Panhandle Skies

Twisted Tree Palo Duro Canyon ...

2012-01-29T19:32:00.001-08:00

Echoes of the Dust Bowl ...

2012-01-22T14:23:00.000-08:00

Another duster rolled through Amarillo today - with 70 mph winds that toppled semis, pushed wildfires, snapped power lines, caused multi-car pileups due to zero visibility and tore at roofs. Once the front passed - the dust was put down by a decent rain. This photo was taken at I-40 & Soncy - because it looked like something straight out of the Dust Bowl.

-Steve Douglass

2012 is here!

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

Blue Christmas

2011-12-25T16:54:00.001-08:00

Amarillo's white Christmas!

2011-12-25T15:54:00.000-08:00

I was pleasantly surprised to wake to a lovely blanket of snow covering the ground this Christmas morning. What a lovely gift for a photographer!

After church - I took a solitary walk through John Stiff park to celebrate Christmas - and take a few photos. It was a wonderfully gorgeous stroll.

Enjoy!

-Steve Douglass

webbfeatproductions.com

I was pleasantly surprised to wake to a lovely blanket of snow covering the ground this Christmas morning. What a lovely gift for a photographer!

After church - I took a solitary walk through John Stiff park to celebrate Christmas - and take a few photos. It was a wonderfully gorgeous stroll.

Enjoy!

-Steve Douglass
webbfeatproductions.com

More footage from yesterday's outbreak in Oklahoma

2011-11-08T06:42:00.001-08:00

Storm chaser gets rolled by tornado in Oklahoma

2011-11-07T19:12:00.001-08:00

Dusty Dusk ....

2011-11-05T20:23:00.001-07:00

October on the lake ...

2011-10-30T19:48:00.000-07:00

Photographed today at Lake Meredith. (C) Steve Douglass

Pirates Of The Canyon - Balloon Glow 2011 video

2011-10-29T11:04:00.000-07:00

Sliver Birds

2011-10-29T07:09:00.000-07:00

Pirates Of The Canyon - Balloon Glow 2011

2011-10-28T19:53:00.000-07:00

Just one from tonight's balloon glow in Amarillo - part of the "Pirate's Of The Canyon event taking place this weekend.
PHOTO COPYRIGHT 2011 STEVE DOUGLASS
UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION IS PROHIBITED

Lubbock duster 10-18-2011

2011-10-18T07:23:00.001-07:00

View more videos at: http://nbcdfw.com.

Discovery Center Balloon Glow October-14-2011

2011-10-15T18:34:00.001-07:00

Soaring on an orange dream ...

2011-10-08T06:32:00.000-07:00

Steve Jobs - 1955-2011

2011-10-05T17:22:00.001-07:00

Flight at last light ...

2011-09-18T08:30:00.001-07:00

September rain

2011-09-14T06:53:00.000-07:00

September moon ...

2011-09-05T19:50:00.001-07:00

Close lightning south of Amarillo

2011-08-24T22:14:00.000-07:00

My brother Paul shot this from his front porch. Very - very close!

Sweet summer rain ...

2011-08-16T21:12:00.000-07:00

It didn't drop much - but we will take what we can get! Lightning and rain shafts west of Amarillo just after sunset.

(C) Steve Douglass

B-17 "Texas Raider" make stop in Amarillo

2011-08-16T05:29:00.000-07:00

A WWII vintage B-17 bomber Texas Raider made a stop in Amarillo yesterday for an oil top off. The B-17 (based in Houston) was on it's way from an Air Force Reunion at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. A select few photographers were allowed to photography and inspect the rare bird as it sat on the tarmac at Rick Husband International AIrport.

All photos (C) Steve Douglass

Echos of the Dust Bowl - 2011

2011-07-12T20:29:00.001-07:00

Photographed today just east of Amarillo as a duster rolled in.
(C) Steve Douglass

Storms at dusk - just west of Amarillo.

2011-07-11T21:19:00.000-07:00

So close - so far. Beautiful - yes- but no rain for the city.

