Although the storms that moved into Amarillo tonight kind of puttered and sputtered, they were photogenic. Here are a few of my best shots. Click to enlarge.
(C) Steve Douglass
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Today's Storm System Photos
Although the storms that moved into Amarillo tonight kind of puttered and sputtered, they were photogenic. Here are a few of my best shots. Click to enlarge.
(C) Steve Douglass
Current Mesoscale Discussion
MESOSCALE DISCUSSION 0482
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
0156 PM CDT THU APR 16 2009
AREAS AFFECTED...PORTIONS TX SOUTH-PLAINS REGION...TX PANHANDLE...OK
PANHANDLE.
CONCERNING...SEVERE POTENTIAL...WATCH LIKELY
VALID 161856Z - 162000Z
--- RE-TRANSMITTED ---
SFC-BASED CONVECTION IS DEVELOPING BETWEEN LBB-EVW...WITH ADDITIONAL
CONVECTION POSSIBLE NWD THROUGH CENTRAL PANHANDLE AND SWWD TOWARD
TX/NM BORDER AREA E HOB. DAMAGING GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE
POSSIBLE FROM ACTIVITY OVER THIS AREA THROUGH REMAINDER OF AFTERNOON
INTO EVENING.
SFC MESOANALYSIS INDICATES DRYLINE BULGE OVER THIS REGION...WITH
DRYLINE ARCHING THROUGH ERN DALLAM...ERN CASTRO...HALE...WRN LUBBOCK
COUNTIES...THEN SWD TO NEAR MAF. MESOANALYSIS...RADAR REFLECTIVITIES
AND VIS IMAGERY INDICATES BOUNDARY LAYER CONVERGENCE LINE COLLOCATED
WITH DRYLINE N OF LBB COUNTY...THEN EXTENDING SWWD THROUGH NWRN
GAINES COUNTY. DRYLINE SHOULD KEEP MIXING EWD ACROSS MOST OF SOUTH
PLAINS REGION...BUT BECOME MORE NW-SE ALIGNED FARTHER N AS
BACKED/INTENSIFYING LOW LEVEL FLOW PERSISTS ACROSS CENTRAL/NRN
PANHANDLE AND OK PANHANDLE. DRYLINE ACTUALLY MAY RETREAT WWD
SOMEWHAT OVER NRN TX AND OK PANHANDLES AMIDST STRENGTHENING
ISALLOBARIC FORCING...EXTENDING SOME SVR POTENTIAL INTO WHAT NOW IS
DRY AIR MASS. MODIFIED RUC/OBSERVED SOUNDINGS INDICATE VERY STEEP
MIDLEVEL LAPSE RATES ACCOMPANYING ERN EDGE OF COOLING ALOFT
OVERSPREADING REGION. FURTHER DESTABILIZATION ALOFT IS EVIDENT JUST
UPSTREAM OVER SERN NM -- WHERE CONSIDERABLE MIDLEVEL CONVECTION HAS
DEVELOPED OVER VERY DRY NEAR-SFC LAYER. THIS...COMBINED WITH SFC
DEW POINTS 50S F E OF DRYLINE...YIELDS MLCAPE 1500-2000 J/KG
IMMEDIATELY E OF DRYLINE...IN NARROW ZONE OF FAVORABLY STG
INSOLATION W OF CLOUD SHIELD FROM ACTIVITY DISCUSSED IN MESOSCALE
DISCUSSION 481.
FAVORABLE STORM-RELATIVE FLOW IS EXPECTED...GIVEN RELATIVELY BACKED
SFC WINDS EVIDENT IN TX MESONET DATA AND FCST TO CONTINUE BETWEEN
THIS AREA AND CAPROCK. MODIFIED RUC SOUNDINGS SUGGEST SE FLOW WILL
CONTRIBUTE TO FAVORABLE DEEP-LAYER SHEAR...E.G. EFFECTIVE SHEAR
MAGNITUDES 45-50 KT FOR SFC-ROOTED PARCELS. WEAK WINDS JUST ABOVE
SFC...IN 1-2 KM AGL LAYER -- WILL KEEP LOW LEVEL HODOGRAPHS
RELATIVELY SMALL OVER INITIATION AREA. HOWEVER...HODOGRAPHS WILL
EXPAND EWD WITH PROXIMITY TO 40-50 KT LLJ...AND WITH TIME THIS
EVENING.
Today's severe weather outlook
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
0750 AM CDT THU APR 16 2009
VALID 161300Z - 171200Z
...THERE IS A SLGT RISK OF SVR TSTMS ACROSS THE CENTRAL/SOUTHERN
HIGH PLAINS...
...SYNOPSIS...
CLOSED UPPER LOW NEARING THE FOUR CORNERS AREA WILL MOVE SLOWLY EAST
TODAY...AS A DRYLINE/LEE TROUGH WILL PERSIST OVER THE HIGH PLAINS IN
ADVANCE OF THIS FEATURE. THE DRYLINE WILL MIX EASTWARD ACROSS WEST
TX DURING THE DAY...AND THEN RETREAT WESTWARD DURING THE EVENING
BEFORE IT IS OVERTAKEN BY AN OCCLUDING/PACIFIC COLD FRONT.
...CENTRAL/SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS...
EARLY MORNING SURFACE ANALYSIS/12Z OBSERVED RAOBS DEPICT A
WEST-NORTHWESTWARD RETURN OF MODEST BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE ACROSS
TX SINCE LAST EVENING...ALTHOUGH 60+ F SURFACE DEWPOINTS ARE
CONFINED TO THE TX HILL COUNTRY/SOUTH TX AS OF 13Z. INITIALLY...ON
THE EASTERN PERIPHERY OF A STRONG ELEVATED MIXED LAYER SAMPLED BY
12Z REGIONAL RAOBS SUCH AS AMA/MAF/DRT/DDC...THERE IS SOME POTENTIAL
FOR EARLY DAY TSTMS TO POSE A HAIL RISK ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
TX/HILL COUNTRY OWING TO A LEAD MID LEVEL IMPULSE CROSSING FAR
NORTHERN MEXICO EARLY THIS MORNING. WITH IMPLIED LIFT/MID LEVEL
MOISTENING NOTED EARLY THIS MORNING ACROSS THE TX HILL COUNTRY...A
CONDITIONAL SURFACE BASED SEVERE THREAT COULD EVOLVE WITHIN THIS
CORRIDOR...ALTHOUGH THE STRENGTH OF THE CAP /PER 12Z DRT RAOB/
SHOULD LIMIT APPRECIABLE SURFACE BASED DEVELOPMENT.
