Cloud Photos

[Silas_Sancona]

Nice Cirrus displays..

[Silas_Sancona]

...Winterclouds...





















Rare sight in the low desert:  Isolated, late night "winter"  convection dragging just enough cold air down below them for the precipitation falling to be icy in nature and easily picked up by reflected city light, before descending through warmer air close to the surface where the precip. is falling as light rain. ( "Melt line" is just above where the roofs of the apartments in the background are )  In this particular batch of showers, no hail / snow flakes reached the surface as it passed overhead. A few spots around town saw a flake or two fall as other showers passed by.  Effect is similar to what generates Mammatus clouds, just wayyy lower.  Had it been about 7 degrees colder when these showers rolled through, ( Was clear and 44F before they formed ) we'd have seen some flakes..




More of what i like to refer to as "Wintergold"   ..Dust, Pollution, ..trapped lower in the atmosphere by our cooler weather lately, and how the lower sun angle this time of year reflects it.. or something else.. It's been a good season for this near-sunset phenomenon the last few weeks.










 

[Silas_Sancona]

Wintergold  is neat enough.. but liking the Winterpearl  seen near sunset on Saturday..  Couple pictures of a diffuse "Sun Dog" as well


"Winterpearl":  Iridescent, Mother-of-Pearl Clouds












Diffuse Parhelia, aka Sun Dogs




Look closely for the color..


Decent attempt at a Sun Pillar, though not quite perfect.



Super-rare,  cloud-related event that took place over the Bay Area several days ago.. Very uncommon to see these anywhere that far south.




 

[Silas_Sancona]

Winterclouds, with a view..

Blackwater area looking east.. Pimple-looking hill near the horizon on the left is Poston Butte, near Florence. Distant peak almost dead center is Pinal Peak.



Catalinas from Tohono Chul Park..



Twin Peaks / east facing side of the Tucson Mtns. North end.



Tortolita Mtns and north face of the Catalinas / Mt. Lemmon in view.





Ragged Top and the Silverbell Mtns ( Peaks to the left of Ragged Top ). west of Red Rock / Marana, in the Ironwood Forest N.M. 







Newman Mountains..  Hard to see under the lighting conditions but hillsides are reasonably green atm from recent rains.

[Silas_Sancona]

WinterClouds...   ...The Chilly and Dusty edition...








...And a chilly, dusty Sunset..


 

[Kim]

Extremely strong winds created these unusual lenticular clouds over Hawaii Island. Winds touched down in Leilani Estates as well, bringing down many trees including 2 in my garden that fortunately only skimmed fronds off palms. No lasting damage. The largest tree that fell (photo 4) was 60 or  more feet high.

[Silas_Sancona]

While we've avoided most of the Atmospheric River-driven rain soaking a good chunk of California ..and Hawaii of late,  upper level moisture passing through has been creating some great sky optics, esp. closer to sunset when thicker areas of moisture / clouds created by it cross the area,  and a somewhat unusual cloud set up yesterday..



















Chunky / lumpy, summer-like looking Cumulus development over the mountains north ..or east.. of town isn't unusual as we transition out of winter cool season into the warm season when a disturbance passes through ..usually signaling some sort of Convective-driven shower activity occurring up there as whatever disturbance is causing it passes on by.

The Lenticular "Cap" atop this area of showers/ storms as they skirted the northern edge of town yesterday is a little more unusual.. Looking at it, first thought was that these showers were likely producing lightning / hail and sure enough, when i checked radar/ satellite imagery, they were doing exactly that.

Very moist West Southwest to N.N.E wind flow moving into the tops of these storms was responsible for the smoothed look, and keeping the individual Cumulus tops from reaching higher into the atmosphere. The "tilt" caused by this type of set up was actually generating rotation in the mid levels ( usually a sign of a frisky storm(s) capable of producing large hail, maybe a funnel, or weak Tornado. ) Despite that, storms dumped a bit of rain in some spots, but behaved themselves as they headed east.

During the summer, ...here ..and pretty much anywhere when convectively driven storms form..., you might see similar "Cap" -type clouds as Cumulus clouds grow up and through such a layer of moist air somewhere in the middle/upper atmosphere, but they usually continue to grow vertically, up past that cap instead of being sheered off / blown down wind in the dominant flow at X level.


