It Isn't Rain Rain You Know . . .

The first three images are from today's storm. The bottom two images are from yesterday's storm.

The end result of both is a lot of damage to other areas but little around us. The two did dump almost 3 ins. of rain.

As I arrived home yesterday, the northern sky was outstanding. Image #5 was the whole sky looking dark but at the bottom, there was a fast moving cloud. I walked down the drive to capture a better shot. It was then I noticed the fast moving large black mass was moving so fast my camera's automatic focus could not keep up.

Image #4 is the end picture with the small "finger" coming out the front. I looked south over my shoulder and another fast moving black mass was coming fast. As I rushed up the drive, I hit the door just at it let loose.

This evening was an orchestra of lightening and thunder. Image #1 is the site of many lightening strikes. My camera, although pretty darn good, just isn't fast enough to catch lightening on purpose. It was hitting all over to the south but as soon as I would focus and wait on one site, it moved to another.

Then the bucket turned over and heavy rain started in earnest. Both Image #2 and #3 are taken to the south out my picture window. Weather guys said the wind was in excess of 50 mph but I'm not sure it was that bad here since we had no wind damage. The fields were quite flooded as the runoff started to pour towards the creek.

Summer storms present great photo opportunities if you can catch them at the right times and still be near shelter. Clouds are so awesome if you take the time to see them building. Supposedly there was rotation in the ones down southwest of where Sue lives. That area was hard hit last night.

For those of us who enjoy a good non-damaging storm, this hot humid weather is a sure recipe. Get our your camera the next storm and capture nature exploding all around. Just don't be foolish because - as I've stated before - nature bats last and always wins.

Here's some of my personal storm picture rules: Do not stand outside, unprotected, when you hear thunder. Lightening is usually hitting before the line of clouds. You are not protected under a tree, park shelter, & out in the open. If you do the old one-thousand one etc. between the lightening and the thunder and it is four or less - you are C R A Z Y if you are standing outside. If you hear a crack and a boom at the same time, get inside and fall on your knees and say your "thank-yous" because you have just been saved from a rather nasty fry daddy experience.

No picture is worth injury or death. I would never make a storm chaser - I'm satisfied with that one beautiful cloud shot - from a distance - l o n g distance! That is why they make zoom lens and edit/fix.

"It isn't raining rain you know - it's raining violets." I'm curious: Just how many violets are there per inch of rain by weight? Has anyone investigated?