Today was impressive. A quite powerful thunderstorm blew on shore resulting in heavy rains and tornadic activity.

It was especially interesting to me as I saw it coming. At work I already had the NOAA doppler radar loop running when I saw the storm offshore. It looked intense. Then, I saw what I thought was a "hook echo" - a shape to the rainfall pattern associated with rotation of the storm. At first I wasn't sure, but as time went by and the storm got closer, the rotation was obvious - and it was headed straight for me!!!!

Well, the storm kinda split in two before got to me, but we did have a tornado warning. The rain was intense, and the sky got very dark. For a period the street out front was completely flooded. It's a highly cambered road so the center was only an inch or two, but it was over the curb on my side. And of course, I have several pictures of idiots driving through it fast enough to sport rooster tails 10-15 feet high.

I haven't seen rain like this in years. I just hope it does something good for our aquifers and reservoirs.

Brian