OTHERWISE...A MORE ORGANIZED SEVERE THREAT SHOULD DEVELOP FARTHER
WEST ACROSS THE CENTRAL/SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS IN VICINITY OF THE LEE
TROUGH/DRYLINE LATER THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING. DIABATIC HEATING
BENEATH STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES WILL CONTRIBUTE TO
DESTABILIZATION/WEAKENING CINH ACROSS THE HIGH PLAINS BY
AFTERNOON...WITH MAINLY 50S F DEWPOINTS SUPPORTING AN AXIS OF MLCAPE
FROM 1000-1500 J/KG OVER THE TRANSPECOS REGION OF WEST TX TO AROUND
500 J/KG ACROSS EAST CENTRAL/SOUTHEAST CO. WHILE THE STRONG CAP
SHOULD LIMIT SURFACE BASED TSTM DEVELOPMENT THROUGH AT LEAST EARLY
AFTERNOON...GRADUAL LARGE SCALE HEIGHT FALLS/ADVANCING EXIT REGION
OF UPPER JET AIDED BY LOW LEVEL UPSLOPE TRAJECTORIES/AMPLE
HEATING...SHOULD LEAD TO A BROAD NNW-SSE CORRIDOR OF SURFACE BASED
TSTM DEVELOPMENT AROUND MID/LATE AFTERNOON ACROSS THE HIGH
PLAINS...INITIALLY FROM EASTERN CO/FAR WESTERN KS TO TX
PANHANDLE/WEST TX.
WITH SUFFICIENT INSTABILITY AND 35-50 KT SOUTH-SOUTHWESTERLY MID
LEVEL FLOW...LOW LEVEL VEERING/40+ KT OF EFFECTIVE SHEAR WILL
SUPPORT SUPERCELLS. SEVERE HAIL WILL LIKELY BE THE PRIMARY
THREAT...WITH DAMAGING WINDS POSSIBLE AS WELL VIA DEEP MIXING
ESPECIALLY ACROSS WEST TX AND/OR EVENTUAL STORM MERGERS LATER THIS
EVENING. ALTHOUGH A TORNADO OR TWO WILL BE POSSIBLE...MODEST
BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE AND/OR INITIALLY LIMITED HODOGRAPH SIZE WILL
TEND TO CURB THE THREAT.
THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE...AND STORMS WILL
LIKELY GROW UPSCALE INTO ONE OR MORE QUASI-ORGANIZED MCS/S...LATER
IN THE EVENING/OVERNIGHT AS THE OCCLUDING/PACIFIC FRONT AND LEADING
EDGE OF COOLER MID-LEVEL TEMPERATURES/ASCENT ACCOMPANYING THE UPPER
TROUGH OVERTAKE THE RETREATING DRYLINE. THREAT FOR ISOLATED LARGE
HAIL/DAMAGING WIND WILL LIKELY CONTINUE INTO THE OVERNIGHT...MAINLY
ACROSS WEST/NORTHWEST TX AND FAR WESTERN OK.
..GUYER/JEWELL.. 04/16/2009
CLICK TO GET WUUS01 PTSDY1 PRODUCT
NOTE: THE NEXT DAY 1 OUTLOOK IS SCHEDULED BY 1630Z
CURRENT UTC TIME: 1415Z (9:15AM), RELOAD THIS PAGE TO UPDATE THE TIME
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Dryline event looks better for Thursday.
The closer we get to Thursday, the more we'll know about the possible severe weather (dryline) event forecast for the central and east Texas Panhandle.
Here's the latest probability graph:
DAY 3 CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
0228 AM CDT TUE APR 14 2009
VALID 161200Z - 171200Z
...THERE IS A SLGT RISK OF SVR TSTMS ACROSS THE CNTRL/SRN PLAINS...
...CNTRL/SRN PLAINS...
IT APPEARS UPPER LOW THAT WILL DIG SEWD ACROSS THE 4-CORNERS REGION
WILL BE NUDGED EAST ENOUGH THAT THE CNTRL/SRN HIGH PLAINS FROM
NEB...SWD INTO WEST TX WILL EXPERIENCE HEIGHT FALLS DURING THE
LATTER HALF OF THE PERIOD. MODELS ARE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT
STRONGEST MID LEVEL FLOW WILL ROUND THE BASE OF THE UPPER LOW ALONG
THE U.S./MEXICAN BORDER THEN EJECT INTO THE TX PANHANDLE AFTER 00Z.
SLOW EWD PROGRESSION OF UPPER TROUGH WILL MAINTAIN SSELY LLJ ACROSS
THE HIGH PLAINS WHICH WILL TRANSPORT MODIFIED BOUNDARY LAYER AIRMASS
AS FAR NORTH AS SWRN NEB AND EXTREME ERN CO WHERE SFC DEW POINTS
SHOULD RISE INTO THE UPPER 40S AND PERHAPS REACH 50F. FARTHER
SOUTH...50S DEW POINTS WILL BE COMMON ALONG DRYLINE SWD ACROSS TX
MOST OF THE PERIOD.
EARLY IN THE PERIOD IT APPEARS LOW LEVEL WARM ADVECTION WILL BE
PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR SCATTERED ELEVATED CLUSTERS OF
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PORTIONS OF WCNTRL TX...NWD INTO WRN KS. THIS
ACTIVITY SHOULD NOT PROVE PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT AS RECOVERING
AIRMASS WILL NOT BE THAT MOIST/BUOYANT. HOWEVER...WEST OF THIS WARM
ADVECTION ACTIVITY STRONG HEATING WILL BE NOTED ALONG
DRYLINE/FRONTAL ZONE FROM TX/NM BORDER NWD INTO ERN CO. THIS
HEATING WILL PROVE INSTRUMENTAL IN DEVELOPMENT DURING THE AFTERNOON
HOURS. DIURNAL ACTIVITY SHOULD INITIATE FIRST ALONG THE NRN
PORTIONS OF THE FRONT ACROSS ERN CO INTO SWRN NEB. STRONG SHEAR AND
JUST ENOUGH INSTABILITY ACROSS THIS REGION FAVOR NWD-MOVING
SUPERCELLS THAT COULD PRODUCE ISOLATED TORNADOES IN ADDITION TO
HAIL. LATE IN THE AFTERNOON CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES WILL BE REACHED
ACROSS THE TX PANHANDLE...THOUGH LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE MAY BE
SOMEWHAT WEAKER...INITIALLY...ALONG SRN BOUNDARY UNTIL LATER IN THE
OVERNIGHT HOURS. ISOLATED SUPERCELLS MAY DEVELOP ACROSS THIS REGION
THEN EVOLVE INTO LARGER THUNDERSTORM CLUSTERS OR AN MCS AS LLJ
INTENSIFIES AFTER DARK. THIS CONVECTIVE COMPLEX SHOULD PROPAGATE
EWD ACROSS THE SRN PLAINS...OVERSPREADING MUCH OF WRN OK/NWRN TX BY
12Z.
