So much to digest after yesterday’s chase… much more on this to come (including the full chase log), but despite seeing two tornadoes (Pontiac and Kankakee), I am going to remember this day for what likely may be the state record-setting hail. I measured 5.25″, which MAY be the largest hail I have ever documented, but I need to cross check from the 2007 Wisconsin hail day (odd that my top two are Midwest hail events).
Tornado-wise, I documented the entire lifecycle of the Pontiac tornado (the first of the day), which never fully condensed despite looking like it was going to wedge out. The ground circulation was cool to watch, and the cloud-based rotation was nothing short of insane, so that was quite the sight. Kankakee, barely counts in the log as I caught some fleeting glimpses from the west as I was approaching on IL-115. Fortunately for me, there was no direct way east on this route, which likely spared me from getting involved with the hail that was wrapping around this tornado (many chasers who had good views also paid heavily in hail cost). But it also prevented me from ever getting back in front. The highway turns north into the southwest part of town, and that’s where I came into the hail swath and stopped. I recall a TWISTEX chase back in 2010 I think; Missouri had some monster hail on the ground and we were trying to get in front of that supercell as it was tornadic, and we never stopped to document the hail. I had that in mind when I stopped, cause I knew getting through town was going to slow me up further and obviously the tornado damage to my south was also going to halt my progress, so it was a no-brainer to stop and document, as well as give the first immediate live report from town after the storm went through.
Unfortunately that same supercell was responsible for multiple tornadoes, including a potentially violent tornado across the border in Indiana around Lake Village, which sadly took two souls with it last night. It’s been a horrific and deadly week for tornadoes, not a great start to the season. Fortunately, we’ll get a reprieve from Mother Nature for at least a week if not more, so everyone can exhale and recover a bit.
I am waking up this morning in Joliet, Illinois and have a two-day haul back home via I-80 ahead of me, so I’ll probably write up this log over the weekend. But in short, one full tornado documentation, one fleeting glimpse of another (#ChaseTo500 tornadoes #475 and #476), record-setting hail, and arguably one of the best lightning video captures of my life. And we’re not even halfway through March yet…
