Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Blast From The Past ...
Since there isn't any severe weather to write about (let alone rain in the forecast) I thought I'd post a link to an interesting page the NWS did on the "Solstice Super Cells" that occurred on June 21st of 2004 that ravaged the west side of Amarillo.
I'll never forget that day because I was out in it. I've never seen hail that big and hope I never do again.
Anyway, enjoy the link: http://www.spc.noaa.gov/coolimg/amarillo/index.html
-Steve D
I'll never forget that day because I was out in it. I've never seen hail that big and hope I never do again.
Anyway, enjoy the link: http://www.spc.noaa.gov/coolimg/amarillo/index.html
-Steve D
Monday, April 28, 2008
Another Day of Severe Clear
Here it is almost the end of April and still no storms. We are in the midst of a drouth. We need rain badly. Not only are there no storms to chase but the High Plains is becoming a tinder-box, ready to explode with range fires caused by any careless smoker who carelessly heaves a lit cigarette out a window.
Although it may seem strange, the severe weather season is our saving grace. Sure it brings large hail and damaging tornados, but the rain will make the plains born again green.
Blue skies are making us see red, as in red alert high fire danger.
Pray for rain!
-Steve
Although it may seem strange, the severe weather season is our saving grace. Sure it brings large hail and damaging tornados, but the rain will make the plains born again green.
Blue skies are making us see red, as in red alert high fire danger.
Pray for rain!
-Steve
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Saturday, April 26, 2008
We had some weather today!
What a surprise today. We actually had some weather worth going out and photographing,
Just what I needed for this, the launch of this new weather blog.
We had a few (non-severe) storms pop up south of the city, caused by a surge of unexpected moisture into the area which collided with a strong cold front racing down from the north.
Although they weren't tornadic or anything, they did give me a chance to actually shoot something in the sky other than severe clear.
I took some nice stills of this old windmill and some time lapse stuff which I just posted below.
One piece of video I think you'll find quite interesting. It illustrates just how fast the weather can change in the Texas Panhandle. One minute it was calm and in the high 70s and a minute later the wind was blowing out of the north at fifty miles per hour, plus it dropped 15 degrees in about as many minutes.
it may sound cliche' but the old saying is true. If you don't like the weather just wait a few minutes.
- Steve
Just what I needed for this, the launch of this new weather blog.
We had a few (non-severe) storms pop up south of the city, caused by a surge of unexpected moisture into the area which collided with a strong cold front racing down from the north.
Although they weren't tornadic or anything, they did give me a chance to actually shoot something in the sky other than severe clear.
I took some nice stills of this old windmill and some time lapse stuff which I just posted below.
One piece of video I think you'll find quite interesting. It illustrates just how fast the weather can change in the Texas Panhandle. One minute it was calm and in the high 70s and a minute later the wind was blowing out of the north at fifty miles per hour, plus it dropped 15 degrees in about as many minutes.
it may sound cliche' but the old saying is true. If you don't like the weather just wait a few minutes.
- Steve
So close - yet so far!
So far this year - severe weather wise - the pickings have been - less than spectacular in fact downright slim.
NWS says things should pick up as we move into May. In the meantime I placate myself by shooting sunsets and placid cloudscapes.
My wife, who is downstate helping out her parents on the family farm outside of Waco is having all the fun. Last night they had a tornado warning as a big twister crossed I-35 just south of them.
If I was down there I'd be chasing like mad.
However, as I found out a few years back, chasing down there ain't like chasing up here. they have had the audacity to place these annoying things called " trees" and " hills" and "rivers" which makes storm spotting all that more difficult. Still, it would have been fun to try.
But since I couldn't (Waco is over 400 miles away) and my wife (knowing me as she does) knew I felt like I was missing out - made me feel better by partaking in what I have dubbed as a "phone chase." In other words, she relayed storm reports that she was monitoring on the tube and her radio scanner.
I also did a bit of "Now Casting" using my new subscription to Weather Tap, the best real-time HD weather radar site on the world wide web. It came in real handy, keeping her advised of the exact tracks of the worst cells.
Special thanks and shout out to Dale who gave me a subscription as a gift. I can't thank him enough.
Anyway, the closest thing to being there was monitoring the storm via radar. Since I couldn't take any photos I did the next best thing and took a screen capture of a classic "Hook Echo" showing the amazing wind divergence in the cell (at the end of a line of storms) that dropped a tornado which was on the ground for almost an hour.
Here it is posted for your enjoyment and storm education and edification.
-Steve Douglass
NWS says things should pick up as we move into May. In the meantime I placate myself by shooting sunsets and placid cloudscapes.
My wife, who is downstate helping out her parents on the family farm outside of Waco is having all the fun. Last night they had a tornado warning as a big twister crossed I-35 just south of them.
If I was down there I'd be chasing like mad.
However, as I found out a few years back, chasing down there ain't like chasing up here. they have had the audacity to place these annoying things called " trees" and " hills" and "rivers" which makes storm spotting all that more difficult. Still, it would have been fun to try.
But since I couldn't (Waco is over 400 miles away) and my wife (knowing me as she does) knew I felt like I was missing out - made me feel better by partaking in what I have dubbed as a "phone chase." In other words, she relayed storm reports that she was monitoring on the tube and her radio scanner.
I also did a bit of "Now Casting" using my new subscription to Weather Tap, the best real-time HD weather radar site on the world wide web. It came in real handy, keeping her advised of the exact tracks of the worst cells.
Special thanks and shout out to Dale who gave me a subscription as a gift. I can't thank him enough.
Anyway, the closest thing to being there was monitoring the storm via radar. Since I couldn't take any photos I did the next best thing and took a screen capture of a classic "Hook Echo" showing the amazing wind divergence in the cell (at the end of a line of storms) that dropped a tornado which was on the ground for almost an hour.
Here it is posted for your enjoyment and storm education and edification.
-Steve Douglass
Friday, April 25, 2008
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