SkyPix

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

Fractocumulus over the Washington Cascades

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The snow-capped crags of the high Cascades bask under sunshine and fair conditions on a pleasant, dry summer day.   Still, just enough moisture lingered about for the orographic lift to boost some parcels to saturation and form ragged-bottomed cumulus fragments--fractocumulus. The presence of a turquoise-colored cirque lake at middle left completes this look at all three phases of the water … [Read more...]

Fallen Miami Radar

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This was the rooftop of the building housing the National Hurricane Center at the time, in Coral Gables.  Here, a 142-kt (164-mph) gust was measured just north of Andrew's eyewall, before the anemometer busted.  The Miami WSR-57 radome blew away, and the dish inside toppled onto the roof with a deep, reverberating thud heard and felt seven floors below in NHC.  Note the bent radio antennae also; … [Read more...]

Tornadic Surprise in the Land of Enchantment

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Although we had been keeping close watch on this supercell for nearly two hours, we looked away and turned the vehicle southward to watch a newer, more visually energetic supercell to the southwest with a well-developed and slowly rotating wall cloud.   A third storm's left (north) side had sent a gust front laden with cool outflow air past us and northward toward the storm you see here, and the … [Read more...]

Lake-Log Ice Columns

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Stalactites (pointing down) and stalagmites (pointing up) don't just form from cave minerals; they can develop in ice, anywhere dripping water can freeze.  In this weird scene, they joined after hours of dripping from the log above, forming ice columns in some very cold air (below 15 degrees F).  Some of that dripping was related to waves and spray before the lake surface froze. Norman, OK (6 Jan … [Read more...]

Big Bennington

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At its closest approach to us--right about here--the slow-moving Bennington tornado was clearly audible, emitting a blend of waterfall-like whooshing and a low-frequency roar heard clearly through wrapping rain.  The condensed part of the tornado also assumed its widest "wedge" appearance.  At lower left, a few geese join a bigger flock of humans behind the camera in admiring the big vortex … [Read more...]