Cumulonimbus clouds, Cumulus clouds, Definitions, Rain shafts

Summer thunderstorms continue to say goodbye in spite of suggestions that they had already said, “goodbye”

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Oh, well.  When you’re sloppy and asleep at the wheel, think you know more that you really do, that’s what happens, “weather surprises” that shouldn’t be.

But, what a gorgeous day again!  Really, with the smoky skies gone I am so appreciating a blue sky pocked with Cumulus and Cumulonimbus clouds!

Lettuce reprise yesterday in all its unexpected glory:

8:56 AM. Shallow Stratus-like cap cloud tops the Catalinas, a sign that the lower level moisture is still abundant. But is there anything topside of these clouds? I didn't think so.
8:56 AM. Shallow Stratocumulus-like cap cloud tops the Catalinas, a sign that the lower level moisture is still abundant. But is there anything topside of these clouds? I didn’t think so.  Too dry for anything deep was the flawed thinking.  I really admire people like myself that admit error.
10:46 AM. The early Cumulus sprouts. No problems here, so pretty, too.
10:46 AM. The early Cumulus sprouts. No problems here, so pretty, too.  You can see how the wind increased with height by looking at this crosssection of the clouds and how they lean to the right in their upper portions.
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11:55 AM, an hour later. What’s that to the SW, upwind, and in the distance?   Huh.
11:55 AM, an hour later,zoomed view. No doubt about it, all Cumulus hell is breaking loose.
11:55 AM, an hour later,zoomed view. No doubt about it, all Cumulus hell is breaking loose.  That cloud is going to reach the ice-forming level.  This is incredible considering what was thought about the day this very morning.  I’m happy that it looks like its going to rain somewhere, but sad for myself that I did not see this happening because I was lackadaisical. There is no happiness that exceeds having rain in a desert and you predicted it!
11:56 AM. Cu just sitting around just looking pretty over there to the NW.
11:56 AM. Cu just sitting around just looking pretty over there to the NW.  BTW, this house will be for sale soon with its million dollar view;  yours for half-price, $500,000 if you call today!  (CMP used to live here. so it has some extra caché.)  haha
12:08 PM. Look at the ice in that turret! "Unbelievable", having indicated the clouds were going to be too shallow for ice development.
12:08 PM. Look at the ice in that turret! “Unbelievable”, having indicated the clouds were going to be too shallow for ice development.
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12:14 PM. Rain shaft develops… Maybe its a one-shot wonder. Pretty, though, as EVERYTHING was yesterday. Too seductive for my camera!

 

12:23 PM. I am beside myself, in conniptions looking at this jolt; looks nuclear, to reflect a newsy theme of the day.
12:23 PM. I am beside myself, in conniptions looking at this jolt; looks nuclear, to reflect a newsy theme of the day.  And now we have some serious shafts, too.
12:43 PM. Thunder and the whole bit, a major shaft roll across the desert NW of Saddlebrook and Catalina. Wow.
12:43 PM. Thunder and the whole bit, a major shaft roll across the desert NW of Saddlebrook and Catalina. Wow.  What a day this turning out to be!
1:02 PM. Almost ideal shot of a Cumulus congestus all by itself there. Catalina Mountains really didn't participate much, no rain shafts developed withing sight.
1:02 PM. Almost ideal shot of a Cumulus congestus all by itself there. Catalina Mountains really didn’t participate much, no rain shafts developed withing sight.
3:38 PM. The major cells had "left the building" and for a time looking upwind, there was an impression that it was all over, the subsiding, dry air was now mashing down cloud tops to where no more ice could form. That was not to be the case!
3:38 PM. The major cells had “left the building” and for a time looking upwind, there was an impression that it was all over, the subsiding, dry air was now mashing down cloud tops to where no more ice could form. That was not to be the case!
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3:48 PM. Some nice shadows around, not that the action is over…  Was it?  Nope.
3:50 PM. A distance rain shaft! Unbelievable! The day is still giving after it looked like all that subsidence was coming in! (I was pretty excited here, as I am sure you were, too.)
3:50 PM. A distance rain shaft! Unbelievable! The day is still giving after it looked like all that subsidence was coming in! (I was pretty excited here, as I am sure you were, too.)
4:08 PM. More astounding by the minute, considering how late it was in the day, for this big boy to erupt.
4:08 PM. More astounding by the minute, considering how late it was in the day, for this big boy to erupt.  Will it hit Catalina?  Will is last long enough to do that?
4:16 PM. Taller yet, though some of this straight up look is actually due to the top of this Cumulonimbus calvus leaning over us.
4:16 PM. Taller yet, though some of this straight up look is actually due to the top of this Cumulonimbus calvus (verging on the hairy looking, “capillatus” version_  leaning over us.  That’s partly why the rainshaft has thinned from the prior photo.  Unless another turret shoots up, it may be all over.  Some thunder rumbled out of this cloud, too.  Well, it moved rapidly toward the NE from here, missing most of Catalina, the bottom evaporating up leaving only an icy debris cloud during the next half hour.  No photos.  I was driving somewhere….which prevents taking photos as has been mentioned here on numerplus occasions.  (Hah!  “numerplus”, a typo that might become a new word!)
4:29 PM. This beauty beyond the Charouleau Gap. Can you tell that the top knob has converted to ice?
4:29 PM. This beauty beyond the Charouleau Gap. Can you tell that the top knob has converted to ice?  I hope so.
6:01 PM. Pretty scenes aren't always just in the sky, but in the lighting of stuff, to be poetic. And, with a rain gauge in it, can it be any better as a scene?
6:01 PM. Pretty scenes aren’t always just in the sky, but in the lighting of stuff, to be poetic. And, with a rain gauge in it, can it be any better as a scene?

Since I was clueless yesterday, will remain quiet about today’s weather, though we do have low level moisture around as clouds are again topping the Cat Mountains.

We’ll still get into some early winter like weather in only a week–that’s pretty much in the bag.  Probably no rain, though, just a bit of a very windy day or two and very cold air for the time of year plopping over us.  Our TEEVEE weather folks are surely all over this!

The End.

 

4 thoughts on “Summer thunderstorms continue to say goodbye in spite of suggestions that they had already said, “goodbye””

  1. Our summer is saying “goodbye’ here as well, but with sunshine and a nice temperature in the mid-60’s. We’ve had some rain this month, but it looks like this will be another drier than normal month.

    1. I’ve noticed that summer goodbye up there as friend in SEA have started to use heat in their homes! Yikes.

      I hope that forecast is off some, and its more of a normal month for you up there. I really against dry.

      a

  2. I love this blog! What a service you are doing to educate us with blow-by-blow descriptions of the clouds–and being so darn funny while you do. Thanks, Art!

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