Synopsis:

This morning brings us a second consecutive Code Yellow, but we are still excited at the chances for today. The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has a SLGT Risk out for Northern and Central IL through Northern IN. Instability is pretty good with CAPE's from 1500 to 2000 J/KG, LI's from –2 to –4, and plenty of moisture with Td's 50° + as far north as Central IL and IN. Looks like we'll have to play the warm front. Best dynamics are progged to follow the boundary. Our late departure will take us to Kentland, Indiana. We'll probably sit there to see how things look. According to the Hi-Res maps, visibility looks pretty good out that way, also.

Trip Log:

It's 2:30pm and we're now hitting the Amoco here at the 30 and 2 interchange. Looks like everyone needs gas. The plan is still to take 2 south and west to 41. Catch ya there!!

Still southbound on 2… Henderson reports a lowering to our southwest around 2:45pm. I think he's just kidding... :)

Now stuck in Hebron. Dillon is having some difficulties with his CB, so we have to do some quick fixins. Everything and everyone seems to be in order in about 5 minutes. Just now turning back southbound on 2. Still heading for 41.

As we took off from Hebron, it appears that Bachman called the Wx-Center. The clouds we keep looking at is actually clouds and junk just north of the warm front. Evidently, some sort of boundary is moving southward from the lake and is creating some convergence. We take note of that, by experiencing a few sprinkles and some heavier bouts of rain showers. Not much to write about here, but worth taking note of.

Observation as of 3:10pm: T/TD – 66° / 53°

3:30pm and now turning left (south) on 41.

We have found the warm front!! An ob taken at 3:35 shows 85° / 60°. Wow! FROPA just north of Schneider, IN at approximately 3:25pm.

We have reached Kentland… Not bad of a town… Will be stopping momentarily just south of town somewhere. Looks like pretty good visibility around the municipal airport, so we'll look for the access road.

Oops! Looks like we missed the road. Turned left (east) on CR 1700S instead. We drove up the slight hill, turned around and sat. It's currently 4:45pm and we've been sitting here for about 40 or 45 minutes. We have corn fields surrounding us, but we're making the most of it. Joe, Bachman, Henderson, and Jerry take a few swings of Joe's mighty golf clubs. Jerry hits pretty darn good, by the way!! The farmer's don't seem to mind, as they pass by with waves and smiles.

We haven't seen anything real impressive. Updrafts are apparent, however, just aren't able to root in the boundary layer or to bust through the high winds aloft. Every single updraft that looks decent is getting sheared Northeastward… Upper winds are probably a little stronger than what was progged this morning. Expectations have dwindled…

Discussion ensues… What has been decided is to head back into town, find a pay phone, and call the wx-center to see if the towers to our east are doing anything. They definitely look more surface based and are looking pretty good from the west.

Heading back into Kentland on 41 North… It is currently 4:50pm.

Now stopped at the Citgo at the southern part of town. Bachman is on the pay phone talking to our base support back at the Wx-Center. They are telling us to head east. The CB's we have been noting to our east are small, with only about 40 dbz's or so. I'm thinking that since these things are sitting more or less on the warm front that they, at least, have a chance of doing something. Base support says that the storms are located over White County, Indiana. Looking at the map, that isn't too far away. So, we could have a chance of catching up to them.

We exit the Citgo at 5:25pm heading east on 24 towards Reynolds. Our plan is to get to Reynolds, see what we have and if things aren't looking all that good, we can just take 421 back north to head back home.

VUSIT officially goes into Chase Mode as SVR is overheard for Jasper County at 5:42pm. Jasper is to our north-northwest. The problem is that the storm is moving east-southeastward at 50 mph!! So, we're not sure if we catch up with it or not, but we're definitely gonna try. Plan is to take 421 north to 14 east.

We reach 421 at 5:50pm. Heading north…

Turning right (east) on 14… Currently 6:10pm.

Severe Thunderstorm Watch until midnight for Nrn and Cent. IN / Nrn IL / and Nrn OH. Did not get initial issuance, so am not sure of the time of issuance.

SVR issued for Northern Cass / Southern Fulton at approximately 6:20pm… Need to get south and east quick!! We're still behind the storm, but we're still trying to get to (at least) the western extent of the storm and then to bust south and east…

Turning right (south-east) on 35 to 16 East. Currently 6:30pm.

Turning east on 16… Currently 6:40pm.

TOR is issued for Northeastern Cass County around 6:45pm!! We are approaching from the west-northwest trying to catch up with the storm. We are noting very dark skies directly ahead (to our east). Nice back shearing above and a lot of scud…

Spotter number for N. Webster NWSFO in hand… Just in case!!

We have reached 31… Currently 7:10pm… We are turning right (south) heading for Peru. TOR is now in effect for Southern Wabash and Northern Grant Counties… Storm has now accelerated to 55-60 mph heading southeastward… We're finding it very hard to catch up.

We are now at the edge of Peru on 31 sitting at a gas station… Pea-sized hail gave us a scare as we began to drive into the precip core on the northwestern part of the storm. So, we have held back a bit here. Precip is letting up… so we will likely be departing very soon. Currently 7:18pm.

Back on 31 south proceeding through Peru. Looking for 124 East. We have pretty much given up on catching up with it. Darkness is setting in and with the speed of the now HP Supercell, we are looking for a good place to sit and watch the lightning and plow southeastward. Current time: 7:25pm.

It is 8:05pm, it is dark, and the Supercell is now a good 50 or so miles to our southeast. TOILET is picking up some good lightning on the cell. Around 80 a minute when I checked at 7:40pm. Temps have plummeted and drier air is kicking in… we can feel it. We're sitting just south of Peru on a county road.

TOR's are in effect for Grant, Blackford, and Jay Counties. Heading back into Peru… We're going to stop at the McDonalds for a bathroom break and to get some munchies… Reports coming over the radio… 99.3 out of Ft. Wayne is telling us 4.5" hail in Upland and Hartford City, with wind damage at both locations.

Stopped at McDonalds… It is currently 8:15pm.

Henderson and Charlevoix give us all the Tom Skilling show on the way home, but its entertaining… An idiot also attempts to take off everyone's front and rear bumbers as he weaves in and out of our caravan on 31... He was probably going 70 or 80 mph... We make sure he knows he's number one!! :)

Taking 31 back north to 30 west to get home…

Arrived back in the Mueller/Union parking lot at 10:48pm.

Satisfying chase for everyone… We located ourselves in at least 3 or 4 counties with issued SVR's and two counties with issued TOR's!! The chase didn't turn out to be that bad, even though we didn't see a whole lot.

What did we see? Well, pea sized hail on the north edge of Peru, the rain-free base and some outstanding inflow bands into the Supercell and at least one wall cloud. No rotation was noted in anything, but evidently further east and south, there was enough for TOR's to be issued.