..DARROW.. 04/14/2009
Here's the latest probability graph:
DAY 3 CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
0228 AM CDT TUE APR 14 2009
VALID 161200Z - 171200Z
...THERE IS A SLGT RISK OF SVR TSTMS ACROSS THE CNTRL/SRN PLAINS...
...CNTRL/SRN PLAINS...
IT APPEARS UPPER LOW THAT WILL DIG SEWD ACROSS THE 4-CORNERS REGION
WILL BE NUDGED EAST ENOUGH THAT THE CNTRL/SRN HIGH PLAINS FROM
NEB...SWD INTO WEST TX WILL EXPERIENCE HEIGHT FALLS DURING THE
LATTER HALF OF THE PERIOD. MODELS ARE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT
STRONGEST MID LEVEL FLOW WILL ROUND THE BASE OF THE UPPER LOW ALONG
THE U.S./MEXICAN BORDER THEN EJECT INTO THE TX PANHANDLE AFTER 00Z.
SLOW EWD PROGRESSION OF UPPER TROUGH WILL MAINTAIN SSELY LLJ ACROSS
THE HIGH PLAINS WHICH WILL TRANSPORT MODIFIED BOUNDARY LAYER AIRMASS
AS FAR NORTH AS SWRN NEB AND EXTREME ERN CO WHERE SFC DEW POINTS
SHOULD RISE INTO THE UPPER 40S AND PERHAPS REACH 50F. FARTHER
SOUTH...50S DEW POINTS WILL BE COMMON ALONG DRYLINE SWD ACROSS TX
MOST OF THE PERIOD.
EARLY IN THE PERIOD IT APPEARS LOW LEVEL WARM ADVECTION WILL BE
PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR SCATTERED ELEVATED CLUSTERS OF
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PORTIONS OF WCNTRL TX...NWD INTO WRN KS. THIS
ACTIVITY SHOULD NOT PROVE PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT AS RECOVERING
AIRMASS WILL NOT BE THAT MOIST/BUOYANT. HOWEVER...WEST OF THIS WARM
ADVECTION ACTIVITY STRONG HEATING WILL BE NOTED ALONG
DRYLINE/FRONTAL ZONE FROM TX/NM BORDER NWD INTO ERN CO. THIS
HEATING WILL PROVE INSTRUMENTAL IN DEVELOPMENT DURING THE AFTERNOON
HOURS. DIURNAL ACTIVITY SHOULD INITIATE FIRST ALONG THE NRN
PORTIONS OF THE FRONT ACROSS ERN CO INTO SWRN NEB. STRONG SHEAR AND
JUST ENOUGH INSTABILITY ACROSS THIS REGION FAVOR NWD-MOVING
SUPERCELLS THAT COULD PRODUCE ISOLATED TORNADOES IN ADDITION TO
HAIL. LATE IN THE AFTERNOON CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES WILL BE REACHED
ACROSS THE TX PANHANDLE...THOUGH LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE MAY BE
SOMEWHAT WEAKER...INITIALLY...ALONG SRN BOUNDARY UNTIL LATER IN THE
OVERNIGHT HOURS. ISOLATED SUPERCELLS MAY DEVELOP ACROSS THIS REGION
THEN EVOLVE INTO LARGER THUNDERSTORM CLUSTERS OR AN MCS AS LLJ
INTENSIFIES AFTER DARK. THIS CONVECTIVE COMPLEX SHOULD PROPAGATE
EWD ACROSS THE SRN PLAINS...OVERSPREADING MUCH OF WRN OK/NWRN TX BY
12Z.
..DARROW.. 04/14/2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
Possible Dry Line Event Wed/Thursday
Although the weather models are not quite agreeing, there is the slight possibility of a dry-line severe weather event shaping up for Wednesday or Thursday. It depends how far west the dry line sets up before we will know if the Amarillo area will be included but most likely the Eastern Panhandle will see storms. Stay tuned!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Wildfires Ravage Oklahoma, Texas.
(CNN) -- Numerous wildfires were roaring Thursday through parts of Oklahoma and Texas, engulfing one town and searing neighborhoods in others, including one in Oklahoma City. Hurricane-force winds continued to kick the flames even higher.
The fires had engulfed so many miles of turf, and flying embers had sparked in so many different places, that hours after the first blazes were reported Thursday morning, safety officials still weren't sure how many fires they were facing.
In Texas, the 100-person town of Stoneburg was "burned over," by a 25,000-acre fire said Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Misty Wilburn.
The town, northwest of Dallas near the Oklahoma state line, had been evacuated, she said.
Seventy-five to 100 homes had been destroyed in Oklahoma, and 13 people were confirmed injured -- two of them critically, according to emergency officials. Watch homes in Oklahoma burn »
Wilburn said Texas authorities were working at least nine major fires Thursday evening, seven in the west of the state and two in the north.
"Everything we have is committed to fires," she said. "Everyone is maxed out."
Feeding the flames were strong winds that were gusting as high as 76 mph, the strength of a Category 1 hurricane, and grounding many emergency aircraft that can't fly safely in those conditions.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
VORTEX is back!
National Tornado Experiment to Begin in May
April 6, 2009
VORTEX2 is the largest and most ambitious field experiment in history to explore tornadoes.
A collaborative nationwide project exploring the origins, structure and evolution of tornadoes will occur from May 10 through June 13 in the central United States. The project, Verification of Rotation in Tornadoes EXperiment2 (VORTEX2 or V2), is the largest and most ambitious attempt to study tornadoes in history and will involve more than 50 scientists and 40 research vehicles, including 10 mobile radars.
“Data collected from V2 will help researchers understand how tornadoes form and how the large-scale environment of thunderstorms is related to tornado formation,” according to Louis Wicker, research meteorologist with NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory and V2 co-principal investigator.
Scientists will sample the environment of supercell thunderstorms — violent thunderstorms capable of producing damaging winds, large hail, and tornadoes — that form over more than 900 miles of the central Great Plains. Areas of focus include southern South Dakota, western Iowa, eastern Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, the Texas panhandle and western Oklahoma. The V2 Operations Center will be at the National Weather Center in Norman, Okla
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Dust Storm causing havoc in Amarillo Area!
A major dust storm is causing widespread problems in the Amarillo area with winds gusting up to near hurricane strength. For a current list of breaking news related to this storm, see the Twitter feed on the right.
Streaming scanner feed has been activated.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
LIsten in live!
During severe weather outbreaks in the Amarillo area you can now listen in live to our streaming radio scanner array for a small seasonal fee.
Whenever a tornado or severe thunderstorm watch is issued for Amarillo and adjacent counties we'll turn on feed and you'll be able to listen to:
Amarillo Department of Emergency Management
Amarillo Emergency Service
RACES/ARES Local area HAM severe weather networks
NSSL DOW Trucks (when operating in our local area)
Local public safety organizations including digital DPS P-25 broadcasts.
