SkyPix

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

Sleet, Not Snow

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All of what looks like snow here was actually sleet!  Sometimes it seems that sleet (ice pellets) is the default winter-precipitation mode in these parts, given its occurrence in many of our winter-weather episodes.  Still, an all-sleet event like this is uncommon, and was still ongoing with nearly an inch accumulated.  Sleet consists of solid little ice balls, which are raindrops that freeze … [Read more...]

Wichita Mountains Tornado

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Writhing and pulsating nicely, the condensation funnel for the Wichita Mountains tornado came into view, exiting the Cambrian granite crags of the Wichitas and approaching the Carboniferous-aged limestone ridges of the Slick Hills in the foreground.  The early stages of this vortex became visible to observers south of the Wichitas, then disappeared into the road void and hills, emerging again here … [Read more...]

Sunset Clouds and Shadows, Wind Cave National Park

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Delicate and lacy in form, thin fractocumulus shards caught the near-finished sunshine over the southern hills of Wind Cave National Park, beneath midlevel convective debris that later would light up well itself.  Some sunsets sweep the sky with blazing color; others are selectively elegant, yet no less appreciated.  Simple, yet serene, and deeply suffused with a peaceful mood, this in total was … [Read more...]

Tornadoes about to Merge

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Shortly after arriving to this high spot, we began peering intently in the direction of a reportedly long-lived and large tornado west and north of El Reno.  It finally came into view through the darkness, humid haze and wrapping rain.  At the time I thought that it was a single tornadic circulation with two unusually stout-looking subvortices.  Instead, later mobile-radar and WSR-88D analysis … [Read more...]

7 CGs Road

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Seven cloud-to-ground flashes, of different distances and brightness in rain, electrified my world in 15–20 seconds.  This included the most vivid discharge at right, that branched several hundred feet above ground.  Meanwhile, a vehicle passed entirely across the field of view and along a nearby highway.  Profuse as this display was, it still was only a fraction of the action. 5 NE Eloy AZ (9 … [Read more...]

Dry Water Works

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This calm scene bespeaks potent natural violence.  Shortly before mostly dry Cave Creek exits its canyon in the Chiricahua Mountains, a deposited load of botanic and geologic material speaks to the power of the infrequent but intense flash floods that can surge through here.   Stones of all sizes, from pea gravel to boulders the size of small cars, roll along within the water's turbulent surge, … [Read more...]