High-based, skeletal and sculpted, this southeastward-translating supercell looked and acted like a Colorado storm transplanted 400 miles southeast. Fortunately, that meant we only had to drive about 90 miles for something so spectacular. Despite its lofty lifted condensation level, this storm went on to produce a nearly tornadic gustnado in another hour, and a real tornado after two hours. 7 … [Read more...]
Knickerbocker Slobberknocker
That title was irresistible to click, wasn't it? Gotcha! There is a (stretched) reason behind it, though. This classic supercell started on the dryline west of San Angelo while we were eating lunch there, then turned ESE past Mertzon. We headed there for a meet-and-greet session with the storm, and after some reorganization, it greeted us with a structure straight from the textbook. The … [Read more...]
North Iceland Lenticular Stack
From amidst a melange of multilayered clouds, a fine little stack of altocumulus lenticularis peeked to reveal a standing wave. Although altitudes aren't too high in Iceland—mostly under 5,000 feet except for the very highest peaks—the high latitude ensures strong middle-level winds for much of the year that are suitable for generating waves that create such formations. Nine days prior, we were … [Read more...]
Slot Canyon in the Tent Rocks
Water erosion in flash floods, with relatively minor contributions from wind (eolian) processes, erodes slot canyons. In this case, the process is speedy by geologic standards, thanks to the young, soft, sandy, pyroclastic deposits here, emanating from eruptions around six million years ago in the nearby Jemez volcanic complex. The result is a sweeping set of sandwiched curves, a natural art … [Read more...]
Western Blast
High amperage sizzles several square inches of a mesa north of a southeastern Nevada town as a high-based storm cluster lumbers westward. After the requisite delay at the speed of sound, a deep report of thunder boomed across the valleys and hills, echoing off mountainsides and mesas, reminding all within earshot of what was in charge of the moment. If this was to be the last night of photogenic … [Read more...]
Beware Storms with Mustaches
One of the late, great NWS meteorologist Al Moller's favorite admonitions to storm spotters, chasers, students, and others in rapt audiences was: "Beware storms with mustaches!" That folksy wisdom, from a keen scientist and father of storm-spotter training, had strong foundations. Although this storm was not tornadic, some supercells with persistent, mustache-shaped wall clouds are, and many … [Read more...]
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