 

[Silas_Sancona]

First hints of the transition toward " warm season " cloud types as some convectively - driven Cirrus species ( Yes, Clouds have species too ) get pulled into AZ from the E. Pacific..












Interesting, breaking waves as a tiny disturbance moving by from the south, moves in, made visible by upper level clouds attempting to form in each of the wave's peaks..





Bank of Cirrus doing it's best Thunderstorm structure impression..



Sometimes, all you need is a single cloud for a neat shot..

[Daryl]

On 12/20/2022 at 3:09 AM, Silas_Sancona said:

Wintergold  is neat enough.. but liking the Winterpearl  seen near sunset on Saturday..  Couple pictures of a diffuse "Sun Dog" as well


"Winterpearl":  Iridescent, Mother-of-Pearl Clouds












Diffuse Parhelia, aka Sun Dogs




Look closely for the color..


Decent attempt at a Sun Pillar, though not quite perfect.



 

I saw one of these 'Mother of Pearl' clouds here a few weeks ago...snapped it with my iPhone...

 

 

[Daryl]

A couple of cloud photos from recent times...

First one is the usual afternoon thunderstorm buildup clouds...

 

And this is really more of a rain photo, but nice dark clouds and squall line enveloping the coast...

 

 

[Foxpalms]

[Silas_Sancona]

Warm Season " Cloud Candy " from the last few weeks..

Main " cloud Species "  include Cirrus and Alto-type clouds..  For the detective cloud watcher, see if you can find the pictures containing Iridescent Mother of Pearl in the clouds.






























"Cloud Hound" perhaps.. Yes, i still look for critters in cloud formations.



In this circumstance, clouds were deep enough to generate barely detectable spit, but are still considered higher altitude cloud types. Great examples of Convective, high based cumulus generating Virga ( Rain that doesn't / barely reaches  the ground ) Last shot in the group esp.















Weak, brightness-wise,  but first Circumhorizontal Arc ( Fire Cloud ) attempt of 2023. Another band of thin Cirrus tried but failed to light up as it passed near the " sweet spot ' below the mid day sun about an hour later.


 

[Foxpalms]

Small village in the canary islands with the clouds passing over the mountains.

Edited April 28, 2023 by Foxpalms

[Butch]

Butch

[Silas_Sancona]

Some recent Cloud Candy.. As we await sum'more..  " Interesting Cloud Watch " issued starting Sunday for AZ / CA.

..Ask and you may receive..   First legit Circumhorizontal Arc of the year










22deg halo + CHZA





Seriously bright " Sun Dog "









" S " stands for..





Various convectively driven Cirrus and Alto species..









Interesting " Mother Of Pearl " -type clouds at sunset..









Tail end of our " weird " little cold front that rolled through this morning..  If you were out before ..or after.. it rolled through, you'd have never guessed it looked a bit ominous for a couple hours..

Headed out to get some Grit..



Headed back, note the dusty haze over the San Tans..



From the Park..

[Butch]

Pacific Beach CA, USA..

Butch

[Silas_Sancona]

On 6/3/2023 at 9:03 AM, Butch said:

Pacific Beach CA, USA..

Butch

Fantastic shots Butch!    Making me really miss being closer to a beach atm, lol.. First and last shots are very moody.

[Silas_Sancona]

Some recent stuff.. and dark skies during our brief " May-soon "

Circumhorizontal Arc captured headed back from Oak Flat / Picket Post Mountain..  Very difficult to get the exposure correct, esp when taken while driving.









Zelda character?, or Flying  Squirrel?, Beaver?, Rat??



Photogenic Pileus ( ...Aka : Veil-like cap clouds that form above rapidly rising, convectively driven Cumuliform clouds )








A few repeats included from another thread:  Something about these shots evokes the essence of the upland portion of the Sonoran Desert..



















Those stormy skies during that surprise " May-Soon " episode.. Real content w/ how some of the shots came out..



























 

Random extras...















 

[Silas_Sancona]

More recent Cloud Candy....

Silver - hour 22deg Halo



interesting views.. W/ some passing feathers..









