Storm Chase Details
Miles Logged: 1085
States Chased: IA
Severe Risks: SPC Outlooks
Severe Reports: Storm Reports
This day would end up being one of the biggest busts of 2025 especially considering the hype. For multiple days leading up to the event, it appeared to be possibly a big day for tornadoes in Iowa/Nebraska. After missing the event around the same time in 2024, I didn’t want to miss this one.
Chris and I headed northward to chase in Northwest Kansas on the 27th and ended up heading north into Nebraska and east on I-80 to Lincoln.
Departing Lincoln
After staying in Lincoln, we departed in the morning and headed to Iowa. We’d eventually end up in Spencer, Iowa waiting on convective initiation mid afternoon.
19z SPC Mesoanalysis
Convective Initiation and ensuing crapshow
I positioned east and north of Spencer, a fair distance downstream of the storms. Motions were quite fast, and I wanted to be able to keep options open for now.
The storms would struggle all afternoon. We dropped south multiple times to remain on one of the more southernmost storms firing on the pseudo-dryline.
Eventually we worked our way back to I-35 in Northwood Iowa, just south of the Minnesota border. We did see a tornado in Ames, though.
I proceeded south to Lawrence Kansas where we stayed the night.
