After a sumptuous day of Cumulus and Cumulonimbus clouds yesterday, a long period mostly devoid of any Cumulus clouds is expected to begin after today.
Cumulus congestus and Cumulonimbus clouds rose early and often to the north of Catalina, but did not launch off of the Catalinas as expected with a minor exception that only the best of the CMJs would have noticed. If you want to see the whole day, devoid of blabber, take a gander at the U of AZ Weather Department time lapse film here. Very summer-looking video yesterday with the Cu moving from the SE as we see on most summer rain season days.
![DSC_4883](https://cloud-maven.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/DSC_4883-1024x682.jpg)
![DSC_4884](https://cloud-maven.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/DSC_4884-1024x682.jpg)
- 10:45 AM. Lookin’ good for a Cb launch at this point, especially with all the Cbs on the N horizon by this time, indicating unusually fertile grounds for a big cloud growth on the Catalinas.
![1:58 PM. As Bob Dylan wrote, "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere."](https://cloud-maven.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/DSC_4900-1024x682.jpg)
The wait for an explosive development over or near the Catalinas went on and on with nothing happening. In the meantime, Cumulonimbus clouds were getting closer and closer to the north of us.
![2:22 PM. As close as they got. Cumulonimbus calvus ("bald") protrudes above the lane divider line on Oracle, about 20 miles N of Catalina.](https://cloud-maven.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/DSC_4914-1024x682.jpg)
![DSC_4929](https://cloud-maven.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/DSC_4929-1024x682.jpg)
![DSC_4933](https://cloud-maven.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/DSC_4933-1024x682.jpg)
![DSC_4935](https://cloud-maven.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/DSC_4935-1024x682.jpg)
![DSC_4936](https://cloud-maven.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/DSC_4936-1024x682.jpg)
![DSC_4937](https://cloud-maven.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/DSC_4937-1024x682.jpg)
![DSC_4938](https://cloud-maven.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/DSC_4938-1024x682.jpg)
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3:43 PM. Frame from the U of AZ time lapse camera showing icy top over Catalina. Was it the “Little White Cloud That Cried?”, produced a few raindrops? I think so, since you really have to have ice nearly all the time around these parts to get rain. I’ve spent a LOT of time on this cloud. Maybe its because we won’t see anything like this for so long now.
While the rain at the beginning of April has disappeared altogether in recent model runs (ones after 11 AM AST yesterday), it will likely return in the future. Also, mods now think some rain might occur a week from now.
The End, for awhile.