07/24/10 Monster Shelf Cloud

Impressive shelf cloud rollin' across Illinois
farm fields outside Virginia, IL

Saturday, I was working most of the day in Peoria, IL, but I was prepared for a possible chase once I got off the clock at 5:00pm. After quickly analyzing the situation I made the decision to head southwest into west-central Illinois where a MCS was starting to organize. This area was starting to destabilize after earlier convection provided several damaging wind reports in this area. Shortly after 7:00pm I finally managed to get a view of the convection heading east of Rushville, IL on U.S. 67. At first glance along the way, this convection looked very disorganized and I questioned my decision to drive this far south to chase a MCS. As I headed east however this convection started to quickly mature and get its cold pool established nearly upon my arrival. For the next hour or two I kept heading further and further east on IL-Rt. 125 stopping to take photos and even some video outside Beardstown, IL. Along the way, I was greeted with one of the most picturesque shelf clouds in this area I've seen in the last few years. This thing just had some gorgeous contrast as it rolled east across the moisture-rich Illinois farm fields. This shelf cloud became the most pronounced and photogenic over the towns of Virginia, IL and Philadelphia, IL. I continued to photograph this MCS that seemed like it was just crawling as it progressed east along IL-Rt. 125 all the way to just outside Springfield, IL as darkness approached. It was one of those chases that you don't expect much, but you end up with some gorgeous storm structure. Even some of the locals stopped to take in the beautiful, but fierce looking skyline along its path. For late-July, I was quite thrilled with this storm's structure throughout the evening. I've posted photos and a time-lapse of the monster shelf cloud below:

First view of the shelf cloud as it hugs the Illinois prairies

Chase vehicle as the shelf approaches...

The start of some impressive structure...

Here comes the outflow...it's time to head east!

Shelf cloud about to overtake this farm/residence

Looking west as the cold pool of the MCS
gets more and more established

This shelf just had some beautiful
contrast throughout the evening

Shelf cloud with a "lucky" daylight bolt (background)

Bout the time where I decided this was well
worth driving about 2 hours to chase

Got to love what a wide-angle lens can do
(Sigma 10-20mm)

What a hell of a shelf! By the way, non-severe warned!

Farther east again as the shelf approaches Virginia, IL

Local barn/farm about to get some serious cold outflow

Closer view as the whale's mouth starts to become visible

The turquoise tint of the shelf was quite a sight

Farther east again now near Philadelphia, IL

Wandered into a soy bean field to get this
photogenic shot of the shelf cloud here

Another view...

One of those crazy kind of shots...

Shelf starting to overtake me as I try to await
another change in contrast

That's what I was looking for!

East yet again on IL-Rt. 125 just west of Springfield, IL

Shelf losing some of the amazing coloring
it had previous as darkness begins to approach

Love these kind of shots!

Not time to head home quite yet...(looking southwest)

Panormaic shot of a moisture-rich shelf cloud moving overhead...

One last shot to end the chase as the sun begins to set

I also added this shot from Friday night illustrating convection across northern Illinois in the distance
with almost constant lightning while we enjoy some starlight
I've added a YouTube time-lapse of the shelf cloud (above)

Overall, I can't be happier with how this chase ended up. You don't need to have a tornado to make you enjoy storm chasing especially if you're one who enjoys storm structure. Anyhow, the cold front swept through last night which means a much needed break from the active weather we've experienced here in the past week or so throughout most of Illinois.