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Check out my collage of 2009 storm images in Central IL

August 19th, 2009- Tornado damage in Logan Co.

8/19/09- These a photos of the EF3 tornado that swept through portions of Sangamon and Logan Counties. This damage was in SE Logan Co. between Chestnut and Beason IL. This EF3 tornado started near Williamsville IL and traveled along Rt. 55 to Elkart IL. Both these town suffered extensive damage as well. The tornado then tracked NE and crossed Rt. 121 near Salt Creek heading towards Chestnut and Beason. These two towns did not get hit, but just a few miles outside of Chestnut IL rural farm area was damaged pretty bad as these photos show. Check out the video below...it is the tornado damage I surveyed in SE Logan Co IL.

August 16th, 2009- Midday outflow boundary

small scale rotation within turbulent cold air outflow

spin-up and funnel formation-most likely a cold core funnel

8/16/09- These two photos were taken along a outflow boundary in SE Logan Co. outside of Chestnut IL. This boundary was moving SE towards Decatur IL, and was ahead of a thunderstorm AS WELL AS trailing another dying cell. What appears to be a funnel cloud forming, is most likely just a cold core funnel. The turbulence of the cold air outflow associated with this ofb produced this small scale vortice, as typical with most cold air funnels. There was some low level wind shear and a noticeably significant drop in temp. so there was definitely colder air mass converging with warmer air in the atmosphere, which is typical for cold core formations. This particular lowering was definitely forming out of a significantly cooler air mass. The only difference is that it formed at a lower level rather than higher up in the atmosphere.

July 28th, 2009- SVR Storms across Central IL

shot from my dash cam


Funnel cloud captured with my dash cam- NE of Warrensburg IL


Large updraft base on an outflow boundary

7/28/09- Today was a great day for storms across Central IL. The sun was up early this morning for several hours heating thing up and increasing the chance for instability for this afternoon's storms. The first cells started popping up around 1:00 pm. I intercepted my first storm near Mt. Auburn IL, where I photographed the progression of a very nice rotating wall cloud. The pics are to the right of this page in the photos. I then jumped on I-72 and went around Decatur and took the Warrensburg/Latham exit and intercepted another cell near Warrensburg IL. That cell was more svr and had some nice rotation too it. The 2nd photo is of a nice funnel cloud I captured with my dash cam...I stayed in my Jeep because there was some really intense lightning right above me. There were some strong winds, and even some small hail. Another storm hit Central IL several hours later as a giant outflow boundary swept in. I intercepted this storm along Rt. 48. I also have video footage on my youtube channel of this boundary and some nice rotation and several interesting lowerings. This outflow boundary was massive and very beautiful...there was a shelf cloud & an arcus roll cloud that met and conjoined in the middle, something I've never seen before.

August 21st, 2009- Nice Developing Thunderstorm

8/21/09- This was a nice thunderstorm that I watched develop on Rt. 36 east of Decatur & Long Creek IL, near the small town of Hammond IL. There was a huge cumulonimbus cloud towering above. It was so big you can't see it in any of the shots or video until I drove south a bit to get away from the storm for a more distant shot. Behind all this I spotted an interesting lowering or funnel in the distance. This was just a beautiful storm.

August 19th, 2009- Tornadic Supercell

Large rotating funnel cloud


Rain wrapped tornado in center


Zoomed in & contrast enhanced to show outline of rain wrapped tornado more clearly

Large funnel cloud & developing tornado


Tornadic supercell as it crossed I-74
8/19/09- I was in northern IL coming back from Peoria IL when this tornadic warned supercell swallowed me as I was driving along the interstate. There was extremely high winds and debris flying across the interstate, so it is possible a tornado blew over or was close by. The wind was so strong people had to pull over...visibility was zero. I saw several large tree branches blow across like they were merely twigs. Road construction put me to a halt and the storm raced ahead of me. Things got interesting along I-74 as I raced to catch back up with the storm. As I approached Le Roy IL, I heard across the scanner from State Police that a trained spotter just confirmed a tornado touchdown just outside of Le Roy. I was literally just minutes away. The above photos are all I could manage of a large funnel cloud, and soon a rain wrapped tornado did develop several mile down the road. As I came through Le Roy however, I filmed the large funnel come out of a huge cloud base, I can't really say cause i was too far away still, but it may have intermittently touched down or tagged a few times...but it's too hard to tell in the video, so I'll just say it was a large funnel cloud at that point. Check the video out on my youtube channel of that funnel formation coming down, at the very least, you can definitely see it lowering down. The photos of the funnel and the rain wrapped tornado I AFTER the video footage, and was several miles further down the road. There were 6 confirmed tornadoes on this day. One in Loami IL, and a F3 did damage in Williamsville IL, Elkhart IL, and rural Logan Co. outside of Chestnut IL. I also saw some evidence of other brief touchdowns that were never confirmed, so it's hard to say just how many tornadoes there actually were. There was also one near Rochester & Springfield IL.