Aviation Weather
Area emergency operations centers.
System requirements:
Any computer running Windows XP (not Vista)and at least a 56K modem (although a fast (DSL or cable connection is preferable) and the Eazy Client streaming software will work.
Cost is $20.00 for three months (April, May and June) and is payable in advance.
Sign up soon because bandwidth is limited to 10 listeners!
For more information e-mail Steve Douglass at: webbfeat@gmail.com
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Current Kansas/Oklahoma Real-Time Chaser Links
For those wanting near real time information concerning the severe weather in Oklahoma and Kanasas should visit the folowing links:
Chaser TV. com
Live streaming video from chasers and spotters in the storm.
Amarillo chaser Steve Miller's video stream is HERE.
Severe Studios
Live streaming video from chasers and spotters in the storm.
Live NOAA Weather Radio Streaming audio (weatherunderground)
Check back for updates.
MESOSCALE DISCUSSION 0240
MESOSCALE DISCUSSION 0240
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1239 PM CDT MON MAR 23 2009
AREAS AFFECTED...CENTRAL KS INTO NRN OK
CONCERNING...SEVERE POTENTIAL...TORNADO WATCH LIKELY
VALID 231739Z - 231915Z
INCREASING CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT IN A N-S BAND ACROSS THE CENTRAL
THIRD OF KS AND INTO NWRN OK WILL REQUIRE WW ISSUANCE SOON.
A SHARPENING DRYLINE IS BULGING NEWD ACROSS WRN KS AND THE TX/OK
PANHANDLES ATTM...AS HEATING CONTINUES W OF THE LOW CLOUD BAND OVER
THE ERN HALF OF KS/CENTRAL AND ERN OK. DEWPOINTS IN THE LOW TO MID
50S AND TEMPERATURES NOW INTO THE LOW 70S HAS RESULTED IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF ROUGHLY 500 J/KG MIXED-LAYER CAPE...WHICH IS
SUPPORTING TCU/SMALL CB DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE DRYLINE.
AS AIRMASS FURTHER DESTABILIZES SUPPORTING CONTINUED CONVECTIVE
DEVELOPMENT...EXISTING SHEAR PROFILES ACROSS THIS REGION --
DEPICTING FLOW INCREASING/VEERING WITH HEIGHT -- WILL SUPPORT
SUPERCELLS. WHILE MODEST BOUNDARY-LAYER MOISTURE SUGGESTS
RELATIVELY HIGH CLOUD BASES...A FEW TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG
WITH HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.
..GOSS.. 03/23/2009
ATTN...WFO...TOP...ICT...OUN...GID...DDC...
LAT...LON 38999643 37809657 36399726 35609874 38749862 39919903
39989653 38999643
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1239 PM CDT MON MAR 23 2009
AREAS AFFECTED...CENTRAL KS INTO NRN OK
CONCERNING...SEVERE POTENTIAL...TORNADO WATCH LIKELY
VALID 231739Z - 231915Z
INCREASING CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT IN A N-S BAND ACROSS THE CENTRAL
THIRD OF KS AND INTO NWRN OK WILL REQUIRE WW ISSUANCE SOON.
A SHARPENING DRYLINE IS BULGING NEWD ACROSS WRN KS AND THE TX/OK
PANHANDLES ATTM...AS HEATING CONTINUES W OF THE LOW CLOUD BAND OVER
THE ERN HALF OF KS/CENTRAL AND ERN OK. DEWPOINTS IN THE LOW TO MID
50S AND TEMPERATURES NOW INTO THE LOW 70S HAS RESULTED IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF ROUGHLY 500 J/KG MIXED-LAYER CAPE...WHICH IS
SUPPORTING TCU/SMALL CB DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE DRYLINE.
AS AIRMASS FURTHER DESTABILIZES SUPPORTING CONTINUED CONVECTIVE
DEVELOPMENT...EXISTING SHEAR PROFILES ACROSS THIS REGION --
DEPICTING FLOW INCREASING/VEERING WITH HEIGHT -- WILL SUPPORT
SUPERCELLS. WHILE MODEST BOUNDARY-LAYER MOISTURE SUGGESTS
RELATIVELY HIGH CLOUD BASES...A FEW TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG
WITH HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.
..GOSS.. 03/23/2009
ATTN...WFO...TOP...ICT...OUN...GID...DDC...
LAT...LON 38999643 37809657 36399726 35609874 38749862 39919903
39989653 38999643
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Major Severe Weather Event in Oklahoma/Kansas predicted for Monday.
Watch how the event progresses here: SPC FORECAST PRODUCTS
If there is a major severe weather event, I will post links to real-time video and radio audio links tomorrow.
-Steve Douglass
2009 Amarillo NWS Weather Workshop Was An EF-5 Success!
It was good to see over 200 people attending the Amarillo NWS office's Bi-Annual Severe Weather Workshop at the Amarillo Civic Center yesterday (March, 22).
Storm chasers, spotters, local weather meteorologists and just plain ol' folk interested in our amazing Panhandle Skies filled the Heritage Room to listen to great lectures, watch amazing video and (or) take the annual Advanced Storm Spotters (NWS certification) course so they could be Oh-Ficial storm spotters.
There were also some weather-related booths set up by vendors and emergency management organizations. It did my heart good to see regular AES (Amarillo Emergency Service) members showing up to man their own (emblazoned with the logo I designed) booth (for a change) to try and snag a few recruits.
If you applied to the storm AES spotters auxiliary, drop me a line and I'll fill you in on what to expect. Don't expect kind words.
Never-the-less I will be spotting (independently) this year for the NWS and shooting for KVII which is a wonderful thing because I won't have to deal with the internal politics and egos (that unfortunately plague AES) and as a result am free to chase and spot anywhere and anytime I please.
Damn! Did i just post a tirade? I hate when that happens - oh well.
Back to the weather workshop.
Heres a shot of the NWS booth and some of the friendly folk who greeted us as we walked in.
NWS gave everyone a really nice rain gauge and a ticket for one of the door prizes, plus they had plenty of severe-weather related pamphlets and SWAG to snag, including stickers, pencils and weather coloring books for the kids.
I showed my video : "West Texas Weather Rhapsody" that (happily for me) garnered loud and long applause, as well as the much appreciated pats-on-the-back, and many "Ay Attaboy Steve" from many of my friends and fellow chasers.
It felt good to get the recognition especially in light of all the hard work that went into producing it, not to mention last year's non-severe weather season that started with wild fires and ended with my feud with AES and getting all my radio gear ripped out of my car by some dirty rotten thieving crack heads.
But I digress - again. Stop that Steve!
If you missed it, its posted HERE.
