SkyPix

A digital photographic storybook of clouds, weather and water by Roger Edwards.

Spotlighting the Great Sand Dunes

By

Following a line of thunderstorms, a conveniently placed clear slot in the western clouds allowed the rays to shine only on the dunes, while the foreground grasslands and background Sangre de Cristos remained in shade, their apparent contours nearly paralleling those of the dunes.  This was a special moment to witness, and not very common.  Many millennia of southwest winds have dropped sand … [Read more...]

Crosstimbers Encrusted

By

Looking across a meadow, the Western Crosstimbers glisten in a casing of ice, courtesy of yet another central Oklahoma freezing-rain event.  The branches sparkled and crackled with even the faintest passing breeze, collectively exuding a pained, strained, arthritic sound while reflecting thousands of points of light. Norman OK (24 Dec 13) Looking ESE 35.2133, -97.3704 … [Read more...]

Waterfall Rainbow

By

A rainbow and hints of its double float in the dancing spray of Seljalandsfoss—one of Iceland's and the Earth's most majestic waterfalls, and one offering no shortage of visual effects from front to rear to side (as here).   The greatest challenge to photographing this world-class cascade, in all its personalities, was keeping spray off the lens...the second greatest, thinking to shoot in the … [Read more...]

Bradshaw: Cone and Sheath

By

After observing a rain-wrapped tornado crossing the Interstate near Hampton, we bailed E in the face of hail falling downshear from the "tail-end Charlie" storm in a nearly continuous line of supercells.  That turned out to be the vault region for the mesocyclone that spawned this beauty.  After watching it form nearby in the near view of our rear-view mirror, we zipped east a half mile or so, … [Read more...]

Shadowy Mammatus

By

Cool clumps of mammatus, dangling beneath a retreating anvil canopy, cast sharply defined shadows through the golden glow just before sunset.  During intercept activities, this storm hadn't done much besides drop 1 to 1.5 inch hail.  It treated a train of fellow storm observers to a splendid West Texas sunset.  A storm that never had a chance of producing a tornado became a great memory for … [Read more...]