Closing in on this cyclic supercell from the south, I had noticed each new mesocyclonic wrap-up render a lower cloud base, as the storm moved into greater moisture from both the environment and its own outflow. While a newer mesocyclone began to the east, I stayed here to witness whatever would happen with a gradually and very suspiciously tightening area of rotation in this "bent-back" … [Read more...]
Search Results for: "Jun 18"
Rolling past Red Shirt
As the "Black Hills supercell" peeled further southeastward away from its formative zone in the northern part of the now-distant hills, it got a little less organized, the cloud tails and overall base structure elongating along its own forward-flank outflow, while maintaining a remarkably erect updraft structure. Soon, additional updrafts would develop atop the eastward extension toward us, and … [Read more...]
Ragged Tornado and Accessory Vortex
Before slowly elongating into its "white snake" stage, the Prospect Valley tornado exhibited some behavior that was uncommon in my experience for a tornado not rotating particularly fast above the surface. For once, the fuzzy, ragged cloud material along the near left "edge" of the visible funnel were forming in place and rising nearly vertically, connecting with the main condensation tube. This … [Read more...]
From Behind the Tree, Please!
The Prospect Valley tornado of 2018 elongated southward from its cloud-base location, the foot of the vortex shoved along gently by downdraft air wrapping around the ground-level mesocyclone. I had a nice vantage for viewing this spectacular specimen, except for the minute or less where its ground-contact area migrated behind the largest tree in that distant clump. That experience brought to … [Read more...]
Cauliflower Towers
Even in its weakening, post-tornado stages, surrounded by other growing convection that soon would absorb it, the Prospect Valley supercell offered one final moment of convective glory with this display of massive, rotating and sharply defined storm towers. After the tornadic mesocyclone weakened, the one to its east rotated nicely but didn't produce, its low levels eroding at left even as the … [Read more...]
Under Wicked Sky
Stormy, turbulent, dark skies—crackling with lightning and moving fast—not only do not bother me, they enchant and enthrall me. Since earliest childhood, before I could remember, I have been attracted in something close to moth-flame fashion to wicked skies that frighten many others. When the daytime turned dark in the city and the ominous explosions of lightning and thunder began booming above … [Read more...]
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 6
- Next Page »