Scenes like these make me ponder the deg. of influence / inspiration similar cloud-scapes might have had in ancient, indigenous Petroglyph Art ..I know how i might interpret such views if motivated to draw or paint it.. 

Sun is a bit more blown out ( Bright ) than i'd have wanted, but, ..that's how it goes sometimes..



















.....














..And then came Sunset, and a seriously moody " Blue " Hour




...And a seriously crispy Cirrocumulus sheet the next morning... 2 perspectives,  Not sure which i like more.. Exposure may be a touch too dark ( personal critique, haha )





 

[Butch]

On 6/4/2023 at 2:26 PM, Silas_Sancona said:

Fantastic shots Butch!    Making me really miss being closer to a beach atm, lol.. First and last shots are very moody.

Thank you… It was a fun week on the Crystal Beach Pier…

Butch

[Silas_Sancona]

Sky - Lights:    22deg Halo, Circumhorizontal Arc(s) / Fire Clouds,  Mother of Pearl Iridescence...






















































 

[Silas_Sancona]

Convective Cirrus " Streets ", Waves,  " Sky Rain, "   Stringy things,  and some wild " Silver and Gold " hour skies:






Kelvin Helmholtz Wave structure attempt..




Sky Rain and would be Mammatus..





Strings N' things..










More wild, near-sunset hour skies..

[Foxpalms]

A group of interesting looking clouds just passed by. The sky has been clear and these were the only clouds in the sky I could see.

[Rivera]

Redwood City, CA

[Silas_Sancona]

CHzA ( CircumHorizontal Arc )







First " Summer Duster " of the season...

[Silas_Sancona]

Post -Sunset Cloud Iridescence. Unlike similar optical effects seen in Cirrus-type clouds, iridescence is often caused by super cooled water droplets, rather than ice crystals, at least in the Troposphere. 







Some late night, convective- origin Cumulus  Castellantus forming along an outflow boundary near a large storm that collapsed just before moving into town from the south. Torn / ragged look to the bases of the clouds is often a good indication that as the boundary tried to move north, there wasn't enough moisture around to help these continue developing into additional storms.

For continued development, you'd want to see a sharp, flat, and well defined baseline, ..with each " Turret " looking sharp and rising rapidly / organizing into bigger storm " cells " ...IE:  groups of small, individual storms that merge together into larger storms over time.

In the second shot, can see how each cloud leans in response to stronger wind at X level above it's base pushing each tower forward.  Under this circumstance, the towers eventually get sheered off before they can develop into anything.

[Silas_Sancona]

Waves





I agree, lol..



Another nice example of ACCSvF  ( Alto Cumulus  Castellantus variety Floccus )



Laminar Inflow features.. No, the pictures aren't blurred.. An example of near perfect, warm n' wet moisture being pulled out of thin air into a building Cumulus Congestus. Sometimes referred to as " Upgliding "





Introducing...  ...The world's smallest rain shower 🙃( Perhaps, lol ) 



Another bright CHzA, ( CircumHorizontal Arc )













Last vestiges of a weak CZA ( CircumZenithal Arc ) Not a Sun Pillar  because there is no " beam " of reflected ice crystals that moves up into the sky from horizon, to below the CZA. Sun pillars are also less common in the Summer months.  Too high above the horizon for a Tangent Arc as well.

[Silas_Sancona]

The storm that tried,   ..Part # .............











A little monster,








....and another  passing shower...




 

[Silas_Sancona]

San Tan Work.. ( When they help generate terrain- driven storm activity )..  Particular storm sat over a small area of San Tan Valley for over an hour dropping up to 2" of rain, and causing localized wind damage as it collapsed.  Sometimes ( ..during a wet year, lol ) such activity leads to widespread storm generation over the valley.. Not the case this time. Go figure, lol.







Dark Sky try-outs ..2023, pt. #1











Sort -a- 'bow  #1





Sort -a- 'Bow ...#2

Edited August 27, 2023 by Silas_Sancona
edit

[Silas_Sancona]

...Hilary,   ....is that you??