(C) Steve Douglass

Vintage 2011

2011-07-07T06:32:00.000-07:00

Click to enlarge ...

Mother Nature's Fireworks ...

2011-07-03T21:42:00.000-07:00

Looks like mother nature jumped the gun by a few hours and lit up the Amarillo Sky with a show of her own. Although the storm brought much needed rain to the city - it sure took it's sweet time getting here!

(C) Photo by Steve Douglass

Smoke from a distant fire ...

2011-06-25T20:32:00.001-07:00

A couple photos of the smoke plume that drifted of Amarillo tonight - smoke from a forest fire burning near Santa Fe New Mexico.

All photos (C) Steve Douglass

Click to enlarge:

-Steve Douglass

Aint this the truth ...

2011-06-19T05:42:00.001-07:00

Crawford Ranch wild fire -5-30-2011

2011-05-30T19:40:00.001-07:00

Click to enlarge:

1500 acres burned - 2200 acres affected. It was creeping up on main power to Borger, Pampa and Fritch and the tankers (2) from Abilene nipped it in the bud.

We love our fire fighters - but I'd rather be chasing storms. Pray for rain.

-Steve Douglass

Lone tree - range fire ash ...

2011-05-30T16:01:00.000-07:00

A cloud of ash from an extinguished grassfire near Plainview today was picked up by the wind making for interesting lighting and backdrop for this lone tree.

Amarillo area wildfire photos ...

2011-05-30T05:01:00.001-07:00

Update: Westcliff & Woodlands area now open

Wildfire 5-29-11 #5 UPDATE 12:15am As of 12:15AM the City of Amarillo has lifted the mandatory evacuation for the Westcliff and the Woodlands area with the exception of Brookfield Street in Westcliff. This street remains closed at Coulter to the public. Potter County officials are keeping the mandatory evacuation in the Cliffside Estates, Mesquite Acres, Tascosita and the Stoneridge neighborhood (just north of 9th & Soncy). Tascosa Road from Coulter to Loop 335 will remain closed overnight.

Fire units will continue to patrol the area for any hot spots that might flare up. Some Fire and Police units and personnel have been released to return to their normal duties and/or timeoff. There are no further damage reports available at this time. The Emergency Operation Center is staffing down but will continue to support the field units and will remain open till 2:30am unless additional fires spark up.

Wildfire 5-29-11 #4 UPDATE on wildfire that started in Northwest Amarillo. A 911 call was received around 5:43pm for a vehicle that was on fire near 9th and Soncy. It is unknown how the vehicle caught on fire.

The fire spread quickly and proceeded in a Northern direction. The fire caused damage to some structures in the Tascosita addition and to structures in the Westcliff area. The fire as of 10:00pm is still not fully under control. At 8:30pm the City of Amarillo and Potter County officials declared a Mandatory evacuation for several neighborhoods; Woodlands, Westcliff, Cliffside Estates, Mesquite Acres, and Tascosita.

AFD, Potter Co Fire, Randall Co, Fire, as well as units from Dumas, Childress, Pampa, Hansford County and 2 task force units from the Texas Forrest Service are continuing to battle the fire.

The Amarillo Fire Department has 21 units on scene and has done a general alarm for off duty firemen to report. The fire continues to threaten homes in the above neighborhoods.

At this time reports are 7 structures have been damaged or lost. There are additional reports of damaged property but they have not been confirmed at this time. There are approximately 110 people in the receiving center (being run by the Red Cross) located at Grace Church at Plains & Western.

Sunday evening will not soon be forgotten for many Amarillo residents.

It was a night when flames and smoke filled the air and prompted mandatory evacuations for several areas in Amarillo. Unfortunately, Pronews 7 confirmed at least seven structures were damaged or lost as a result of the blaze.

This is the second time in a week parts of the Amarillo have been invaded by fire. The fire was wind-driven and pushed by Sunday's record breaking 103 degree heat.

As for the cause of the fire, Pronews 7 confirmed it started when a vehicle caught fire near 9th and Soncy at around 5:43 Sunday evening. Officials said the fire then spread quickly in a northern direction.

