It was an interesting day across the Stateline. On November 22nd in this part of the country, even the most experienced meteorologists aren't seriously thinking about severe weather when they roll out of bed. This morning I looked briefly at some surface observations, and noted our elevated dewpoints, the strong southerly flow, and a strong front/surface low to our west. I thought more thunderstorms would be possible, but will admit that a November tornado didn't cross my mind. So I took care of a few errands, and then went to the gym for my morning workout.
When I got back, I had a voice message on my phone from Candice -- our morning meteorologist -- about a slight risk for severe weather issued by the Storm Prediction Center. Then I looked down at my weather radio at home, and noticed a tornado watch had been issued for the entire Stateline viewing area through 6pm. So I showered, scarfed down my lunch, and got over to work as fast as I could.
Without having much more time to think, severe storms began crossing the Mississippi River from Iowa and into our area. Candice and I continued to watch these storms closely for rotation, and monitored our NWS chat box for updates. Sometime just before 2:30, I noticed rotation in a cell near the Bureau/Lee county line. (Indeed... a funnel cloud was later sighted with this storm in southern DeKalb county with this same cell.) Then we noticed rotation in a cell moving into Winnebago county. Reports soon came flowing in of "rising scud clouds" near Alpine Rd. north of Rockford, and power lines down due to a possible tornado at Rock Cut State Park.
From there, the damage reports kept coming in. A silo destroyed in Caledonia, a business destroyed, homes damaged, a school bus blown over with six people injured, power lines down, and damage to a large substation... And all these reports were coming from the Caledonia area. The tornado was reported to be 1/2 mile wide at its peak width! The same tornado continued to move parallel to Hwy. 173, and was later sighted west of Harvard, and then near the town of Lawrence.
Fortunately, the severe weather we had today will be but a memory tomorrow and throughout the Thanksgiving holiday weekend as seasonably cold weather arrives, and replaces the warm, humid, and volitile air that bought us our late season twister. --TS
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