June 19th, 2009- Squall line & Huge shelf cloud

6/19/09- This was a fast moving squall line that I intercepted in SW Macon Co. near Mt. Auburn IL. I continued to chase this storm until Dalton City IL, where I was eventually swallowed by the precip. core & huge rain shaft. It rained extremely heavy with 50-60 mph winds whipping around. The rain continued very heavy for about an hour. and accumulated 2 inches in that time, something that was very devastating all on it's own. This caused flash flooding almost immediately. The straight line winds got upward in the 70 mph range in portions of SW to SE Macon Co. and Christian Co. But there were some isolated areas that saw straight line winds in excess of 90 mph. There was wide spread damage from these powerful winds. Some rotation was detected along the leading edge of this storm and several tornado warning were issued... at my location, I only saw a few funnels, but there were several confirmed tornadoes across Illinois this day. Some evidence of tornado damage was seen near Cisco IL.

August 16th, 2009- HP Supercell in Macon Co.

Leading edge of supercell- as caught with dash cam


Shelf cloud


Leading edge shelf cloud with wall cloud behind


Rotating wall cloud caught with dash cam


8/16/09- This HP supercell swept through Central IL in the late evening of August 16th. This was the 2nd system to hit us this day. Earlier this afternoon an outflow boundary was in portions of Logan, Dewitt, and Macon Counties. This supercell was a beast, producing a massive shelf cloud and 60 mph winds. Also a rotating wall cloud developed right behind the leading edge and the shelf cloud. I intercepted this supercell along Rt. 48 outside of Blue Mound IL. As I was heading towards Dalton City, I noticed a nice inflow tail to my right feeding this huge beast of a storm. At that time I noticed some slight circulation, and I saw several funnel clouds develop later on in my chase. Some minor damage was reported around the Mt. Zion and Decatur area, associated with high straight line winds. I have video footage of this supercell posted on my youtube channel. It shows where I intercepted this storm and also shows the massive shelf cloud and rotating wall cloud that came just behind the leading edge.

August 4th, 2009- Severe MCS along fast moving squall line

Rotating wall cloud along I-72

Rotating wall cloud(center) & large lowering(right of rotating wall cloud)

Backside of rotating wall cloud


Striated shelf cloud along leading edge


Area where shelf cloud and rotating wall cloud converged


Leading edge funnel-dash cam image


Noaa radar image showing multiple warnings

8/4/09- A very fast moving squall line swept through Central IL early this morning and produced many clusters of severe storm or otherwise known as a mesoscale convective system (MCS). I was along I-72 between Springfield and Decatur IL when I intercepted before 7:30 am. This squall line was moving at around 70-80 mph. Once the leading edge of the system came over me with a huge striated shelf cloud, I headed east towards Decatur IL, until I came to the Rt. 51 intersection... then cut over to State Rt. 32 before heading SE along 121 to Mattoon IL. No matter how hard I tried, I never did get back ahead of this fast moving squall line, and I chased it for about 60 miles before becoming engulfed in the precip. core! As I intercepted along I-72, a prominent rotating wall cloud came right at me. It appeared as if it would pass right through me it was so low...as it too passed over me, I could spot a very nice leading edge funnel developing. This leading edge rotation later strengthened and was detected on radar which prompted several tornado warnings..one of which was in Effingham IL. I experienced some extremely heavy straight line winds in excess of 70 mph in Moultrie Co. as I approached Mattoon IL. This Squall line did extensive damage primarily from the strong 70-80 mph straight line winds, and clusters of severe storms all along this line. Reports of trees and power lines down all over Central IL. Even a few unstable farm building were extensively damaged. Some reports of brief tornadoes in Western Il, but none confirmed by NWS. Check out the video on my youtube channel showing the rotating wall cloud, and a leading edge funnel as it passed over me on I-72. There is also a nice bowl shaped lowering just to the right of this rotating wall cloud in the full length video.

June 19th, 2009 Storm Damage

June 19th, 2009- possible tornado damage near Cisco IL

June 19th, 2009-Possible tornado damage near Cisco IL

June 19th, 2009-Possible tornado damage near Cisco IL
June 19th, 2009-Possible tornado damage from Cisco IL

June 19th, 2009- Damaged farm shed from very strong straight linw wind damage.


June 19th, 2009- Damaged car from tree falling and crushing it. Decatur IL.

The strong squall line and tornadic supercells along a huge cold front throughout Central IL on June 19th, 2009 produced some significant damage. From SE to SW Macon County there was some very strong straight line wind damage. I experienced some straight line winds in excess of 70 mph from Mt. Auburn to Dalton City IL. Near Cisco IL there was some very peculiar damage to some rural farm buildings. They were severely damaged but the damage was sporadic rather than what is the norm for straight line wind damaged areas. There were some areas in between with no signs of any wind damage at all, and then a really hard hit area of farm sheds. The damage would be severe, then nothing, back to another hard hit area. Each set of badly damaged buildings sat a little bit further to the east or NE of the previous set. There was a possibility that a brief weak rain wrapped tornado crossed through this area. There was a tornadic supercell in nearby DeWitt Co. There was some leading edge rotation detected by dopplar radar which led to several tornado warnings. So it is possible a tornado crossed through this area. As I was coming through Dalton City IL, I saw several leading edge funnels and the tornado sirens were sounding.