The City of Amarillo has not yet released any new information regarding the status of the evacuations in Cliffside Estates, Mesquite Acres, Tasosita and Stoneridge neighborhood. Tascosa Rd. from Coulter to Loop 335 remained closed overnight
(C) Steve Douglass

Tex Randall - still standing ...

2011-05-28T15:06:00.000-07:00

Tex Randall -still standing welcoming everyone on Hwy 60 to Canyon. If he isn't restored soon- one day - after a windstorm I expect to see him ...gone.

(C) Steve Douglass

Compilation video - tornado outbreak in Oklahoma 5-24-11

2011-05-25T08:33:00.000-07:00

First thunderstorm photos of Spring 2011

2011-04-25T18:37:00.000-07:00

Storm system after it passed through Amarillo.

Photo (c) Steve Douglass

Home for the evening ,,,

2011-04-19T07:24:00.001-07:00

Nuclear Sunset

2011-04-18T08:42:00.001-07:00

Panhandle Skies 2011

2011-03-19T21:25:00.001-07:00

Severe Weather Workshop This Weekend!

2011-03-14T11:05:00.001-07:00

Don't forget - Severe Weather Workshop this weekend. I'll be showing my short video "Panhandle Skies" to kick off the lectures after lunch.

Click to enlarge:

Saved the sunset for you ...

2011-02-21T18:48:00.001-08:00

Classic ...

2011-02-19T07:45:00.001-08:00

It's a Ducknado!

2011-02-14T09:05:00.000-08:00

It's a - -a Ducknado warning! I shot this at Loop 335 and Lakeside last night. As one farmer told me - "You don't want to be standing under one with your mouth open - son."

White against a winter sky

2011-02-12T08:26:00.001-08:00

Hope springs eternal ..

2011-02-12T05:20:00.001-08:00

Sneek peek

2011-02-09T13:42:00.000-08:00

I've been working on my latest weather video (Skyscapes 2011) for the upcoming Severe Weather Workshop in March. Here's a sneak peek ...

Ice crystals ..

2011-02-09T06:42:00.000-08:00

Suspended ice crystals lit by the pre-dawn sun.

Cold cuts ...

2011-02-08T18:03:00.001-08:00

Missed it by that much ...

2011-01-17T05:54:00.001-08:00

Lights and Shadows ...

2011-01-15T08:14:00.001-08:00

Photographed on the south wall on the abandoned Saturn dealer on Georgia. I think it made for a nice abstract.

-Steve Douglass

Tangled ...

2011-01-07T06:47:00.001-08:00

The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.” -Robert Frost

Sunset Soarer

2011-01-03T18:51:00.000-08:00

Lately at sunset - I've been stalking a red tailed hawk who roosts for the night at a nearby windmill - hoping to get a shot. The sunset was so beautiful I almost failed to notice him circling my position at the base of the windmill. He never did land but I got a few really nice photo.

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T07:25:00.000-08:00

The old give way to the young. New thoughts sprout from fertile ground.

While the New Year beckons us with many promises, don't forget to give the old year its due.

Learn from past mistakes and carry the lessons of time with you.

This year resolve to laugh more, love more, forgive more, friend more and learn more.

May 2011 be your best year yet!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T07:34:00.000-08:00

Click to enlarge

Download full-size image for your desktop here:

December moon

2010-12-19T18:07:00.001-08:00

Pink and blue stripes at sunset ...

2010-12-19T17:18:00.000-08:00

Top 5 Christmas wish list gifts for your storm chaser!

2010-12-13T11:33:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the year and many spouses may wonder just what to get their storm chasing mate? With that in mind, I've compiled a short list that could aid you in your efforts. Click on each item to be linked to the site that sells this top gear.

1. Cafe Press Storm Chaser Stuff
Funny & cool - sure to get a chuckle and make your chaser happy. My favorite is the "Storm Goddess" shirt.

