Iphoneography

It is unusual for our area to see discrete thunderstorms — individual storms visible against otherwise clear skies — so we miss out on some thrilling sights. The anvil or thunderhead of a strong storm usually happens above a lower cloud layer in our region, hidden from those of us who appreciate such things. On July 20, 2022 a severe thunderstorm rolled right overhead. I’ve rarely, if ever, heard so many cracks of thunder so close by. I was indoors, did not see the mammoth bolts directly above my roof, and was actually getting concerned the house, or my tall flagpole, would be hit. I was close to being afraid of the lightning, and that’s very unusual! The storm passed, as storms do, and I took a peek through a window. To the west the sky was clearing as the clean edge of the thunderstorm moved east but then the thrill: mammatus clouds! Technically, mammatus are not rare phenomena, often hanging from the anvils of thunderstorms, but we rarely see them here for the reasons given above — we rarely see the anvils. The sky was full of them! I grabbed my iPhone (nearest camera) and hurried outside. Though I feared it would end quickly, the display went on til after dark. Here are a few views…

Right after the rain ended, as the storm was moving off, we remained under the anvil where a tremendous display of mammatus clouds was happening. Photo by James Guilford

Mammatus clouds hanging beneath the anvil of a retreating thunderstorm, the edge of the anvil visible against blue sky. The clouds form due to extreme turbulence in cloud — discrete pockets of air sinking at high altitude. Photo by James Guilford.

And then came sunset! The mammatus-filled sky lit up in sunset colors in a show that persisted through twilight. Photo by James Guilford.

Wind vane and anemometer of my weather station silhouetted against a most dramatic sky. Photo by James Guilford.

Sheldon Marsh – Wetland Panorama

A favorite place of ours and of many actual birders is Sheldon Marsh, a spit of land that extends from the south shore of Lake Erie in Huron, Ohio. A paved pathway runs from the parking lot nearly to the beach – a protected natural area. The preserved environment serves as a place for migrating birds to rest and refuel, and as permanent residence for others. With little breeze Sunday, the open water areas were mirror-smooth. It was pleasant to once again hear the sounds of birds from the still-bare trees. Canada Geese occasionally had raucous disagreements and small flights of Mallard Ducks could be heard “squeaking” overhead. Heard from surrounding brush were Red Winged Blackbirds with their raspy and warbling calls. Downy and Red-Bellied Woodpeckers could also be seen and heard. Now the wetlands just south of the lake are relatively still, though the population and activity will steadily rise as spring and its birds return.

PhotonStopper

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All posts tagged Iphoneography

Mammatus clouds make a showing

The still of the wetlands

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