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May 31st, 2008
Wright and Hennepin counties, MN
Slight Risk
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
 
A small risk day. The SPC had a 2% tornado risk, 15% hail and wind threat for most of central and southern Minnesota. I had to work till 4:00 but got off and went home to look at radar in hopes that I would see something worth chasing. Unfortunately none of the storms looked good so I decided to head up I94 towards St Cloud. I saw my regular chase partner Rich G. sitting up there on Spotter Network and figured I would head up there to meet up with him. On my way up there I ran in to some incredible luck. A storm organized and went tor warned as it came in to Albertville which is just north of where I was when the tornado warning was issued. The wall cloud was just east of the highway so I pulled off of 94 and sat in Albertville for about 20 minutes. Unfortunately the storms were moving southeast but I was thinking they were moving east which lead to me being caught WAY out of position, I should've moved southeast way before I did. It got me some good pics but for a price. I got slammed by the wet RFD. As I headed east on 94 back towards the cities trying to get back in to position on the storm I got stuck in the hail core for a good 20 minutes, luckily the hail was not much bigger than quarter size. I finally caught another glimpse of the wall cloud on the west side of the cities but decided to dump the storm after the tornado warning was cancelled and the storm started moving through the suburbs. No tornadoes were ever reported but a couple funnels were reported near Big Lake and the wall cloud I was watching tightened up really tightened up nicely right before I got slammed by the RFD. Pictures:
 
 
Wall cloud right as I got on the storm:
 
 
 
 
Wall cloud with lots in rising motion:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Moving a little south of Albertville, wall cloud starts to look a little ragged:
 
 
Wall cloud continues to look ragged, BUT notice the RFD cutting around: 
 
 
Wall cloud tightens up, RFD still clearly visible. Because of some navigation errors I ended up driving RIGHT under this tightening wall cloud and right in to the wet RFD. Had there been a tornado on the ground, I would've likely gotten hit (although I'm sure I wouldn't have driven its path had there really been a TOR). I'm also pretty sure this thing was rotating, just looking at the picture I can almost see it spinning.