Door prizes (donated by Walmart) included some pretty nice stuff, including; weather radios, DVD players, digital weather stations, MP3 players, ice chests (with built in radios) and huge (official NWS) rain gauges, which the winners will see filled with dust this Spring if the drought continues.
But the show-stopper (and the prize everyone wanted to win) was a beautiful 32 inch HDTV.
At 12:30 PM the lectures began (intros by NWS Warning Coordination Meteorologist Steve Drillette) and included talks by the local TV weather-cast teams, John "JJ" Brost - Amarillo NWS, Kevin Starbuck (city of Amarillo) Emergency Management Coordinator (a guy I really respect) and the amazingly funny and informative Dr. Kevin Kiosel from the University of Oklahoma.
Dr. "wind is wind" Kiosel's lecture on the difference between downbursts, macro-micro -bursts and tornadoes was the highlight of the day.
Dr.Kiosel is a combination of serious professor/researcher and Bill Nye - The Science Guy and if you ever get a chance to hear him talk, you are in for a real treat. He takes the "sigh" of science that's for sure.
Here's a photo of him shooting huge vapor rings acros the room with his trash-can weather replicating gizmo.
In between speakers, door prizes were given away. Everyone laughed when Doppler Dave (KFDA) won a digital weather station and veteran Amarillo weather-caster) Rot McCoy won one of the jumbo rain gauges.
Speaking of Roy, a very touching moment occurred when Roy McCoy was introduced ( by KAMR's John Harris) and everyone stood up and gave him a great ovation. Anyone who lives in the Texas Panhandle knows that Roy McCoy is one of the area weather icons and it was good to see him get his due.
It was also great to see his son (Jay) was there to witness it.
All in all it was a very enjoyable event. I got to hob-knob with some old friends and fellow weather junkies such as Steve Miller, Jason Boggs,, Dale Stanton,, Ken Hanson and lots of others too many to mention here.
Here is a photo of the KAMR TV storm chase team (left to right) Steve Miller, Jay MCCoy and Jason Boggs.
To visit Steve Miller's Texas Tail Chasers blog click HERE.
View Jason Boggs' blog ( that's fun to say) HERE.
After the workshop I stayed for the Advanced Storm Spotters (NWS certification) course which was attended by even more people than the lectures. Those there to get their certification included housewives, smart kids, area-wide law enforcement and public safety officers, farmers ranchers, (and even yours truly) who had missed the class offered by the NWS in February.
And as if the skies knew - just s the class finished up, severe thunderstorm warnings were issued on storms just to our Northwest!
I'll close by saying a special thanks to everyone at the Amarillo NWS for their great sense of community awareness and for putting together a great workshop. See you in two years!
PS:
I case you were wondering - I won the HDTV.
:)
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Photography by Storm
By Steve Douglass
The tornado sirens wail, a sound that no matter how many times I’ve heard it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. But instead of doing what is instinctual, seeking shelter, I am instantly energized at the prospect that THE shot I have been seeking (since I began chasing storms some 30 years ago) could be at hand, the iconic image, imprinted on my brain since childhood (from the Wizard Of Oz) of a serpentine twister reaching out of the storm and sucking up whatever lies in its path.
Photographing storms can be one of the most exciting aspects of photography. It can also be lucrative, with news and photo agencies paying top dollar for exclusive images, especially of large damaging tornados. However, it can also be (second only to combat photography) one of the-most dangerous.
Storm photographers not only risk life and limb but their property as well. I’ve personally lost expensive equipment to hailstones, gusts of wind (toppling tripods with cameras attached) had lenses sandblasted with 100 mph airborne grit and internal sensors ruined by wind driven torrents of rain, and yet when storms threaten, I cannot remain indoors.
Storm photography embodies the often quoted notion of hours of sheer boredom only relieved by moments of sheer terror,or should I say "shear" terror.
Storm photography is exhausting, expensive and dangerous and unless you go out with the proper training, equipment and experience, you’ll either find yourself chasing rain shafts or end up on the wrong side of the storm, while the rain wrapped tornado, you can’t see is heading right at you.
Even with that in mind, and especially if storm photography is something you’d still like to embrace, here are the top six things you should know before venturing out into the wild blue.
Learn everything you can about the science of severe weather. Developing the skills of how to “read” a storm is paramount, not only to prevent getting yourself from getting killed or your vehicle trashed by grape-fruit sized hail, but to be able to put yourself in the best possible location (relative to the storm) for photography. If you find yourself wrapped in torrential rain or hail, not only is it extremely dangerous, but if you can’t see past the hood of your car you can’t shoot. The best way to learn the dos and don’ts is to attend annual storm spotter classes offered by the National Weather Service every year.
Not only will you learn the fascinating meteorology mechanisms that drive the storm but, you also might meet seasoned storm spotters (and chasers) whom you should befriend, because they can serve as your guide to finding the best storms while keeping you safe with their expertise.
If you aren’t confident in your storm-chasing skills, it is prudent to spend your first couple of storm seasons participating in ride-alongs, with a certified NWS storm spotter until you feel seasoned enough to go out on your own.
When it comes to equipment: the more bodies and lenses the better.
Bring along at least two cameras (or DSLR bodies) and assorted lenses. Most of your shots will be of the big beautiful sky so good wide-angle zoom lenses are a must. Telephotos are good when you don’t want to get that close to an angry and unpredictable storm. Since sometimes severe storms can change direction quickly (forcing you to move without much notice) it helps to have two camera bodies on hand, one equipped with a telephoto and one with a wide-angle zoom so you can switch instantly between the two. If a storm is bearing down, you can’t be fumbling with lenses. You have to be able to shoot fast and move at a moment’s notice.
Heavier is better but sometimes one leg is better than three.
In storm photography, a good heavy tripod is a must. Cheap department-store tripods won’t cut it in high winds, but no matter what you choose, make real sure it is one with a quick release head. You can’t be fumbling with a stubborn tripod screw when a storm has turned on you.
However, when shooting daytime storms, and light levels may be low due to heavy cloud cover, (anticipating you may have to set up and tear down in a hurry) consider bringing along a monopod. Not only can it help you hold your camera steady during longer exposures but it can also be broken down and stowed faster.
The Filter Factor.
Photographing severe storms will present you with some of the most difficult exposure challenges you’ll ever encounter. Deep black wall clouds, vibrant neon rainbows, and cloud colors ranging from neutral grays, deep sea-greens to luminescent oranges (and the ever changing pallet of mingling color and intensities) can fool even the most intelligent camera meter.
Split -field neutral density filters will help with the wide variance in exposure between earth and storm. Proper exposure of both the ground and the sky (one is usually two stops brighter or darker than the other) can be difficult with clouds varying in light intensity from bright white to deep black. Having both in the frame establishes scale.
Polarizing filters can help rainbows pop out brilliant from the dark rain. A skylight filter can help eliminate the overall bluish-cast cumulus clouds can have against a clear sky, not to mention, the added protection glass filters can give your expensive lenses from dust and rain.
