A High Plains supercell's main updraft area and wall cloud rose in elevation, turning leftward and losing its surface-based character atop a deepening pool of outflow from both itself and other storms in the background. Nevertheless, what remained of the storm made a beautiful backdrop aloft to a herd of curious Hereford and Angus cattle, who lines up neatly in cautious, distant inspection of … [Read more...]
Sunset Light on the 412 Barn
Fifteen years after first spotting and photographing this abandoned barn in the Oklahoma Panhandle, I’ve yearned to be there for a back-side, late-day storm scene. Consider that wish fulfilled, marvelously! We parked and waited out a line of thunderstorms, rightly figuring it would clear the scene just in time for a glorious “golden hour” and sunset, with the previous year's grass growth lit … [Read more...]
Haboob Highway
An outflow-surfing supercell merger surged eastward down I-70 and only a bit less than the speed limit, allowing us only a few minutes per exit to get out, admire and photograph. After a few other stops, we noticed deep, warm sunset light penetrating the southern part of the storm complex, while a severe haboob continued. This was far from the first "windbag" storm cluster that chased me down … [Read more...]
Painted Ground and Sky
Above and beyond a roadside cluster of brilliant Indian paintbrush flowers, the sunset painted mammatus clouds on the back side of a storm complex. It was the ideal way to cap a somewhat convoluted but photographically fruitful chase day that began with an initial stop just outside downtown Oklahoma City. Rush Springs OK (8 May 26) Looking NNE 34.77, -97.9605 … [Read more...]
Cooler Road
After undercutting the anchor storm, this blast of cool outflow swept further ahead of the southern part of a squall line. In the process, the turbulent "whale's mouth" formation atop the surging cold pool made a scenic, pleasant, almost painting-like cloudscape-landscape combination, the second one of this sort I had encountered the same month. 3 NNW Ringgold TX (15 Apr 26) Looking … [Read more...]
Supercell Towers, Southern Flint Hills
The southernmost Flint Hills extend from Kansas into much of central and western Osage County, OK, before petering out near the Arkansas River. This supercell crossed them after producing a couple of tornadoes, including a nice thick pipe, and its later satellite vortex that I saw, but not in time to capture on e-film. Incidentally, this view was only a couple miles from where I saw another … [Read more...]