2014--Day 5

Well...where to start.  How about Sioux Falls, SD?  After we consulted the data, we headed south and east into northwestern Iowa.  The warm front was moving north into Nebraska, but at the time there were cells in Iowa, so there we went.  We found storms with rotation (and warnings), but the rain prevented us from seeing any funnel.  There was a decent signature of a wet microburst, however.

Wall cloud in northwestern Iowa

But no tornado

Warned, though

Wet microburst, same storm

Close-up

And again

Wall cloud, later on in same storm

BUT NO TORNADO!

Nice try.

After the first food (and other necessary duties) around 5:30 pm, we headed toward Sioux City, Iowa to catch a developing supercell (once again, with a tornado warning), but by the time we got to it the storm was basically done.  That's 0 for two.  We then aimed for Nebraska, as that was the place to be (albeit earlier).  We apparently missed the Pilger double (which was probably for the better).  Driving down US20, I came across this, posted on a trailer.  There were similar things posted on other trailers.  Apparently he had to open a branch trailer.

Yes, but how do you REALLY feel?

 Playing catchup with yet another cell yielded some great pictures of mammatus (these are near Albion, NE) and some really great lightning, but again no funnels.  Three strikes, and we're out. 

Mammatus, Albion, Nebraska

Play it again

One more time

It was getting dark, and our original thought was to go toward Norfolk (pronounced 'Norfork' by the locals), but some strong convective was heading in that direction, so we went south toward Grand Island, arriving around 11.  A late dinner meant finishing the day after midnight.  We traveled 509 miles today, somehow.  Sadly, this might be the last day of real chasing, depending on how things look.  We shall see.  'Night all.