Hoarfrost in Whoville...

Facebook is a great indicator for determining where someone is in their photography. When I recieved no comments and only one "like" for the two I uploaded from this session, I figured it had to do with the following...

a.) They aren't good pictures
b.) The majority of people do not "like" anything Winter
c.) I am a rare fool who thinks frost is interesting

Whatever the reason may be, it's all good. I know where my photography falls as being marginal and yes, Winter does suck so no better way to deal with the next few months than to find opportunity in whatever may be around. In the case for today, moisture escaping from within a landscape retaining wall and being instantly crystallized upon meeting an 18 degree F air temperature would be it. The season is young so brace yourselves for more boredom just like this! :)

Turbulent Cloud Textures

After getting my kid off on the bus, I took a short drive into the country to check out some of the turbulent cloud textures under the lead edge of an advancing warm front. Had I posted this blog earlier today, I would have been excited for this system was forecast to bring our first measurable snow. As the forecast evolved throughout the day, it does not appear much is expected to fall. Winter systems with cloud similar to this are often a good indicator that snowfall may be imminent which was my thinking at the time along with just about everyone else down at the bus stop.

Colorful Sunday

Watching satellite through the overnight, I knew the cloud shield advancing from the SW out ahead of an approaching warm front would drape over the state in such a way as to create an incredible sunrise. What I wasn't paying attention to was that all of my camera batteries were just about kicked. Attempting to record video for a time lapse, the first to go was my digicam so I missed the magic moment. Thinking I was still alright, the main Canon battery was DOA upon flipping the switch. Swapping out to the backup, I got three shots off from which the first image comes before it too died. Minutes later, the scene went nuts and I was completely beside myself. The second shot was some time later on the digicam which I was able to power up for a few seconds.





Much later and with full batteries, I went for a walk. Not much to see but made due and especially with the funky fungi as seen below through the macro attachment.

another flyby...

It was disappointing to miss the ISS/Atlantis flybys due to cloud cover when they were happening last week. Nevertheless, the ISS is always a worthwhile opportunity when it comes around. Heading out at dusk, conditions were still fairly bright thus long exposures weren't really possible. I did manage to at least get Ava into a shot which is a first for me and does open interesting possibilities for future flybys.

Sunset


On cue, mere 0.8 second exposure.

FROPA

is a meteorological abbreviation for the term "frontal passage" and is also an expression we use to celebrate the passage of boundaries that most people are completely oblivious to. With the first of two systems to affect our region during this Thanksgiving period, I noted significant clearing on satellite behind the daytime precip. With this in mind, I set out in the hope that the setting sun would go nuts under the base of the low cloud deck. Such did not happen as it was past peak on arrival of the boundary but the passage still made for an interesting opportunity albeit dark and melancholy :)

Monday Night

Goofing around in downtown Decatur IL

Weldon Fog

With a temperature hovering around freezing and a dense fog advisory in effect, I decided to take a drive up to Weldon Springs Park and walk the trails. For as many times as I have been there, I had never walked the Nixon Farm Trail. There is an old abandoned farmstead that I am told is haunted. Though I cannot verify this, the fog definitely made for an eerie experience :)





















Spotted numerous deer, all clearly spooked as evident by the occasional rounds of shotgun fire that could be heard echoing through the woods.

Missing Ingredients

After having been without my truck this past week for being in the shop, I decided to take it for a ride this afternoon. There was a washed out boundary on radar approaching from the NW. What made this significant is that there were light returns feeding into it indicative of surface backed activity. Using this as an excuse to just get of the house for a little while, I headed up into SE Logan County.

Leaving everything at home except cameras, I went completely on visual. Break reveals the exceptionally low cloud tops.


This is where it kind of gets interesting. Note the striations, you are looking SW but winds were gusting at my back and feeding into the feature. There is a definite rolling motion going on but because there is no lift, what could be rotating updrafts are merely horizontal.


Moving a bit closer, if we had better moisture, instability and lift, this may have very well been a mesocyclone. In the time lapse video found HERE, you should be able to make out the various non-linear motions. Call this the magic moment for it is here that sunlight is filtering through the clouds to create the faint color you see.




What hopefully lends credibility to the above non-event, I was at ground zero for where the Williamsville tornado of August 19th chewed a path through here and laid down a large swath of corn. This would be just out of frame to the right of the above shot. Had they not cleared the field, you could make out the path as it stretched to the SW along the entire foreground. I would have liked to stay for more pics but I was out of light and getting low on fuel.


One more to the NE from somewhere near Chesnut/Beason Park.


Heading home which involved back tracking up 54, I stopped at Kenney to get their grain elevator. The shadow of the flag is what drew my attention. Very busy place up there right now as well as out in the fields where the farmers are working around the clock to make up for lost harvest time.