January 21, 2010
The morning rain gauge reading for the last 24 hours was 1.55", bringing the week storm total to 4.57" of precipitation. It rained much of the day. Rain showers had already started moving in at 2 AM and lasting all morning. At 11 AM, once again, the main rain band moved in from the SSW which lasted until 1:45 PM which exited to the NNE. From 2 PM to 3 PM a quick line of heavy showers moved East across the county. The sky looked very threatening after work. This was my first chance to get out an do some real photography. After the cold front passed in late afternoon a large pool of cold air brought widespread showers and isolated thunderstorms lasting all night.
Around 7:30 PM a line of storms from Seal Beach to San Dimas brought with it lightning and light grauple. After I took a few stills from home without much luck, I went out to chase. Two storm chaser friends were already out. Storm chaser Gerry a la "OCWX" was up the 15 freeway and chaser Will Wilkens went out as far as San Dimas then doubled back to Ontario Mills.
My plan was to head up the 57 to San Dimas, but a strong cell that had formed in the line was about to move over Brea so I stopped short of getting on the freeway at Lambert. I was rewarded with very intense rains and some hail with half a dozen lightning strikes both CG and CC. After that cell passed I took off south on the 57 to intercept another strengthening cell moving NE over Seal Beach. Spotting CG to the west, I headed out the 91 W/B as far as Magnolia and turned around as the best dynamics were moving east and the entire line moved east.
From there I headed east as more cells seemed to be heading NE toward Santa Ana. It was at that point that I could either go N 57 to San Dimas or continue east on the 91 to the inland empire and catch what came over the Santa Ana Mountains or head south. I chose south on the 55. Seeing lighting in south county I then took the I-5 further south to Tustin Ranch and got off. At that point the video battery was dead so I switched out the video on the tripod to the still camera. From there it seemed like I had missed the south county storm so I headed back north on the 55 then east 91 to Gypsum. At that point thing died down and it was nearly 11PM. I went home.
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