Dust from west Texas and New Mexico blew into the area behind a vigorous, synoptically forced dryline that passed through during the midmorning hours. Unfortunately, so did the very low-humidity boundary layer characteristic of the that side of intense drylines. As strong winds and dry conditions continued, over 100 wildfires erupted across the state. Though at least three of them were closer, … [Read more...]
Waterside Waistline
Formed and shaped by water throughout its history, southern Thailand's Ko Rang Nok forms a splendid island example of the area's characteristic tower karst. Here, warm "golden hour" light bathes the island, shortly after sunrise. Reef limestones in the Permian Ratburi Formation, similar in age and development processes as the rock around Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, likewise have developed … [Read more...]
Weak Supercell
Not all supercells are raging, massively wide purveyors of swaths of devastation from hail, wind and/or tornadoes. Sometimes thunderstorms form in favorable shear but marginal buoyancy, giving them a soft and barely-there appearance, but because they still fall within the right range of deep shear, and/or propagare down a boundary (as this one did—outflow from earlier storms) they rotate. Duly … [Read more...]
Charge in Retreat
On the rear side of an eastward-retreating thunderstorm complex, sparks still flew aplenty, with lengthy and reverberating peals of thunder in response. Meanwhile both city light and the flashing aloft illuminated a cellular transmitter and rusty water tower near the OU campus in Norman. Norman OK (26 Mar 25) Looking ENE 35.2015, -97.4416 … [Read more...]
Fine Evening on Railay Beach
Low tide, a young crescent moon, and sunset-splashed twilight surrounded a massive limestone stack on this southern Thailand beach, accessible only by boat or strenuous hike. I chose “boat.” Different vibes cover the tropics, my kind: peaceful, easy and present, smooth and warm as the moist sea breezes of low latitudes. Jimmy Buffett had that much right, but it’s better experienced and enjoyed … [Read more...]
Snowy Night Light
Four inches of wet snow fell in a northeast wind, coating that side of some of the trees, while providing a fitting backdrop for Christmas lights that I still had up in a few of our trees. In these parts, most snow occurs with winds from the east, northeast or north, as those directions signal neutral to cold advection near the surface, north of a front, with warm (and moist) advection common … [Read more...]
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