Category: Altostratus clouds

Smoke and mirrors in the models; fire in the sky

For those of you who have forgotten that heavy metal pioneering band, Deep Purple, and their hit, “Smoke on the Water”, to which this post sort of alludes to, straining really, take this.    It was kind of fun to see this “songumentary”, because it was about something that really happened.  In a line out… Continue reading Smoke and mirrors in the models; fire in the sky

Pomp and circumstance, but only a hundredth

“Pomp”, in the form of some thunder and lightning, and a few hail stones between 10 and 10:30 PM AST; “circumstance” with a pretty strong trough going by.   But they only delivered a hundredth of an inch of rain at the ground here in Catalina.  I guess the bugs will be satisfied, but it… Continue reading Pomp and circumstance, but only a hundredth

“And I think its going to rain today”

Well, how can we forget that mournful Leonard Cohen song?  And the sweet rendition of that tune by Judy Collins?  It was played a lot in Seattle, of course, where I’m from.  But, it also looks like it might be apt for late today right here in Catalina.  Check out this “incoming” here from the… Continue reading “And I think its going to rain today”

Twice as nice; 0.53 inches in Catalina (0.58 inches as of 6:39 AM AST)

What a superb rain that was last night.   It just kept coming until finally we piled up an astounding-to-me 0.53 inches by 4 AM this morning.  The regional rain reports from around Tucson can be found here.  As you will see, the upper regions of the Catalina Mountains got around an inch (1.22 inches at… Continue reading Twice as nice; 0.53 inches in Catalina (0.58 inches as of 6:39 AM AST)

Pretty and eerie skies yesterday; let the rain begin today

Here are some examples from yesterday’s pretty, then toward evening, eerie skies with sprinkles, the latter due to backlit Altostratus opacus mammatus, to go the whole nine yards, an icy cloud with downward hanging protuberances that resemble something.  I’ve reduced the size of that image accordingly.  Below, in sequence, 1) Cirrus, 2) Altocumulus, 3) the… Continue reading Pretty and eerie skies yesterday; let the rain begin today

Models warming up to rain; some cloud shots from yesterday

Been kind of sitting around waiting for the billions/trillions of numerical model calculations to get it “right”, that is, to come back with some decent rain SOMEWHERE in Arizona after some pretty sad  dry model results over the past couple of days. Today,  the great USA WRF-GFS model (rendered by IPS Meteostar) finally got it… Continue reading Models warming up to rain; some cloud shots from yesterday

While waiting for a “better” numerical model output….

As we say, “if you don’t like the model run now, wait 6 h and get a new one with different results.” Last night’s model run based on global data taken at 5 PM Arizona time, was truly mediocre in rain in Arizona in the week to two weeks ahead.  Sure, great storms bash northern… Continue reading While waiting for a “better” numerical model output….

Grandson of “Frankenstorm” knocking on Heaven’s door (Catalina, Arizona)

Well, I think Catalina, AZ,  being next to the Catalinas, is “Heaven’s door”.   I think, too, to have a second consecutive thought,  that we’ll get more than an inch out of this Big Boy which is rare here in Catalina for a storm in the wintertime.  Not close in areal extent to the original… Continue reading Grandson of “Frankenstorm” knocking on Heaven’s door (Catalina, Arizona)