2. Uniden BCT15X Scanner
Every stormchaser should have one of these. I highly recommend a good scanner for good situational awareness. This one can be programmed for any county in the country by downloading frequencies right into the scanner from the Internet.
The BCT15X comes equipped with Uniden exclusive features like Advanced Dynamic Memory System, Close Call™ RF Capture Technology, and GPS compatibility. Want to eavesdrop on Vortex II? Just turn on Close Call and drive close to them and the scanner will lock in on their communications! Buy the refurbished version and save $50. It will also fit in your dashboard!

3. Cobra 29 XLE 50th anniversary CB radio with weather scan.
So you went down the wrong muddy road - got stuck and the cell phone has no bars. Maybe you need a CB radio? I have one in my car and it has helped me summon aid on several occasions. Not only is this a great looking and operating radio - but it also automatically scans all the NOAA weather radio frequencies (with alert) so you'll always be aware of the current weather warnings. Don't forget to buy a good antenna along with this radio! I hope to post a full review of this radio soon.

4. Haier HLT71 7" LCD TV
Another must have for any storm spotter or chaser. When the broadband is down and you can't get radar updates - this TV could save your life. I have one of these and they are great for receiving both analog and digital TV broadcasts.

5. Canon Vixia HF R100 HD Camcorder.
Full HD 1080P video at an unbelievable price. Amazing color and definition. Mount one of these on your dash or use it handheld to capture your storm in stunning HD. Don't forget to buy extra SDHC media cards!

Send me your Storm Chaser Christmas gift list!

-Steve Douglass

Blades ...

2010-12-07T06:51:00.001-08:00

Army Chinooks photographed at Rick Husband Airport in Amarillo.

Photo by Steve Douglass

Another classic West Texas sunset

2010-11-24T17:50:00.000-08:00

Amarillo Sky

2010-11-18T05:26:00.000-08:00

Amarillo Snowbirds

2010-11-12T13:59:00.001-08:00

Snowbirds .. short video I shot of the mini-blizzard. All but gone now.

-Steve Douglass

November ...

2010-11-01T06:14:00.000-07:00

"November comes
And November goes,
With the last red berries
And the first white snows.

With night coming early,
And dawn coming late,
And ice in the bucket
And frost by the gate.

The fires burn
And the kettles sing,
And earth sinks to rest
Until next spring."
- Elizabeth Coatsworth

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-29T06:16:00.001-07:00

Photo by Steve Douglass

The front approaches ...

2010-10-26T07:16:00.000-07:00

Photo of the day - heading south

2010-10-25T06:06:00.001-07:00

Click to enlarge:

A lone flyer takes autumn's nod seriously and heads south to warner climates.

Photo by Steve Douglass

Palo Duro Canyon - pre dawn.

2010-10-24T13:34:00.000-07:00

October moon.

2010-10-21T19:26:00.001-07:00

Tonight's Panhandle Sky ...

2010-10-17T19:08:00.001-07:00

Amarillo Balloon Glow 10-15-2010

2010-10-16T19:05:00.001-07:00

KACV seeking Dust Bowl survivor stories ..

2010-10-06T11:51:00.001-07:00

Did you survive the Dirty 30s or know someone who did? If So KACV producer Marcie Robinson may want to talk to you.

On Friday, October 22nd, KACV is holding an open call for interviewees to come by and tell their Dust Bowl story for a special project (TV & web) as a companion to Ken Burn's/Dayton Duncan/Florentine Films production of The Dust Bowl - set to air in 2012.

For more information watch KACV or call : 806- 371-5306

AES storm spotter killed in crash - another badly injured.

2010-10-05T08:15:00.000-07:00

Author's note: I know both John and Leah and am greatly saddened by this. John was a great guy and a terrific spotter. I'll miss his pearly whites. My prayers go out to their families and wish Leah a swift recovery - but I know from experience it is a long stormy road ahead. - Steve Douglass

WICHITA FALLS — An Amarillo man has died from injuries he suffered in a highway crash between Henrietta and Wichita Falls Monday. His wife is in critical condition in a Wichita Falls hospital.

Department of Public Safety Trooper Tony Fulton identified the man as Jonathan Park Wolfe, 57. He died at United Regional Hospital Monday.

His wife is Leah Ann Wolfe, also 57.

