July 17, 2010 Local storms (W of MSP area)
After the car incident I didn't have the money to chase up north, otherwise I probably would have been in the same area as Tuesday (ND/SD/MN border). Glad I didn't! I was watching a supercell near Long prairie on radar for a few hours hoping it would make it down this way. As soon as it go to Cokato I headed out the door and just as I did so it went tornado warned. Got north from county road 10 to hwy 7 then north on 25 to Watertown. I sat just SW of watertown for about 20 minutes. Heres a shot from there.
I couldn't believe the structure, especially being Minnesota! It almost reminded me of Last Chance, CO structure from earlier this year, just on a shorter scale (tops were <40k ft when I left home). If I remember right HRRR 13z run nailed this storm, initiating near fergus falls and crapping out near the twin cities. I've never seen a storm die so fast. Mike was telling me this was "death structure" This thing was looking sick one minute and had totally vanished not 20 minutes later. As it was dying the updraft weakens and since it was isolated there weren't many low clouds in the way of viewing the updraft, so you could see the whole updraft. The thing had some chaotic motions, but never any real good rotation. Below is from highway 7 between 25 and county road 10.
Tried to condense a lowering above here, never could do much with it though, it wasn't even rotating.
A little further east now.
Now you can tell its going nowhere fast (below). Totally falling apart. Weird part is this is when the tornado(es) were reported. There was a funnel-like lowering in a low contrast area, but I never saw anything real suspicious.
Followed it SE through St. Bonifacious and drove through some quarter sized hail, Couldn't beleive it was still dropping hail! It did drop softballs about 40 miles NW. Got south of town and it was done.
Towards victoria... I watched the updraft completely disappear.
Very cool structure even though the storm was in death mode. Went home and waited for round two. Left a little late and couldn't get in front of the bow segment near Buffalo, but got 1 mile west of Delano and waited for the winds. Had a nice little shelf to it, but I didn't want to stop and take pictures cause I was already behind. I was shooting video of 40 mph winds only to stop recording when a 60 mph gust came through and knocked a powerline over after a power flash I was 30 yards from where it happened, but I left the spot heading home till I saw the powerflash. Drove down the road a bit to telephoto it with the Delano watertower in the shot. I was parked by that car on the left a bit earlier.
Later, on the way home the sun came out, it displayed a nice sunset.
Not a bad day for only having to drive 70 miles!
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