Also consider purchasing virtual Photoshop filters such as the excellent NIK Color Efex Pro Series. They can make the difference between a blah shot and a wow shot.
Practice makes perfect and may also save your skin.
When skies are fair, rehearse setting up your camera equipment and tearing it down as fast as possible. Sometimes you’ll have all the time in the world to shoot, but there are also those times when every second counts and if the storm dictates you move, you move.
If you are tagging along with veteran storm chasers and they are threatened by the storm and feel they should back away, you best be ready when they are.
Be the calm in the storm.
There will come a moment, after many days and hours of fruitless and boring storm chasing, when everything comes together and you are in the right storm at the right moment.
When that happens, you better be ready. Here are a few good tips that will serve you well in the midst of the raging storm.
A water-resistant professional camera bag or photographer’s backpack, is a must.
Organize your bag and memorize where you put everything, or make a map of the contents so you won’t be frantically tearing the bag apart looking for that remote or gizmo while that rare white tornado dissipates.
Ziplock bags can help keep your equipment dry. Sometimes I cut a hole in a bag and put it over the camera just in case it should start to rain while I’m shooting.
A lens can get wet without incurring many problems but get water in your camera body and it can get expensive. If you do a lot of storm photography, consider buying a silicone body suit for your camera such as those made by Camera Armor.
If you camera does become wet, wipe it off as soon as possible with a soft lint-free towel.
If water gets in the body, turn the power off immediately, remove the battery and store it in a cool dry place for a day or more before turning it back on.
It’s also a good idea to remove the media and if it is dry use a card reader to load the photos into your computer.
Always bring along many more media cards than you think you’ll ever need. You’d be surprised (especially on long-duration, long-distance storm chases) how many photos you’ll take. You don’t want to be frantically deleting photos to make room for additional storm shots (you’ll wish you had later) or suddenly run out of room at a critical time.
Same goes for fully charged batteries or battery packs, you can never have too many. If you find yourself shooting time-exposures of lightning, you’ll be surprised how fast it will drain a battery.
It’s also a good idea to store your media cards in a metal tin. I once had an entire day’s shoot ruined because a friend stored my gear in the trunk on top of his subwoofer, the massive magnets erasing all my media cards.
If you are forced to switch lenses in a storm, try and do it inside the vehicle so there will be less of a chance your image sensor becoming fogged by high humidity.
If you have the capability, GPS-tag your photographs, they could be used later by the NWS to chart the strength and path of the storm. Since photos may have scientific value as well, share you photos with the NWS but make sure to tag them with your copyright.
Your chances for success:
The National Weather Service estimates that only one out of ten super cell thunderstorms will produce a tornado. Finding that one storm in ten takes training, lots of patience, experience born of years of observing severe storms and a copious amount of luck. Even then, most tornados are short-lived (less than 5 minutes) so if you are able to capture one on pixels, consider yourself among the privileged few.
But even if you never see a tornado, every storm presents many opportunities to capture something amazingly beautiful such as billowing cauliflower-like storm towers, ominous swirling wall clouds, ponderous-hail-laden mammatus, turning bright gold, then orange and then pink and purple by the setting sun.
But after dark is when the real light show begins when towering thunderheads glow a glassy blue-green as suspended hail reflects the last light of day.
But wait, there’s more.
Pull back from the storm and prepare to capture one of the most captivating and photogenic natural phenomena, bolts of electricity that can light up a thunderstorm like a Chinese lantern, visible even from space.
Severe thunderstorms in particular can be pulsing with high voltage, with some storms spitting out lightning more than 50 times a minute making it nearly impossible to not get at least one good shot.
But whether you decide to plunge into storm photography with both feet and actively participate in the chase or only shoot storms when you have the opportunity, do yourself a favor and take the opportunity.
You’ll find out that not only will you take some of the most striking images you’ll ever shoot but the experience of witnessing the full fury of the storm in such close proximity is a slice of your life you’ll never forget.
Top Tips For Shooting Stunning Lightning Shots.
Storm photographers have a saying, “Those who say only sunshine brings happiness have never photographed lightning.”
Although difficult to do well and potentially dangerous, once you’ve successfully photographed a lightning storm you’ll want to do it again and again. Lightning photos are some of the most (pardon the pun) striking images you’ll ever capture.
Safety first. Don’t get fried trying to get that shot!
Don’t park under tall structures that will attract lightning such as power lines or radio antennas. You don’t have to be in the storm itself to photograph the lightning. In fact the best shots can be had with the storm at a safe distance. When lightning is close, stay in your vehicle. You can even try photographing lightning with a tripod set up inside the back seat of the car, or if you are using a compact digital camera try using a Gorilla Pod that can attach to your car window allowing you to shoot safely inside your vehicle.
When it comes to capturing lightning, slower is better.
I’ve actually had people comment when they’ve seen my lightning images, “You must be very fast on the shutter to be able to capture lightning!” I usually chuckle a bit before I explain to them just the opposite is true.
It’s ironic that the photographic techniques employed to capture one of nature’s briefest lasting phenomena (sometimes existing for only a millionth of a second) involves slowing everything down.
If you camera is not capable of long exposure times (10 seconds or more) then you will be out of luck when it comes to lightning photography. The trick is to (after dark) leave your shutter open as long as possible so when lightning strikes it is recorded on the sensor.
Slow down the ISO as well.
Lightning bolts can be brighter than the Sun, therefore although you may be shooting in near pitch black conditions, you don’t have to use a high ASA/ISO. In fact, ISOs higher than 100 will not only cause the lightning to be overexposed but will also introduce unwanted noise you will have to deal with later, not to mention your images will also be more susceptible to electronic noise caused by the EMP (electro-magnetic-pulse) generated by close lightning strikes, not when the photo is being taken, but while the image is being written to the media.
Observe the storm for a few minutes while setting up your camera on a tripod. Lightning can happen anywhere in a storm, but happens most often where the storm is the most violent and in particularly the area of heaviest rain. Once you found what I call “the lightning core” aim you camera in that direction and start shooting your time exposures.
Depending on how frequent and close the lightning is it will take some experimenting on getting the exposure correct. I usually start with an exposure time of 15 seconds at f8.0 and work up and down the shutter speed dial from there.
Raw power requires RAW imaging.
If your camera allows you to shoot RAW, all the better. Although RAW images are larger and will take up more memory space on your media cards, once in your computer you’ll enjoy more editing control which is essential with lightning and night storm shots.
Especially in urban area, you’ll be surprised by the strange color castes caused by outdoor lighting reflected off low level the clouds. RAW gives you full control to exploit or eliminate the effects of street lighting on your images.
See my Photo.net portfolio HERE.