An Amarillo radio station reports Wolfe was a former broadcast engineer who currently operated a race track in the Panhandle city.

The accident happened on U.S. 287 near Boddy Road Monday afternoon.

Fulton said the Wolfes' pickup, pulling a box trailer, and a dump struck were side by side heading west on the four-lane highway. He said the trailer apparently struck the dump truck, causing the pickup to swerve, lose control and careen into the median where it rolled over a stopped DPS unit.

Fulton said the Wolfes were not wearing seatbelts and were thrown from their vehicle.

Neither Trooper Brice Blake nor dump truck driver Anthony Joseph Schreiver of Wichita Falls, was injured.

September sparrow

2010-09-25T19:53:00.001-07:00

A few stills from last night's sunset.

2010-09-17T07:14:00.000-07:00

Another Epic sunset - time lapse video

2010-09-16T21:42:00.001-07:00

Today's toad floater!

2010-09-16T18:48:00.000-07:00

Today's storm chase turned quickly into a high precipitation event with urban flooding occurring in the usual places in SW Amarillo. There were many water-rescues as well as wrecks due to poor visibility and dime sized hail. The ranger's station at Palo Duro Canyon reported a brief bout of grapefruit sized ice chunks. Here's some of the flooding vid I shot for KVII.

Severe weather possible Thursday ...

2010-09-15T18:39:00.000-07:00

STRONG CONVECTION...POSSIBLY SEVERE...IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG
TRAILING SFC FRONT OVER THE SRN HIGH PLAINS THURSDAY. LATEST MODEL
GUIDANCE STRONGLY IMPLY THAT UPSLOPE FLOW ALONG WITH STRONG DIURNAL
HEATING WILL REMOVE THE CAP ACROSS THE TX/OK PANHANDLES INTO SERN
CO. FORECAST SHEAR ACROSS THIS REGION IS SUPPORTIVE OF DEEP ROTATING
UPDRAFTS AS SELY LOW LEVEL FLOW VEERS INTO THE WNW AT MID LEVELS.
ADDITIONALLY...LATEST WV IMAGERY SUGGESTS A WELL DEFINED SHORTWAVE
TROUGH EJECTING ACROSS SRN CA WILL SPREAD INTO THE HIGH PLAINS
AROUND PEAK HEATING. THIS SHOULD ENHANCE THE CONVECTIVE POTENTIAL
WITH EARLY SUPERCELLS EVOLVING INTO SEVERAL THUNDERSTORM CLUSTERS BY
EVENING. LARGE HAIL - DAMAGING WINDS AND PERHAPS AN ISOLATED
TORNADO ARE THE SEVERE THREATS WITH THIS ACTIVITY.

Dallas Tornado video

2010-09-08T20:22:00.001-07:00

The Buzzard Air Show

2010-09-08T11:50:00.000-07:00

Palo Duro Canyon State Park is renowned for its epic natural beauty and the outdoor musical TEXAS! - but did you know there is another show (of sorts) that takes place nightly at the southern end of the canyon? Local photographers call it "The Buzzard Air Show."

Each year thousands of tourists are drawn to Palo Duro Canyon State Park to take in its beauty - but a group of local photographers and bird watchers have discovered an amazing phenomenon that many never knew existed.

It's been nicknamed The Buzzard Air Show and takes place at sunset - every evening near the Cow Camp Cabins at the southern end of the park. Like a scene out of Hitchcock's "The Birds" - thousands of Turkey Vultures descend on a small group of trees to roost for the night.

For hours - vultures fly into the canyon from all over the Panhandle - filling the sky by the hundreds. The mature birds land first- seemingly acting like air-traffic-controllers - spreading their wings to signal to the orbiting vultures it's time to land.

Ugly and ungainly on the ground but beautiful in the air - these vultures ride the thermals over the mesas in graceful arcs until the last light of day is almost gone, then they descend in waves - all vying and squabbling over the best perches, much to the delight of local photographers.