Hilary Waves






Hilary Gold






Hilary  " Sort -a- Bow "  ...Part # 1










 

[Silas_Sancona]

Hilary Dark Skies trials and stacks. ...Hard to discern in the shots but this shows an example of  " stacked " cloud formations along an advancing gust front.





Dramatic rays. and Mother of Pearl..












Hilary " Sort -a- -Fire- Bow "  If only the cloud base were a few deg higher than the roof line of the Hospital as tis rainbow tried to develop..





The other end:  ..It's there, if you look hard enough..



More bark than bite, here at least..







 

Edited August 28, 2023 by Silas_Sancona
edit

[Silas_Sancona]

More " Carrot Dangling "  from the east...  " Pop up over the mountains, and die as they try to move off the mountains, into the valley "...  Theme of summer 2023..







Storm over the Tohono O' odham Nation, just over 100 miles due south, near the AZ/ Mexico border.



Some nice Mammatus under this particular storm..










....Just about time for the " August Sunsets " Roundup..

Sneaky Peaky:

Who said clouds aren't colorful...








Even " after dark "

[Butch]

Tulum Mexico...

Butch

[Silas_Sancona]

Some shots of that weird, brief hybrid storm from a couple weeks ago..

As mentioned, if you look close at the overall structure,  this event exhibited many similarities to " Low Precip " Supercells : High, mainly rain-free base / majority of rain / hail occurring  out ahead of the updraft core,  small but quite vigorous updraft region, and wall cloud- like base. Unlike a traditional Supercell, this storm was " forced " by nearby topography, thus, by many definitions, it would be considered a " pulse " type of storm ( develops fast / dies out about as quickly ) ...which took on brief supercell characteristics  as it broke free from the terrain that helped get it going.  Very similar to a past event, about the same time of year a few years back, that also generated a similar type of storm. In the case of that event, the storm's life was longer / top out height a bit higher.  wall cloud on that storm exhibited brief, but clear rotation that could have generated a funnel / weak Tornado ..if it touched down.



Some Friday Afternoon Science:

Beginning / Terrain- induced phase:  In a typical " pulse " storm,  the updraft region would stay locked over a mountain,  while the top is blown down wind ..out ahead of the storm.  After awhile,  shadowing from the top  in the storm's general path would cause the storm to die out as it tries to break away from where it started. 

Overall look is kind of weak.. distant base doesn't look like much/ updraft area doesn't look all that strong / powerful.  As each  updraft " pulse " is dragged downwind, base lifts and rains itself out, while the active core is still hung up over a mountain ...of just to the east of it.



developing Anvil top.. Each " blob " of cloud material is a pulse..





" Ramp up to Supercell "  phase:  In the case of this storm, the updraft area stayed clear of where the anvil shadow path was and ..because there is additional, moist inflow being drawn in toward the storm from the right, it is maintaining it's strength as it is dislodged from the mountain where it started..

Overall look is stronger.. Base appears to be tightening.. Updraft core exhibiting explosive growth tendencies, and standing more vertical..









" Supercell " Phase / Max intensity Phase:  Note the skinny,  but explosive updraft core that has a very weak spin to it, and a very obvious base. This was the point where there was non stop, loud thunder high up in the updraft region  ..a sure sign this storm is trying to grow stronger..  Just a touch more strength and this storm would have been a Javelin tosser ( AKA: Lots of big, cloud to ground bolts )

Overall look is a skinny,  but very impressive looking, explosive updraft core..  Base is exhibiting the slightest of spin / exhibiting some deg. of wall cloud formation..  Rain and downdraft area staying out ahead, but away from the updraft area.. If that rain cooled air suddenly starts moving toward the core, it will cut it off  the updraft and start the storm's decay process.. In legit Supercells, these two areas will move somewhat in tandem until something causes one area to speed up / slow down, often at the expense of the other area of the storm.  Out in the Plains, if such a " low " precip  storm moves into an area of deeper moisture before it dies out, it can transition into the giant " High " precip. Supercells most people have seen pictures of.









Note the slightest bit of spin on the left side of the updraft about midway up the cloud.. can already see hints that the core is being shoved forward ( towards me )  / downdraft area wants to try and cut it off.





