Monday, April 11, 2011

April 9 2011 Iowa Chase Recap

Wow to where to begin on this blog post. Mostly likely could write an entire book over what happened in Iowa on April 9, 2011. First off sorry to hear about Mapleton, Iowa and other damage across Iowa as it turned out to be dangerous day and chase event. My fellow storm chaser friend Will Campbell and I decided to get a noon start on Saturday to head up I-29 north to stop in Sloan, IA and wait to see what Mother Nature throws her way. As we were sitting in Sloan, IA (multiple trips inside the Kum & Go gas station) we did some extreme waiting. Finally late in the day a meso discussion comes out regarding a potential tornado watch. After that moment, things started to really get going. A storm started to develop in Nebraska heading its way to northwest Iowa. Storm motion was actually doable it looked like. It’s amazing to think and look back to how it all started when you chase.There were now a ton of chasers in the area ready to go. We started navigating the hilly roads in Iowa and really had to get the navigation skills down while Will was driving in a growing intense situation. The storm gets tornado warned in Iowa and we than started going south, southeast to get in front of it. We made it a little southwest of Mapleton, IA to start seeing massive rotating low level winds kicking up in a dirt field. We continue our journey from there east to follow this storm. As night hits, a tornado fest occurs in Northwest Iowa. Positioned just to the southwest of Sac City, IA . This was truly something I have never experienced and still speechless after witnessing multiple tornadoes at night. This is hell of a way to start off the spring and hopefully Mapleton and other areas can get back on track. It’s Monday back to the real world.

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