The Buzzard Air Show begins every night about an hour before sundown with the last of the birds touching down just after dark. There is no charge for the Buzzard Air Show - but there is to enter the park - five dollars per person - well worth it to watch this amazing natural spectacle.

Viewers are advised to bring a camera, binoculars, lawn chairs and an umbrella - because some of the air show participants - uh - can become bombers.

Amarillo Flyers

2010-09-07T08:41:00.001-07:00

By Steve Douglass

Palo Duro Canyon in September ...

2010-09-06T20:38:00.000-07:00

Steve Douglass

Parked Red Flying Aluminum

2010-09-05T17:09:00.001-07:00

Sky Play ...

2010-09-02T12:21:00.001-07:00

Talons ...

2010-09-01T16:19:00.000-07:00

Captured today at Rick Husband Int Airport ... from Vance AFB.

I often wondered what birds must think of planes. This immature (and flightless) Meadowlark was sitting on the fence-line singing his heart out - but every time a talon flew by - he stopped and seemed to watch.
I kind of thought he was wishing that some day he could fly that fast. He was really tame and posed calmly (seemingly preoccupied by the air show) allowing me to patiently frame this shot.

Here's another shot - the Meadowlark singing as if to tell the jet he's a big bird too. The jet was louder.

September ...

2010-09-01T06:27:00.001-07:00

NWS Spotters Appreciation Picnic ...

2010-08-28T16:50:00.000-07:00

Time Lapse Video From Last Night

2010-08-21T10:25:00.000-07:00

Moonlight, a thunderstorm and a jet.

2010-08-20T21:10:00.000-07:00

Another epic sky ...

2010-08-20T21:01:00.000-07:00

Sunflowers: Experimental video -

2010-08-20T10:23:00.000-07:00

I'm learning a new editing program that works with my new HD camera. I hope to have this down by the next storm season. Can't wait for Spring 2011!

-Steve

Monday - sun day?

2010-08-16T06:52:00.001-07:00

Good day sunshine - well - at least the sunflowers are out.

-Steve

Glorious ...

2010-08-15T20:46:00.000-07:00

Only shade for miles ...

2010-08-14T20:17:00.000-07:00

-Steve Douglass

August Sunset

2010-08-11T20:00:00.000-07:00

Tonight's Panhandle Sky ...

2010-08-10T19:16:00.001-07:00

Steve Douglass

F-100 Super Sabre at Randall County Barn?

2010-08-09T19:02:00.000-07:00

F-100 spotted out at the Randall County Barn on Loop 335. I think this is going to become a permanent display for the Texas Panhandle War Memorial on Georgia.

Best of 2010: Hailstorm 5-21-10

2010-08-09T08:28:00.000-07:00

I have a peculiar obsession. I find that during the Spring I spend much of my time in the pursuit of rapidly rotating water vapor. An esoteric addiction to be sure - but it is one that sustains me through the long and dry winter months - knowing that soon the Earth will tilt on it's axis in favor of the Northern Hemisphere and warmth and moisture will surge out of the Gulf again- and inevitably collide with the dry air pulsing out of Canada.

Where they collide in tumult is where you will find me - and other weather addicts, storm chasers in search of that rare storm (one in 100) that will produce that rapidly rotating column of air (in contact with the ground) known as a tornado.

But unlike a lot of storm chasers - I'm not in it for the thrill- the adrenaline rush of standing next to a natural thing that could quite easily sweep me from this earth.

I am instead driven by a quest for the perfect image of the atmosphere in conflict with itself, majestic and quite oblivious to the dominion of man.

I'm not content to take snapshots. My quest is to get as close as I can to capturing the wonderfully amazing heavenly tableau, whirling in ever changing color and light that is commonly known (in dry scientific terms) as a severe thunderstorm.

To me that's tantamount to calling the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel a painting.

My quest is to bottle the moment when the storm is at it worst and - quite ironically - that is also when it is at its best - photogenically speaking.

It's true- Mother Nature is beautiful when she's angry.

In this post and others to follow I will be sending you my best captures of the 2010 storm season. I hope you enjoy them and in some small way you feel as if you have been along for the big show.