" Blowout " phase ( Where the updraft core / inflow region is pushed ahead faster than what would be ideal to keep the overall storm going ) Note how the approaching base appears tilted as it heads in my general direction.. Is essentially trying to shear itself off the overall storm.

Note that the updraft area is more tilted than vertical and headed towards me faster than several minutes ago..  In the last two shots, you can see the base is being choked out by cooler outflow undercutting it. it has now become dominant as it too moves toward me..  The last powerful updraft of this storm is now starting to collapse ..hence the intense rain shaft developing while the base starts to lift..

By this point, while there was still thunder, the " intensity " of it had quieted down ..another indication this storm was on it's death bed.








Lift and dissipation Phase:  = No well- defined base / wall cloud -esque structure gone as the storm passes off to the east and decays.  If it had maintained it's peak strength, you'd still see an active updraft core tailing the storm as it moves out..



Some Rain shafts ..and " Sorta - Hail"  ( ...Mainly half melted stones as the precip. area of the storm moved overhead ) as it approached / passed ) By Low Desert standards, Good-sized hailstones regardless.  One of these days, we'll get some big o' Hail here..









Rain / Hail " foot " 









" Sorta - Hail ,"  ..about half the size of a dime..

[Silas_Sancona]

 " Sun Dog " /  Parhelion    ..and some diffuse bits of a 22deg Halo above the brighter " spot "












A couple, final monsoon-esque storm scenes for the year as a low- topped storm sits anchored over the Superstitions / Oak Flat / Globe area to the east of town.. Not enough juice above to get it  ..or enough lift energy from it's outflow  to generate any showers closer to the valley with this event.

Edited October 12, 2023 by Silas_Sancona
edit

[Silas_Sancona]

A few clouds ..and a " Chicken Hawk "

Classic " viewing the sun through translucent glass " Cirrostratus..



Alto stratus waves, with a hint of iridescence..



Autumnal Cirrus mix,  ...w/ a " Chicken Hawk " spy.  ...Get your tin foil hats folks,  ...you're being forced ..to be hungry,  lol.  

Would it have been weird if  " 99 Red Balloons " was blaring from above? 🤔 Some will get the implied joke..

Edited November 2, 2023 by Silas_Sancona
edit

[Silas_Sancona]

More Parhelion, Some " Silver Sheen ", and the faintest attempt at a " Fire Cloud " ..an uncommon sight during the cooler months when the sun is at a low angle / altitude in the sky.


Faint Fire Cloud:



" Silver Sheen " ..While not an " official Ice Crystal - generated  " Atmospheric Optical Phenomenon ( Should be )  this hard to spot and capture ( more often than not ) " Phenomenon can occur during the cooler months when the sun is much lower in the sky than what would be optimal for Circumhorizontal Arc formation during the Summer.. Is essentially  a greatly " muted " CHzA since it occurs directly below the sun ( 5 to 8 o' clock position below the sun in the sky ) during the mid day hours ( Time of day when you'd be able to view a CHzA )..

While it would look like patches of brighter Cirrus, compared to the rest of that cloud type in the sky at the same time, if  you carefully observe it vs. the rest of the Cirrus, you'd be able to tell that this particular patch is brighter, indicating the Ice crystals it is made up of reflecting more light, like a Prism. Being so low in the sky, compared to when this occurs during the summer months, colors are muted ..or pretty much absent.



In this example, it can form near a " Sun Dog " this time of year when the low angled sun hits a patch of highly reflective Ice Crystals ..often on the outside end of a Sun Dog. If the clouds were thinner above and in the direction of where the sun is, the Silvery portion of the cloud would reflect more colors ..like a really wide Sun Dog..



Parhelion

[Silas_Sancona]

Some nice end of the world Asperitas clouds for ya'





Always like the " Isolated dark clouds in front of an opaque Sun " effect..   ...#2? ..Is that a sign?

[teddytn]

A few from recently in TN

[Silas_Sancona]

Some late Autumn Cirrus cloud-scapes, and some wild iridescence..









Lone Cloud shadow




I've seen some good examples of iridescence but not quite this vivid ..nor techni-colored waves

Illumination phase...





Odd green color i can't recall seeing in any past iridescence displays..



Technicolor waves ..Pretty sweet..









Copper and Violet sheen..






Finale..