July 7, 2014

The previous day featured a string of photogenic tornadoes over Iowa, and I sat the event out thinking it would be another slight risk bust. We had another 5% type setup the following day, even though the parameters actually looked worse for discrete storms. I figured I'd better give it a shot anyway for fear of missing a second day of tornadoes. I headed west down 72 to 36 hoping to catch some warm front action in Missouri. A training line of really lackluster cells went up on the MO/IA border before I got there and they were already starting to gust out. I got a little sick to my stomach eating junk food on the way out there, got stopped briefly by an unmarked police car for going 5 over the limit, and then questioned by a local who thought I looked suspicious. The worst part of the day, however, was that I didn't take a single picture. I headed home instead of messing around in the junky storms and before I could get caught in the rain the whole drive back.