The tornado sirens wail, a sound that no matter how many times I’ve heard it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. But instead of doing what is instinctual, seeking shelter, I am instantly energized at the prospect that THE shot I have been seeking (since I began chasing storms some 30 years ago) could be at hand, the iconic image, imprinted on my brain since childhood (from the Wizard Of Oz) of a serpentine twister reaching out of the storm and sucking up whatever lies in its path.
Photographing storms can be one of the most exciting aspects of photography. It can also be lucrative, with news and photo agencies paying top dollar for exclusive images, especially of large damaging tornados. However, it can also be (second only to combat photography) one of the-most dangerous.
Storm photographers not only risk life and limb but their property as well. I’ve personally lost expensive equipment to hailstones, gusts of wind (toppling tripods with cameras attached) had lenses sandblasted with 100 mph airborne grit and internal sensors ruined by wind driven torrents of rain, and yet when storms threaten, I cannot remain indoors.
Storm photography embodies the often quoted notion of hours of sheer boredom only relieved by moments of sheer terror,or should I say "shear" terror.
Storm photography is exhausting, expensive and dangerous and unless you go out with the proper training, equipment and experience, you’ll either find yourself chasing rain shafts or end up on the wrong side of the storm, while the rain wrapped tornado, you can’t see is heading right at you.
Even with that in mind, and especially if storm photography is something you’d still like to embrace, here are the top six things you should know before venturing out into the wild blue.
Learn everything you can about the science of severe weather. Developing the skills of how to “read” a storm is paramount, not only to prevent getting yourself from getting killed or your vehicle trashed by grape-fruit sized hail, but to be able to put yourself in the best possible location (relative to the storm) for photography. If you find yourself wrapped in torrential rain or hail, not only is it extremely dangerous, but if you can’t see past the hood of your car you can’t shoot. The best way to learn the dos and don’ts is to attend annual storm spotter classes offered by the National Weather Service every year.
Not only will you learn the fascinating meteorology mechanisms that drive the storm but, you also might meet seasoned storm spotters (and chasers) whom you should befriend, because they can serve as your guide to finding the best storms while keeping you safe with their expertise.
If you aren’t confident in your storm-chasing skills, it is prudent to spend your first couple of storm seasons participating in ride-alongs, with a certified NWS storm spotter until you feel seasoned enough to go out on your own.
When it comes to equipment: the more bodies and lenses the better.
Bring along at least two cameras (or DSLR bodies) and assorted lenses. Most of your shots will be of the big beautiful sky so good wide-angle zoom lenses are a must. Telephotos are good when you don’t want to get that close to an angry and unpredictable storm. Since sometimes severe storms can change direction quickly (forcing you to move without much notice) it helps to have two camera bodies on hand, one equipped with a telephoto and one with a wide-angle zoom so you can switch instantly between the two. If a storm is bearing down, you can’t be fumbling with lenses. You have to be able to shoot fast and move at a moment’s notice.
Heavier is better but sometimes one leg is better than three.
In storm photography, a good heavy tripod is a must. Cheap department-store tripods won’t cut it in high winds, but no matter what you choose, make real sure it is one with a quick release head. You can’t be fumbling with a stubborn tripod screw when a storm has turned on you.
However, when shooting daytime storms, and light levels may be low due to heavy cloud cover, (anticipating you may have to set up and tear down in a hurry) consider bringing along a monopod. Not only can it help you hold your camera steady during longer exposures but it can also be broken down and stowed faster.
The Filter Factor.
Photographing severe storms will present you with some of the most difficult exposure challenges you’ll ever encounter. Deep black wall clouds, vibrant neon rainbows, and cloud colors ranging from neutral grays, deep sea-greens to luminescent oranges (and the ever changing pallet of mingling color and intensities) can fool even the most intelligent camera meter.
Split -field neutral density filters will help with the wide variance in exposure between earth and storm. Proper exposure of both the ground and the sky (one is usually two stops brighter or darker than the other) can be difficult with clouds varying in light intensity from bright white to deep black. Having both in the frame establishes scale.
Polarizing filters can help rainbows pop out brilliant from the dark rain. A skylight filter can help eliminate the overall bluish-cast cumulus clouds can have against a clear sky, not to mention, the added protection glass filters can give your expensive lenses from dust and rain.
Also consider purchasing virtual Photoshop filters such as the excellent NIK Color Efex Pro Series. They can make the difference between a blah shot and a wow shot.
Practice makes perfect and may also save your skin.
When skies are fair, rehearse setting up your camera equipment and tearing it down as fast as possible. Sometimes you’ll have all the time in the world to shoot, but there are also those times when every second counts and if the storm dictates you move, you move.
If you are tagging along with veteran storm chasers and they are threatened by the storm and feel they should back away, you best be ready when they are.
Be the calm in the storm.
There will come a moment, after many days and hours of fruitless and boring storm chasing, when everything comes together and you are in the right storm at the right moment.
When that happens, you better be ready. Here are a few good tips that will serve you well in the midst of the raging storm.
A water-resistant professional camera bag or photographer’s backpack, is a must.
Organize your bag and memorize where you put everything, or make a map of the contents so you won’t be frantically tearing the bag apart looking for that remote or gizmo while that rare white tornado dissipates.
Ziplock bags can help keep your equipment dry. Sometimes I cut a hole in a bag and put it over the camera just in case it should start to rain while I’m shooting.
A lens can get wet without incurring many problems but get water in your camera body and it can get expensive. If you do a lot of storm photography, consider buying a silicone body suit for your camera such as those made by Camera Armor.
If you camera does become wet, wipe it off as soon as possible with a soft lint-free towel.
If water gets in the body, turn the power off immediately, remove the battery and store it in a cool dry place for a day or more before turning it back on.
It’s also a good idea to remove the media and if it is dry use a card reader to load the photos into your computer.
Always bring along many more media cards than you think you’ll ever need. You’d be surprised (especially on long-duration, long-distance storm chases) how many photos you’ll take. You don’t want to be frantically deleting photos to make room for additional storm shots (you’ll wish you had later) or suddenly run out of room at a critical time.
Same goes for fully charged batteries or battery packs, you can never have too many. If you find yourself shooting time-exposures of lightning, you’ll be surprised how fast it will drain a battery.
It’s also a good idea to store your media cards in a metal tin. I once had an entire day’s shoot ruined because a friend stored my gear in the trunk on top of his subwoofer, the massive magnets erasing all my media cards.
If you are forced to switch lenses in a storm, try and do it inside the vehicle so there will be less of a chance your image sensor becoming fogged by high humidity.
If you have the capability, GPS-tag your photographs, they could be used later by the NWS to chart the strength and path of the storm. Since photos may have scientific value as well, share you photos with the NWS but make sure to tag them with your copyright.
