07/13/2026
June 21, 2026, will always be a chase I’ll remember—not just because of the storms, but because it marked a major milestone in my storm-chasing journey. This was my very first solo storm chase after earning my driver’s license. For years, I had dreamed of the day I could independently forecast, target, navigate, and document severe weather on my own. That day had finally arrived.
This chase felt different. There wasn’t another driver making the decisions or choosing the roads. Every forecast adjustment, every navigation choice, and every decision would be mine alone. Once I clocked out of work, I ran to my car and set the GPS destination for Mount Vernon, Illinois. While driving on I-64, I grew increasingly antsy as I saw multiple tornado warnings to the north, some already reporting observed tornadoes. I almost decided to head north out of Mount Vernon, but I stuck to my original plan and stayed near the town. There, I watched one supercell quickly distinguish itself from the others, developing persistent rotation and classic supercell characteristics. I positioned myself ahead of the storm while carefully monitoring road options and storm motion.
The structure was incredible. Crisp updraft towers stretched high into the atmosphere, and the rain-free base became increasingly organized as bands of inflow wrapped into the storm. Then, the tornado quickly developed. It was a beautiful stovepipe that transitioned into a multivortex tornado. I knew right away it was going to be significant, just based on its incredible motion. That tornado was later rated EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale.
I fell behind the tornado after ending up in its damage path. Fortunately, a new supercell was already developing just 15 minutes to my north. I reset the GPS and headed toward it. That storm also had impressive structure and tried to produce a tornado, but it simply didn’t have enough power. I continued chasing several other storms after that, but none were impressive enough to warrant many photos or videos—they were all very high-precipitation (HP) types.
Driving home that night, I reflected on how far this journey had come. This chase may have been my first solo expedition, but it certainly won’t be my last.