--

Kicking it off are images of a atmospheric conflagration that took place on May 21st in SE Armstrong County.

On that day the atmospheric stage was set for an epic struggle between warm- moist air, streaming in up and over the Caprock and a pool of cool moisture left behind when a non-severe thunderstorm had collapsed over the county the night before.

On top of this layer was a jet of dry air - called "The Cap" and like a lid on a boiling pot of water it was about to get blown off.

Although the official forecast was for a slight chance of "isolated severe thunderstorms" I had a gut feeling (based on years of storm chasing experience) that when storms did develop - they could be epic.

"Isolated thunderstorms" are the best type to chase. Surrounded by clear dry air, they stand out like floating white mountains over an emerald green sea of High Plains grassland.

Think Denali, but not rising out of the ground, attached to the earth but up in the sky floating above one's head.

Morning NWS weather ballon soundings revealed a jet of dry air aloft ( around 5,000 feet) making chances for a tornado very slim but I rightly figured once the atmosphere boiled over- gorgeous and particularly high-based thunderstorms were possible.

"High based" is a meteorological term that basically means that any storms that formed would have a high-cloud-base with the lowest clouds (the base) not forming close to the ground.

Because the bottom of the storms would be above 5,000 feet - any funnels that could form would most likely not reach the ground.

Bad for tornado enthusiasts but great for sky photographers like myself. The storms would most likely be severe "Hailers" loaded with wind-born ice - poised to crash to the ground - dangerous but epically photogenic.

I began chasing around 3PM when the first storm towers began going up east of Amarillo. These early "popcorn" storms would be smacked dead by the "Cap" but as the day heated up - I knew it was only a matter of time until the warm moist-air packed with thermal energy would have no where to go but up, eventually exploding through the dry air aloft that had held it prisoner all day.

Close to 5PM (at the peak of the day's heating) it did just that.

When the cap breaks, it breaks spectacularly with cauliflower-storm towers shooting up in minutes up to 50,000 feet.

I watched as the storm blew up just southwest of Claude, Texas. They swept over me dropping some small hail and producing a rainbow - pretty but hardly epic.

But just after the storm passed northward over the highway it blossomed exponentially and soon I was hearing reports of it dropping golf ball sized hail and bigger.

I followed it on a farm-to-market road as it slowly headed northeasterly at almost walking speed.

Because of the isolated nature of the storm, I was relatively safe from the hail, driving through sunshine even though it was dumping millions of tons of ice less than a mile away.

Once it moved out a little more eastward and into a part of the county without any roads (where I could follow) I stopped to take the storms portrait.

Gazing up at it all I couldn't help but choke up a bit. Before me was a perfect storm of epic beauty and power, massive crackling with sound and fury. it seemed alive, churning shape shifting, angry and placid at the same time.

I set up my tripod, attached my Nikon and set about capturing this beautiful behemoth.

I would follow and photograph until the light was gone.

At sunset - the storm began to fall apart - but it was even glorious in its death - catching the last rays of the sun and lighting up against the clar Panhandle sky like a frozen atomic explosion.

Here it is:
CLICK TO ENLARGE

-Steve Douglass

August rain and a light show!

2010-08-04T20:15:00.000-07:00

Corny as Kansas in August!

2010-08-04T17:33:00.000-07:00

Photographed East of Amarillo.

-Steve Douglass

Seen better days ...

2010-07-29T19:49:00.000-07:00

An abandoned, weathered house bears testimony to the wild West Texas winds.

-Steve Douglass

Suspicious lowering ...

2010-07-15T07:09:00.000-07:00

Video stil from last night - suspicious lowering over SW Amarillo. I could only see it when the lightning flashed. There was no rotation.

-Steve

Kablammo!

2010-07-14T21:29:00.000-07:00

Don't try this at home kids - I am a professional - and God loves me.

(C) Steve Douglass

Whirlybirds

2010-07-13T17:16:00.000-07:00

Captured these two new helicopters (Cobra and UH-1Y) coming in after a test flight today (here in Amarillo) to the Bell/Textron plant.

Enjoy!

-Steve Douglass