SkyPix

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

Six a.m. Strike

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Normally I'm not awake at this hour, unless up all night.  Fortunately, a set of overnight shifts ending at 5 a.m. left me an opportunity to shoot lightning around dawn, when a small cluster of elevated thunderstorms formed over the eastern countryside of Norman.  The CGs were fairly close, but confined to a small area.  Still, practical prudence dictated remaining in the car and trying for the … [Read more...]

Dry Lake Bed

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Near-record low lake levels, brought about by drought, left the dessicated red-clay sediments of its bottom exposed for months and months.  The result was a broad, flat, parched landscape of dried mud, riddled far and wide with deepening fissures.  Normally this surface is submerged to a depth of at least eight feet. 6 WSW Little Axe OK (14 Oct 6) Looking WSW 35.2132, -97.3054   … [Read more...]

Active Night Sky

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An elevated cumulonimbus drifted off to the north hauling its flank of deep cumulus congestus, spitting lightning filaments every which way as as an intervening armada of scud clouds further textured the chaotic scene.   This fascinatingly busy sky offered a strobing aerial light show to travelers on Interstate 80 in the foreground. 1 SE Ogallala NE (15 May 15) Looking NNE 41.1057, -101.7 … [Read more...]

Down and Out

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This high-based and elevated thunderstorm was part of a short line that fired in Wyoming, where the Plains meet the mountains.  The line rumbled to the southeast, fueling itself on residual moisture and instability found above an outflow pool from earlier, dissipated storms.  The electrical display it offered was spectacular, as often is the case for any twilight to nocturnal storms on the High … [Read more...]

Mature Stromsburg Brute

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The final tornado of a very active storm-intercept day formed to our WNW as we approached Stromsburg.  In town, sirens wailed, and folks streamed into the yards and streets to take glances generally toward the wrong direction.  Fortunately, the growing tornado was moving abeam, then away, presenting no direct danger to the community.  By the time we got out of town and had a clean view, the … [Read more...]

From a Fischamend Field

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Our last evening of a trip to Austria offered a big, wonderfully colored and textured sky over a flat, rural river valley outside Vienna.  Were it not for the photographer's honesty, I could pass this off as one of the many fine sunset scenes from Oklahoma.  Brilliantly illuminated fractocumulus clouds arched nicely around a little area of crepuscular rays, setting a calming, appreciative and … [Read more...]