thunderstorm at 7:40am. I walked outside and was greeted by a large, tall rainshaft looming overhead not more than a mile or two away. I snapped a number of photos (below) and video (at the end of the chase log) of the rain shaft and its accompanying lightning before the rain forced me inside.
The storm passed in a matter of minutes, but a second storm formed in its wake shortly after 8:00am in central Anoka County. This thin, yet potent, line advected southeastward and raced overhead at 8:25am. As it passed overhead, I heard some noise from the roof, but assumed that it was heavy rain. I was puzzled a few minutes later when a co-worker mentioned that people might want to file insurance claims soon since there had been a hail storm. I hastened outside, but couldn't see any hail. Only after taking a walk around the parking lot did I stumble across some hail. I went back inside, grabbed a tape measure, and collected as many stones as I could (roughly ten). Most were 1-1.25 inches in size, but one was 1.5 inches--enough to nicely dent a car. I photographed the stones (photos below), threw some in the freezer, and submitted my storm report to the NWS in Chanhassen. Other storm reports had already been received before mine, and the storm was warned just after it passed my work.
The cell line continued southward and grew in intensity as it left the eastern Twin Cities Metro Area in the late morning. It eventually grew into an MCS that caused damage along the Mississippi River Valley from the Twin Cities to northern Missouri/Illinois. The hail still sits in the freezer--it's fate unknown :). But overall, while brief, this was my first encounter with severe weather this year. It's about time.
