SkyPix

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

Elevated Again

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Developing as an elevated supercell, this storm underwent a brief tornadic phase when it crossed a northward-retreating warm front into some very moist and unstable air, and at almost the same time, crossed an outflow boundary left behind by a newer storm well to its southeast.  By the time we got back ahead of it, the short-lived and small tornado was gone, and the storm again was elevated—this … [Read more...]

Scud Rags

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A collection of storms in the west through north aggregated their outflow in a short time period, sending a deep but mostly dry gust front sweeping down the plains of south-central Nebraska.   A little of the dust kicked up by the gust front is visible just above ground level, and deeper atop the cold pool, delicate strands and wisps of fractocumulus waft across the scene.  Because the sky already … [Read more...]

Elevated Supercell

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Operational meteorologists consider a thunderstorm "elevated" if its inflow is not directly rooted at the surface.  In other words, the storm is tapping a plume of moist and unstable air above, not at ground level.  This usually happens atop a relatively cool, stable air mass, like one might find on the cold side of a front, behind an outflow boundary, or atop an inversion caused by strong … [Read more...]

Sunlit Spray Cloud: Dettifoss

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Dettifoss is the most powerful waterfall in Iceland, and all of Europe.   Much like a supercell on the Great Plains, its sweeping majesty commands appreciative gaze and tempts rapt fixation.  Yet like a big, rotating storm in the sky, it also generates interesting and flat-out cool smaller-scale features on the side that are well worth attention with the eye and camera lens.  This was a continual … [Read more...]

Fallen Bell Tower

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Hurricane Andrew toppled this bell tower westward at University Christian Church (now Christ Center Church) in South Miami.  Not designed to withstand the unrelenting strain of winds over 100 mph sustained for 2–3 hours, in and near the north rim of the eyewall, the rebar-reinforced concrete structure finally fell.  Fortunately, the sanctuary (offscreen at left) was southeast of the tower and out … [Read more...]

Exploding Hailstone

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Severe hailstones can shatter when striking pavement; and I was fortunate enough to capture the split second when one did just that, disintegrating violently into a radial spray of icy shrapnel.  This might be the only known still photograph of a hailstone explosion during a storm.  Even if not, it's an extremely difficult event to capture!  The scene reminds me eerily of artists' depictions of … [Read more...]