Your chances for success:
The National Weather Service estimates that only one out of ten super cell thunderstorms will produce a tornado. Finding that one storm in ten takes training, lots of patience, experience born of years of observing severe storms and a copious amount of luck. Even then, most tornados are short-lived (less than 5 minutes) so if you are able to capture one on pixels, consider yourself among the privileged few.
But even if you never see a tornado, every storm presents many opportunities to capture something amazingly beautiful such as billowing cauliflower-like storm towers, ominous swirling wall clouds, ponderous-hail-laden mammatus, turning bright gold, then orange and then pink and purple by the setting sun.
But after dark is when the real light show begins when towering thunderheads glow a glassy blue-green as suspended hail reflects the last light of day.
But wait, there’s more.
Pull back from the storm and prepare to capture one of the most captivating and photogenic natural phenomena, bolts of electricity that can light up a thunderstorm like a Chinese lantern, visible even from space.
Severe thunderstorms in particular can be pulsing with high voltage, with some storms spitting out lightning more than 50 times a minute making it nearly impossible to not get at least one good shot.
But whether you decide to plunge into storm photography with both feet and actively participate in the chase or only shoot storms when you have the opportunity, do yourself a favor and take the opportunity.
You’ll find out that not only will you take some of the most striking images you’ll ever shoot but the experience of witnessing the full fury of the storm in such close proximity is a slice of your life you’ll never forget.
Top Tips For Shooting Stunning Lightning Shots.
Storm photographers have a saying, “Those who say only sunshine brings happiness have never photographed lightning.”
Although difficult to do well and potentially dangerous, once you’ve successfully photographed a lightning storm you’ll want to do it again and again. Lightning photos are some of the most (pardon the pun) striking images you’ll ever capture.
Safety first. Don’t get fried trying to get that shot!
Don’t park under tall structures that will attract lightning such as power lines or radio antennas. You don’t have to be in the storm itself to photograph the lightning. In fact the best shots can be had with the storm at a safe distance. When lightning is close, stay in your vehicle. You can even try photographing lightning with a tripod set up inside the back seat of the car, or if you are using a compact digital camera try using a Gorilla Pod that can attach to your car window allowing you to shoot safely inside your vehicle.
When it comes to capturing lightning, slower is better.
I’ve actually had people comment when they’ve seen my lightning images, “You must be very fast on the shutter to be able to capture lightning!” I usually chuckle a bit before I explain to them just the opposite is true.
It’s ironic that the photographic techniques employed to capture one of nature’s briefest lasting phenomena (sometimes existing for only a millionth of a second) involves slowing everything down.
If you camera is not capable of long exposure times (10 seconds or more) then you will be out of luck when it comes to lightning photography. The trick is to (after dark) leave your shutter open as long as possible so when lightning strikes it is recorded on the sensor.
Slow down the ISO as well.
Lightning bolts can be brighter than the Sun, therefore although you may be shooting in near pitch black conditions, you don’t have to use a high ASA/ISO. In fact, ISOs higher than 100 will not only cause the lightning to be overexposed but will also introduce unwanted noise you will have to deal with later, not to mention your images will also be more susceptible to electronic noise caused by the EMP (electro-magnetic-pulse) generated by close lightning strikes, not when the photo is being taken, but while the image is being written to the media.
Observe the storm for a few minutes while setting up your camera on a tripod. Lightning can happen anywhere in a storm, but happens most often where the storm is the most violent and in particularly the area of heaviest rain. Once you found what I call “the lightning core” aim you camera in that direction and start shooting your time exposures.
Depending on how frequent and close the lightning is it will take some experimenting on getting the exposure correct. I usually start with an exposure time of 15 seconds at f8.0 and work up and down the shutter speed dial from there.
Raw power requires RAW imaging.
If your camera allows you to shoot RAW, all the better. Although RAW images are larger and will take up more memory space on your media cards, once in your computer you’ll enjoy more editing control which is essential with lightning and night storm shots.
Especially in urban area, you’ll be surprised by the strange color castes caused by outdoor lighting reflected off low level the clouds. RAW gives you full control to exploit or eliminate the effects of street lighting on your images.
See my Photo.net portfolio HERE.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
See ya there!
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2009 Severe Weather Workshop Slated for March 21st
...FREE & OPEN to the Public...
The Amarillo National Weather Service (NWS), Amarillo Department of Emergency Management and Wal-Mart will host a Severe Weather Workshop on Saturday, March 21, 2009. Local television stations KVII-TV, KFDA-TV, KAMR-TV, Coffee Memorial and American Classifieds will co-sponsor the event. The workshop will be held at the Civic Center Heritage Room in downtown Amarillo and is open to the public, FREE of charge. Doors open at 900 AM.
The day will begin at 900 AM with a “Booth Fair”. Numerous weather, safety and emergency-related booths staffed by local and regional exhibitors will be available to the public until 1230 PM. Over 20 organizations are expected to staff booths, including the Amarillo NWS, Amarillo Emergency Management, Wal-Mart, KFDA-TV, KAMR-TV, KVII-TV, KGNC, Clear Channel, Amateur Radio Operators, Weather Lab, American Red Cross, TXDOT, Discovery Center, Amarillo Fire Dept, Texas National Guard, FastSigns, Specialty Supply, 911 Emergency, Chick-Fil-A, Sonic, Storm Shelters by Darrell, Amarillo Area Search Canines, and more! Weather radios will be on sale. KVII-TV Chief Meteorologist Steve Kersh, his staff, and the NWS will be on hand to assist in programming NOAA Weather Radios. In addition, *Coffee Memorial will be conducting a blood drive. All donors will be provided a complimentary “Thank You” t-shirt, a rain gauge, and a pet tornado*.
The General Session will begin at 1230 PM. Topics and Speakers for this session include:
• “A Review of the Historic 2007 Tornado Season” - John Brost, Amarillo NWS Forecaster
• “Recent Tornado Intercepts" - Doppler Dave Oliver & Staff, KFDA-TV Meteorologists
• “What’s New at Channel 4?” - John Harris & Staff - KAMR-TV Meteorologists
• “Tornado vs Downburst: What’s the Difference?” - Dr. Kevin Kloesel - OU Dept of Geosciences
• “Emergency Management’s Partnership with the NWS and Storm Spotters” - Kevin Starbuck, EMC Amarillo, Potter and Randall Counties
For those who wish to become Storm Spotters, the National Weather Service will offer a two hour Severe Storm Spotting Training Session at 530 pm, to close out the event.
The Amarillo NWS would like to express our sincere appreciation to all the many businesses and organizations for their contributions in making this event possible.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Ken the fence. The fence! DO YOU SEE THE FENCE!
All I can say is that our favorite flying Irishman must have found a four-leaf clover today because he did this:
His instructors said if he had been a few inches lower, he probably would have snagged the fence and planted his face deep in terra-firma.
Ken Hansen, you are a wee lucky man!
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