Author: Art Rangno

Retiree from a group specializing in airborne measurements of clouds and aerosols at the University of Washington (Cloud and Aerosol Research Group). The projects in which I participated were in many countries; from the Arctic to Brazil, from the Marshall Islands to South Africa.

Trace King; how to be one

Had a trace of rain yesterday, August 5th, in Catalina as a few drops fell just after 5 PM, and again just after 8 PM.  If you weren’t outside or driving in the neighborhood, you wouldn’t have noticed. I always felt recording a trace of rain was important, but the recording of traces is definitely… Continue reading Trace King; how to be one

In case you missed it…

yesterday’s lightning criss-crossed rainbows over Catalina/Oro Valley.  Couldn’t capture the lightning, but two strokes occurred while this glorious rainbow was in progress.  Once again, being from Seattle, I have to say, “Never seen that combination before.”  I now really wish the University of Washington had had a branch campus in the Tucson area–go Huskies!  … Continue reading In case you missed it…

Anyone for sprouts?

Man, I wanted some sprouts so BAD yesterday afternoon!  But, no, it looked like there weren’t going to be any.  The air seemed to be too dry near the tops of the small Cumulus clouds that populated our sky until 3:30 PM LST.  But then, voila, sprouts!  Little acorns grew into huge cauliflowers!  And then,… Continue reading Anyone for sprouts?

The “boys” are back in town; those Cumulonimbus ones

Who can forget “Thin Lizzzy”?   I guess everyone.    A reminder of their one hit below: “Guess who just got back today? Them wild-eyed boys that had been away Haven’t changed, haven’t much to say But man, I still think them cats are crazy” After some English language deviations above, it was great to… Continue reading The “boys” are back in town; those Cumulonimbus ones

In case you missed it-a spectacular, if odd, partial rainbow

Have never seen anything like this, shot taken about 5:50 AM LST yesterday, July 26th.  My best guess is that it was a partial rainbow, made possible by the small region of rain falling out of these Altocumulus opacus clouds.  Probably some bulges in those tops above where the rain is falling so that they… Continue reading In case you missed it-a spectacular, if odd, partial rainbow

The color of rain

In case you missed it last evening….   Don’t forget, too, that if you are standing in sunlight AND rain, that you are IN somebody’s rainbow.  In fact, whereever the sunlight is hitting the rain is somebody’s rainbow.  You can only see the one the laws of physics combined with drop sizes allow you to… Continue reading The color of rain

0.04 inches is all

Well, it was reel good to get some rain, but we were SO close to a big dump!  Of course, the sophisticated reader will have noticed right off the air was larded with Floridian-style humidity yesterday morning.  And what was the other sign for great (large) clouds immediately in front of you?  Clouds topping Mt… Continue reading 0.04 inches is all

Thursday, July 21: a dry day with a nice sunset

Here’s the sunset, in case you missed it and were watching something like Entertainment Tonight and weren’t out enjoying the real world, which is so much better: Now for some educational material.  And don’t tell me, “We don’t need no education”–who were the morons who sang that??? (Of course, you all know the answer, Led… Continue reading Thursday, July 21: a dry day with a nice sunset