Funnel Cloud

Today has been, at the least, an interesting day. We left Cody around 10:00 MST this morning and drove the scenic highway toward Sheridan, WY. This byway was the original Pony Express Route and the Overland Stage Route. How they were able to cross this area is beyond me. Steep canyon walls surrounded us for miles. We stopped in Shell, WY. This town had a total population of 50. After we left the beautiful scenery the sky turned ominous. About 30 miles west of Gillette a weather bulletin came on the radio informing us of a severe thunderstorm in the area off I-90 near mile markers 182-197; we were at mile marker 175. While looking at the sky a weather phenomenon I have never seen or experienced appeared in the sky. A funnel cloud appeared directly in front of us. The funnel was probably 20 miles away and it was a small one that didn’t touch down, but it scared the bageebees out of us. The radio began announcing for people to take shelter but we were in the middle of nowhere. I happened to be driving and MDH was cool as a cucumber and not the least concerned for the well-fare of his family. In fact, he wanted me to slow down so he could get a picture. The best I could do was yell, "if you want a picture you'd better get it now." The above shot is what he captured and it doesn't do it justice because I was slightly panicked and booking it toward an underpass I had spotted. We weren't the only ones, as in a few minutes a RV pulled in next to us. The couple was from Washington on their way to Wisconsin. Of course the men had to discuss the near death experience ;-) Boy is it ever a small world! The man had a best friend he went to school with living in Johnson City, TN! We visited for a few minutes until we thought it was safe and hit the road again. At present the weather looks okay, but there is still a severe thunderstorm warning this evening. We hope to arrive safely in Keystone, SD about 7:00 pm.

PS – We did arrive safely in Keystone, SD without further weather problems.