No, Cirrus is NOT a microbrew as you may have thought from the title and if you were visiting this site for the first time. (and to continue being juvenile from yesterday’s “Dusty Parhelia” submission because that’s who I am….) In fact, Cirrus clouds are the exact opposite of a microbrew. Cirrus is a high… Continue reading More Cirrus on tap today
Category: Cirrocumulus clouds
Stories from the field; yesterday’s clouds
While waiting for the next big thing, that big Cal storm on the 12th, one that buzzes AZ with a chance of rain a day or two later, but one that will certainly dredge up dust here (you might say that an occurrence of dust is “in the bag” with it, as it should be… Continue reading Stories from the field; yesterday’s clouds
Cirrus altocumulus castellano-floccogenitus
We had a rare form of Cirrus yesterday, whose name I have made up in the title as a hint of where they came from, due to the very high altitude and low temperatures of some Altocumulus yesterday. Those Ac morphed to Cirrus, hence the strange, unpronounceable title. Reminder, weatherscience mavens, its more proper… Continue reading Cirrus altocumulus castellano-floccogenitus
Arriving in local skies today: clouds, high and middle ones
Now that your camera battery is fully charged, you will be ready for the panoply of high and some mid-level clouds that will be arriving overhead today. Should make for some great sunrise and sunset shots, but also daytime shots due to the interesting twists and turns in the Cirrus (ice) clouds that will float… Continue reading Arriving in local skies today: clouds, high and middle ones
Rain today, clouds yesterday
Yep, that’s right, rain IS imminent! In case you forgot what they looked like, there’ll be a display of “hydrometeors” before 7 AM here in Catalina. Should last the whole morning at least. If you don’t believe me and think I just made this up, go here. BTW, “hydrometeors”; what real meteorologists, well, maybe pretentious ones,… Continue reading Rain today, clouds yesterday
Yesterday’s clouds, dust, and smoke; virga ahead
It was zero visibility in Parhrump, Nevada, yesterday afternoon with wind gusts to 85 mph, as the cold front was about to crash on by. I guess we were lucky to only have 40-50 mph puffs of wind here in Catalinaland overnight, and not so much dust (yet). A sharp, but dry cold front… Continue reading Yesterday’s clouds, dust, and smoke; virga ahead
“Gutter ball”
Like an errant bowling ball (you remember bowling, don’t you?), the models are now pretty much in agreement that instead a “strike”, or at least a “spare”, or even a few “pins” being knocked down here in Catalina, by our approaching, spinning “ball” of low pressure, it is now foreseen to end up as a… Continue reading “Gutter ball”
Cirrus show
Just a couple of photos of yesterday morning’s glorious display of Cirrus (OK, “uncinus”) clouds, those high, icy white ones that were so fantastic enhanncing the desert and Catalina mountain background, taken from on top of a horse. As you know by now, those Cirrus clouds are composed of tiny ice crystals, but, as tiny… Continue reading Cirrus show
Complications in the sky
First of all, let me assure quesy readers that the jet leaving the contrail at left was not “flaming out” and about to crash as it traversed the sky at this time, as the staccato nature of the contrail at left might suggest. The staccato nature of the contrail is due to vagaries of humidity… Continue reading Complications in the sky
Bloggin’ cold, maybe snow here in Catalina
But first, “storm” 3 of six as foretold many days ago by our wonderful numerical models having “billions and billions and billions” of calculations (to use a numeric phrase made popular by the late Carl Sagan) is going to pass over today. Hoping for a sprinkle late in the day, but virga seems likely in… Continue reading Bloggin’ cold, maybe snow here in Catalina