- Apr 17

KINDER AND GENTLER...

Tornado watches covered most of the region Friday as a major spring storm brought a wide variety of inclement weather conditions, including wind, hail, and tornadoes. There were a number of hail reports up to 1 inch and wind gusts to 60 mph. Even so, damage was minimal despite numerous tornado and thunderstorm warnings. Going into late evening, 151 reports of severe weather were issued by the Storm Prediction Center.

Of course, I was out chasing in SE Iowa and took this image of an impressive wall cloud that produced a tornado near New London, Iowa. It was rotating hard when I snapped the shot. I was less than 1/2 mile away as it passed just to my northwest.

This next image was taken as a rain wrapped tornado approached New London from the southwest. The tornado is inside the milky area behind the trees in the middle of the image. The mesocyclone displayed a classic RFD cut!

On my phone at 4:43pm, I captured the radar couplet indicating a potential tornado, with the supercell still about 3 miles from New London. You can also see the NWS had a tornado warning in effect at the time for the area. Good work NWS.

Before approaching New London, the tornado tore this roof off a house in Salem, Iowa

Note the powerful swirl of the upper air energy over eastern South Dakota Tuesday. That spin created the lift and vorticity to generate supercells.

The sprawling storm also produced more beneficial rain for many parts of the Midwest. These are Doppler estimates through 9:30 Tuesday evening. I see some yellow in spots, which on the scale is at least 2.5 inches.

TERRY'S 5-STAR AIRBNB, WHERE VACATIONS ARE HEAVENLY (MAKE IT YOURS)

TSWAILS.COM, THE GUY DOES WEATHER RIGHT

COAT WEATHER ON THE WAY...

Wednesday, the big spring storm rumbles across Minnesota and Wisconsin, slowly weakening. The cold air aloft under the 500mb circulation will generate clouds and perhaps some scattered light showers, especially across the north. Westerly winds of 30-35 will eventually tug cooler air in for the late week period. However, we avoid most of the chill Wednesday, with highs still mainly in the low to mid 60s.

Thursday, a fast moving wave in strong cyclonic flow kicks up some additional showers. Rainfall is expected to be light (1 to 2/10ths), but clouds and rain cooled air will hold highs in the 50s. Brisk winds will make it feel even cooler. In fact, below normal temperatures are projected to prevail the next 10 days with highs only in the 50s and 60s, nothing better than 65 in the Quad Cities. Overnight lows Saturday and Sunday morning should be cold enough for frost. The EURO has 34 Saturday and 32 Sunday. Frost or even freeze advisories are possible then.