The Universe is funny like that.
Too many of us never quite figure it out.
Today was a good day to remember that. Tomorrow will be too.
Category Archives: Weather
Take Time To Look Up
It was a “nose to the wheel, shoulder to the grindstone” sort of day. Working at the computer on my desk, my back is to the windows. I tend to take a glance every now and then, but today it was more “then” than “now.” Our new intern stopped by for something and said that it was beautiful out on my side of the building with the sun coming out and the clouds clearing.
She was not inaccurate.
Filed under Photography, Weather
As 2016 Departs
(click on the image to get the full-sized, 6868×3077 pixel, 11MB file)
About thirty minutes ago, the sky turned pink outside. It had been gray and rainy all afternoon and I could still hear rain hitting the skylights, but now it was like we were inside a giant, pink, neon light.
I don’t know that I consciously knew what was happening, but I grabbed my camera, an umbrella, and ran outside. (This is why I keep a cocked and ready camera sitting near the door.)
Unlike yesterday, this starts to approach being a “Noah on Mt. Ararat” class rainbow. With a little teasing while combining the five images in PhotoShop, you can see part of the outside arc of the double section in the upper right corner.
More on 2016 later…
Filed under Christmas Lights, Panorama, Photography, Weather
Signs & Portents Where You Can Find Them
We went and saw “Rogue One” (wonderful, but darker than normal for the franchise) and “La La Land” (outstanding, fun, and the opening 7-1/2 minute tracking shot musical dance number is amazing, so don’t get there late!) and then saw this after grabbing some dinner.
It might not be up there as a “Noah on Mt. Ararat” class rainbow, but I’m not going to be picky right now. Pretty is pretty and there’s way too much gloom and doom lurking about out there.
I hope that each of you found some light and beauty somewhere today. And tomorrow, too.
Filed under Movies, Photography, Weather
Not An Exact Science
As a rule, weather forecasting is pretty good these days. Your 48-hour forecast is usually about 90%+ reliable, and even 72-hours out you’ve got a pretty decent chance of being in the ballpark more often than not.
Every rule can be broken.
We’ve been watching the weather forecasts closely, since we’re getting ready to pour concrete again and we’re on a tight deadline. On Tuesday morning there was a meeting in which I specifically looked at multiple weather apps on my phone and saw 0% chance of rain today through tomorrow afternoon, a 10% chance of rain for tomorrow evening, and 0% chance of rain for the next several days after that.
Here’s the current radar:
Photo credit: National Weather Service
We’re under one of those red spots. It is freakin’ coming down in sheets and buckets.
The first sign of any change was this morning when we woke up. The local morning news guy sounded confused, saying there were light showers moving into the area that had “caught them off guard.” The prediction then was for spotty, off and on showers for a couple of hours.
Photo credit: National Weather Service
It has rained off and on all day, but about 6:00 tonight, it really started to come down. Driving home from our office Christmas party, there were whole blocks where the street flooding was so bad that, for the first time in my 45+ years of driving, I really wasn’t sure that I was going to make it through. At one point I thought I was going to be a news story tomorrow, under the headline of, “What In Hell Was He Thinking?”
Oh, and the weather forecast for the next several days? Steady rain through tomorrow morning, tapering off for about 12 hours, then on Friday from about noon on into early morning Saturday an even bigger storm moves in. Granted, we need the rain after five years of drought, but a little “head’s up!” would have been appreciated.
We’ll see. Your 48-hour forecast is usually about 90%+ reliable…
Filed under Los Angeles, Weather
Fog, Low Clouds, Drizzle
Click to enlargenate – look for all of the little blue taxiway markers like diamonds out there in the gloom at sunset.
I don’t know why they call it “gloom” – I thought it was lovely and quite pretty.
Filed under CAF, Panorama, Photography, Weather
Sunday Sunset From Up In A Tree
While putting up Christmas lights yesterday, I took a peek at what was turning out to be a pretty neat looking sunset. My apologies if some of the pictures aren’t perfectly composed – I was shooting off balance with one hand, holding onto a creaking tree branch with one hand, and holding onto the ladder in an attempt to not break every bone in my body with the other hand.
Good thing that the ground was soft and mushy after a couple of days of rain! (Ask me how I know…)
Filed under Christmas Lights, Photography, Weather
I Want To Be That Bird
Dramatic post-storm skies are dramatic – especially in this desert paradise.
I was thinking that I would love to be up there playing among those clouds. I would probably have to settle for a small plane, or maybe an ultralight. Perhaps a powered parachute. But what I would really love is to be a bird, just drifting on the currents, coasting, spinning, diving, climbing…
It was only after I got home tonight I saw the bird near the middle of the photo.
I’m glad someone got to enjoy those thermals!
Filed under Flying, Photography, Weather
Cloudy Halloween
It was a nice enough sunset, the high wispy clouds turning pink, at least where you could see them through the low marine layer moving in.
Which is lovely, except that we like to bring out all of the telescopes on Halloween and let the trick-or-treaters look through them. To the east, where the leading edge seen above was coming from, it wasn’t promising.
I waited as long as I could, but it wasn’t looking any better. You could see a star her or there poking through the clouds, and I could see Venus setting in the west, but I decided to knock it off.
Of course, ninety minutes or so later it was clear as a bell and folks were wondering why the telescopes weren’t out. (Yes, they really do remember and they really do ask. This is a good thing.) Too late by then.
Next year…
Filed under Astronomy, Photography, Weather
A Little Bit Of Weather
A little bit of weather goes a long way in Southern California!
A 0.10″ of rain and presto chango! The freeways are gridlocked. But at least the sky looks lovely while you’re going nowhere fast.
I swear, it would cause less congestion to get 6″ of snow. At least then (most? some?) people would pay attention and drive just a hair more cautiously.
Filed under Los Angeles, Photography, Weather
We Love The Stars Too Fondly 