Storm Highway by Dan Robinson
Weather, photography and the open roadClick for an important message
Storm Highway by Dan RobinsonClick for an important message
Home | Blog Index | Blog Archives | Christianity & Faith Essays | Storm Chasing Essays

                   Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - 9:20PM CDT

October 17 St. Louis severe storms; NLCS Game 3 rain delay

By DAN ROBINSON
Editor/Photographer
Important Message 30 Years of Storm Chasing & Photography Dan's YouTube Video Channel Dan's RSS/XML feed

HD VIDEO: Storm at NLCS game 3 in St. Louis

With yet another severe weather event to add to this already active Midwestern fall season, I had been poised for a chase on Wednesday. A digging upper trough would provide good ascent and directional/speed shear over the region, something that could easily be a supercell/tornado event with enough instability. I anticipated possibly having to head south straight from work at 3PM, as models suggested storms initiating early in the day just west of St. Louis. Going all the way down to Arkansas was out of the question this day, but I was optimistic about a supercell or two to work with just south of home (or possibly right in the metro area). I watched the day progress on a satellite loop, and by early afternoon, I knew the chase would be scratched in favor of simply staying in the metro area to watch a squall line move through. A pesky stratus deck parked itself over most of our region, eliminating the chance for surface-based instability developing. Though that would remove any real tornado/supercell option within the range I was willing to travel this day, we had some elevated instability that would barely support the squall line through the metro.

With the Cardinals once again in the playoffs and NLCS Game 3 at Busch Stadium, I couldn't pass up the chance to document the rare event of a severe thunderstorm impacting a MLB playoff game (I'm still researching the last time that has happened - do you know?). So, I headed downtown and picked a viewing spot to set up at the stadium as the squall line rolled in.

Lightning was sparse with this line, but a single CG cooperated and provided a "lightning over a MLB playoff game" frame grab that, despite its relative mediocrity, has to be one of the more unique juxtapositions I have:

Though these storms weakened over the city and did not appear to produce severe-criteria winds downtown, they did produce a few wind damage reports throughout the metro area. The impact to the baseball game was certainly 'severe', with a 3 and 1/2 hour rain delay that saw play resuming after 9PM central time. The Cardinals ended up winning 3 to 1 over the Giants, going up 2 to 1 in the best-of-seven NLCS!

It wasn't in the playoffs, but in the Stadiums first year it was hit by a derecho(7-19-06) with ~90mph winds during a game. Search youtube for "Storm at St.Louis Cardinals game" to see a wind/tarp video and a person hit by a trash can.
- Posted by Scott from Herrin, IL

30 Years of Storm Chasing & Photography
Important Message
Dan's YouTube Video Channel
Dan's RSS/XML feed

GO: Home | Storm Expeditions | Photography | Extreme Weather Library | Stock Footage | Blog

Featured Weather Library Article:

Lightning & towers, skyscrapers
See how lightning really does strike the same place twice!
More Library Articles

All content © Dan Robinson. All usage requires a paid license - please contact Dan for inquiries.

Web Site Design and Internet Marketing by CIS Internet