This storm had the potential to do as much damage as the previous storms that had hit the area in the previous 20 days.  It was a supercell thunderstorm that displayed all the characteristics of being a monster.  A well developed anvil, mammatus clouds, and longevity were all factors pointing to potential disaster.  By this time people in the area were exhausted.   Luckily the storm passed with only a vivid lightning display and about an inch of rain.

Watch a radar loop of this day  This may take a while to load.  Radar loop courtesy of National Severe Storms Laboratory.

	The anvil of this supercell thunderstorm could be seen miles away before it got to Albany.  As soon as I saw it move out from behind the trees I knew that it was a big one.  In this photo the southern anvil flank can be seen.  The core of the storm is at the right behind the trees. Nikon CoolPix 995, f/6, 1/264 second exposure, ISO 100. 7:48 pm
	The first hint of mammatus clouds can be seen on the forward flank of the anvil.  This indicated extreme instability with this storm. Nikon CoolPix 995, 1/137 second exposure, f/4.1,  ISO 100. 8:10 pm
	Looking southest.  There were towers trying to get going to our southwest, south, and southeast but I was mainly concentrating on what approached from the west. Nikon CoolPix 995, 1/225 second exposure, f/5.1, ISO 100. 8:14 pm
	The mammatus grow more pronounced.  Nikon CoolPix 995, 1/49 second exposure, f/2.6, ISO 100. 8:29 pm
	The anvil had gone over us and things were not looking good. This cell was coming right at us. 8:36 pm
	Far in the southeast the view looked serene.  Not the case when looking towards the northwest. 8:38 pm
	A closer look at the scene above.
	Fast forward about 1 hour.  During the intervening  time the tornado sirens blew and we took cover in the neighbor's house.  Upon hearing that the rain had let up I peared outside and was stunned by this  display of Mammatus clouds hanging down from the backside of the Thunderstorm anvil.  I quickly ran back home and got the camera equipment and tripod ready for some more photos.  The sun had already set but the glow of twilight was still bright enough to illuminate the clouds.   This view is looking towards the north..  Nikon CoolPix 995, 1/2 second exposure, ISO 100.
	I used the fisheye lens adaptor a lot on this storm to take it all in.  Nikon CoolPix 995, 1/2 second exposure, ISO 100 9:29 pm
	A view of this massive supercell in the fisheye lens...but this time looking straight up.  The entire sky is covered in this shot.  South is to the bottom, West is to the right, East to the left, and North is toward the top.  Notice the featureless rain filled area to the east with the mammatus straight up.  Nikon CoolPix 995, 2 second exposure, ISO 100. 9:31 pm
	Another view to the north. Nikon CoolPix 995, 2 second exposure, F/2.6, ISO 100. 9:33 pm
	A view to the south with a normal lens.  The core is the left (east).  Nikon CoolPix 995, 2 second exposure, F/2.6, ISO 100. 9:35 pm
	This storm had a presence.  It seemed to be a living breathing thing.  Nikon CoolPix 995, 2 second exposure, F/2.6, ISO 100. 9:38 pm
	As the light grew weak the mammatus started to lose their definition and the cell moved onto the east.  Nikon CoolPix 995, 2 second exposure, F/2.6, ISO 100. 9:44 pm
	One final shot.  The lightning lasted a long time.  Notice the reflection of the lightning in the swollen creek at the lower left.  Nikon CoolPix 995, 2 second exposure, F/2.6, ISO 100. 9:45 pm

Satellite Image from that Night (8:02 p.m. CDT)

 

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