Altocumulus clouds, Cirrocumulus clouds, Cirrus clouds, Definitions, Sun pillar, Sunsets

Pillar of the sun

At sunset yesterday, this rarely seen optical display called a “sun pillar”:

6:58 PM. A sun pillar sprouted from the horizon due to a few plate-like ice crystals falling from those Altocumulus clouds.
6:58 PM. A sun pillar sprouted from the horizon due to a few plate-like ice crystals falling from those Altocumulus clouds.

SONY DSC

Waited for a cute bird or bat to fly above or through the pillar, making it a more popular, valuable photo; instead a helicopter came by.  But it “works” as shown below.  You’ll have to look hard, but its there.

also at 6:58 PM. "Sun pillar with helicopter" $975.
Also at 6:58 PM. “Sun pillar with helicopter” $975.  But, if you call now, you’ll get TWO of these exact same photos for $1,950.

 

Some of yesterday’s other interesting cloud formations:

4:25 PM. Patch of CIrrus spissatus with flanking CIrrus uncinus.
4:25 PM. Patch of CIrrus spissatus with flanking Cirrus uncinus.

 

 

5:30 PM. CIrrocumulus (left side, fine granulation) and Altocumulus (larger more separated elements) right side. The whitish veil to the left of these droplet clouds are ice crystals.
5:30 PM. CIrrocumulus (center, left, fine granulation) and Altocumulus (larger more separated elements) right side. The whitish veil to the left of these droplet clouds are ice crystals that likely formed within them.
6:38 PM. The fine and extremely delicate patterns in Cirrocumulus clouds still amaze.
6:38 PM. The fine and extremely delicate patterns in Cirrocumulus clouds still amaze.

Today’s clouds

Weak wave/trough passing to the south of us has some great middle and high clouds in it, splotchy ones that are sometimes incredibly spectacular, clouds like Altocumulus castellanus/floccus with virga. Just looked outside now and some of those are to the southwest of us at 5:35 AM. You can see how complex the cloud coverage is at IPS MeteoStar’s sat-radar loop here.  They’ll be gone later today so enjoy them while they’re here.

The Weather Ahead

There are many troughs foretold for the Southwest and Great Basin area over the next two weeks.  That the good news; it also goes with long term climo patterns that troughs like to nest in the Great Basin.  But none extrude far enough southward, that is, the jet stream racing around the trough bottoms does not reach us,  to bring precip to southern Arizona.   Occasionally precip hits northern Arizona over this two week period, which is good, of course, for them and water supplies.  In fact, its not even likely that we’ll see a cloud below 10,000 feet above ground level here if this pattern holds.  And with troughs and low pressure centers nearby to the north, periods of windiness and dust will occur as they go by.

Fortunately, I guess, there’s little confidence indicated in these forecasts beyond about 11 days, NOAA spaghetti says, and so there are surprises that can pop up yet.

The End.