September 20, 2026 Lightning, Troy, IL

by John Farley

In September, we took a nearly 3-week trip traveling Route 66 the slow way from Santa Fe, NM to Springfield, IL. On our last night of three in Troy, IL, which we used as a base for visiting family and touring Route 66 attractions in Illinois, a line of strong storms moved in. These storms came with a cold front that broke the relentless heat wave that had plagued our entire trip up to then, with temperatures around 100 degrees pretty much every day, everywhere we went. As the storms were moving in rather quickly, I did not attempt to set up outside, but took these through the window of our motel room. They are not my greatest lightning pictures ever, but I think they are pretty good for being taken through a window.

These pictures were taken looking northwest, as the storms moved over Edwardsville and Glen Carbon, IL. Once they reached our hotel, the photo op was over, as intense rain blasted into the window, making any further photography impossible.

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