April 2013 Stormchasing Trip -- Full Report

Started by JMoses24, December 02, 2013, 01:06:22 AM

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JMoses24

On April 10, 2013, I went storm chasing in Illinois and Missouri with my friend and chase partner Corey Ecton, and I can't believe I never wrote a full report on it.

Started the day north of Cincinnati just after 8 AM EDT along the I-275 loop where Corey, his wife Leslie and I met up. West on I-275 to East on I-74 to I-75 south to I-71 to I-64 in Louisville, then we blazed across IN to I-164, stopping just after 11 AM CT at a Starbucks on Green River Road between Indiana State Routes 66 and 62. So, went into Evansville but not a clinch. Darn.

Back to 64 to I-57 south to IL 14 west to its terminus south of Du Quoin, IL. From here, I'm not entirely sure, but I think we dropped south on US 51 to Carbondale, IL then west on IL 13. I know we stopped at a McDonalds in Murphysboro, IL.

From there, west on IL 13 to IL 3. South on IL 3 to IL 146 east of Cape Girardeau, MO and west to cross into Cape Girardeau proper. West on MO 74 to hit I-55 to MO 32 up to Farmington (I saw a funnel cloud near that city). Back to I-55 eventually, possibly using portions of US 67 to get there but I'm not sure because at this point I was focused on keeping us on the storms. Up through St Louis, north on I-55 to IL 4 south of Staunton, IL.

It was here, at what I believe to be an abandoned gas station along IL 4, that shit got crazy and an EF-0 tornado went right over our car! There's YouTube video which I will attach below. The voice you hear at 7 seconds in is mine, the woman is my stormchasing partner's wife Leslie, and of course the other male is Corey. Want to know why I say "Do not try this?" That video is why! Had this been a stronger tornado, we might have been killed.

After that, a beeline back to Florence on I-70, I-465, I-74 and I-75 including I-70's concurrency with I-57 near Effingham (where a squall line caught us and things got borderline crazy again). Got back just about 3:30 AM EDT.

New Counties - Vanderburgh County, Indiana (I'll count this, I-64 runs along its northern border so I was never sure) IL: Alexander, Union, Jackson, Franklin, Perry and (maybe, I don't know for sure because it was dark and, ya know, small tornado!) Macoupin; MO: Cape Girardeau, Ste Genevieve, St Francois, Perry, Jefferson.



hbelkins

At what point in the video does the tornado actually occur? All I saw was a lot of rain and the occasional flash of lightning.

And I presume there was a good reason for staying in the left lane once you got on the interstate.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

JMoses24

The tornado, I believe, occurs around 2 minutes. It's hard to tell, you're right.

As for being in the left lane on the interstate, there are buildings on the west frontage road of I-55. We did not want to run over any debris if the tornado had hit any of them.

hbelkins

I thought it might have been because in some places, the pavement quality in Illinois is much better in the left lane than the right lane.  :D


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

JMoses24

Quote from: hbelkins on December 02, 2013, 03:24:52 PM
I thought it might have been because in some places, the pavement quality in Illinois is much better in the left lane than the right lane.  :D

That, too. But mostly debris considerations.



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