Storm Pictures

[tonycondon]

Had some nice thunderstorms blow through this morning. someone at work had the presence of mind to snap some shots of the mammatus before it hit hard. very clear edges and cool pictures.

 

[AdamZ]

Tony that is cool. But just what exactly is it and how does it form?

 

[river_rat]

Tony that is cool. But just what exactly is it and how does it form?

Here is little info

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammatus


greg

 

[ScottM]

Any aerial pictures Tony? I bet you could have acaught a few good updrafts

 

[tonycondon]

yea i just need to get that turn and bank installed, and get an O2 system and id be good to go.

"Des Moines approach, glider 373Y looking for IFR, request Block 3000-20000"

 

[CJones]

Here is little info

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammatus


greg

---------------
It is very common for storms producing mammatus clouds also to produce wind shear, and possibly—though less likely—ball lightning; therefore, aviators are strongly cautioned to avoid cumulonimbus with mammatus.
---------------

Mamatus = BAD.

-Chris

 

[tonycondon]

bah, all that stuff is OUTSIDE of the clouds

It is actually fairly common for glider pilots in England to use building thunderstorms to gain large amounts of altitude. Its the only way to get Gold (3000 meter) and even Diamond (5000 meter) altitude gains over there. Tow into leading edge, pop out the top, and then ride down the backside. This of course is with IFR clearances and IFR equipped gliders/pilots. On the days in the midwest where the cumulus builds big but doesnt form into tstorms, you could easily pop out the top at 20000 or greater and not have to worry about the usual bad stuff associated with full blown tstorms.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

This of course is with IFR clearances and IFR equipped gliders/pilots.

and with parachutes! Sheesh, that's too wild for my blood.

 

[Richard]

Any aerial pictures Tony? I bet you could have acaught a few good updrafts

Not in mammatus. Expect shear and mod to severe downdrafts.

 

[Lawreston]

Ya; I was in Lewiston -- 25sm from home --yesterday for the 1000 mile required-checkup for my Harley. Beautiful riding day, temps in the high 70s. During the return trip I stopped at a new Giant Chinese Buffet/200 selections.

Burrrppp!; having entered the cavernous facility -- sunny WX -- I exited to falling rain -- #%*&#@! -- though the bike was parked on the sidewalk under an overhang. Oh well; have to do it, so I started the journey home. It got worse: booming thunder, crashing lightning while I crouched behind the windshield and hit every red light while en route. It soon felt as though I was wearing 10" boots in 14" of water. Upon arrival home, never did a hot tub feel so good.
Others weren't so fortunate; http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/local/060621tentdeath.shtml

HR

 

[tonycondon]

Richard-
from wikipedia again:

The atmosphere must also meet certain conditions, which include a moist and unstable middle to upper atmosphere over a very dry, lower layer of the atmosphere. An updraft then must occur, which shapes the mammatus into the pouch-like shape.

anywhere there are strong downdrafts there must be strong updrafts.

 

[fgcason]

Oh well; have to do it, so I started the journey home. It got worse: booming thunder, crashing lightning while I crouched behind the windshield and hit every red light while en route.

Be careful riding around in that stuff. I got the crap popped out of me one day while riding about 10 miles from a fairly well established thunderstorm. To this day there is a black mark on the bottom of the left mirror where the charge from the ball lightning sitting on the clutch handle jumped down to the handlebar THROUGH MY HAND. It could have been a lot worse - you should have seen the pieces of steel bar from the fence that the main strike hit.

 

[Lawreston]

Be careful riding around in that stuff. I got the crap popped out of me one day while riding about 10 miles from a fairly well established thunderstorm. To this day there is a black mark on the bottom of the left mirror where the charge from the ball lightning sitting on the clutch handle jumped down to the handlebar THROUGH MY HAND. It could have been a lot worse - you should have seen the pieces of steel bar from the fence that the main strike hit.

I didn't have much choice. And there were no Interstate (2)95 overpasses under which to camp during the jaunt home. The 5-speed transmission spent most of its time in 4th -- or even 3rd -- as I moderately slogged along the 25 miles. And wooncha know?, of course, I had to get out the chamois to dry the machine before escaping to the personal hot soak. Well, yeah!

HR

 

[fgcason]

I didn't have much choice. And there were no Interstate (2)95 overpasses under which to camp during the jaunt home. The 5-speed transmission spent most of its time in 4th -- or even 3rd -- as I moderately slogged along the 25 miles.

Rule #623 of journeying: The velocity you're forced to travel is inversely proportional to the size of the leak.

You're not going anywhere quick when the Atlantic Ocean is being poured through a sieve over your head.

And wooncha know?, of course, I had to get out the chamois to dry the machine before escaping to the personal hot soak. Well, yeah!

You mean there's supposed to be another way to do that? Weird.

 

[Steve]

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/tg/wmamatus/wmamatus.htm

anywhere there are strong downdrafts there must be strong updrafts.

 

[jesse]

I will ride my motorcycle through rain, snow, but not lightning.

Last weekend I was coming back from home and ran into a line of thunderstorms. I took a look at the radar before I left and attempted to shoot between two cells. This failed and I found myself running like hell from the storm. I stopped at an airport and looked at the radar. Once again I made an attempt at shooting between some cells and made it about 40 miles...Once again running from the storm and hit another airport..looked at the radar again and found a route between the cells and home.

Yes it took me awhile. But...

Police identified a man who was killed after he was struck by lightning while riding in rush hour traffic between Denver and Boulder.

Gary Missi, 46, of Longmont was pronounced dead at the scene. He was wearing a helmet, authorities said.

http://cbs4denver.com/topstories/local_story_173195437.html
No Thanks.. I'm not messing with that crap on a bike.

 

[jshawley]

I remember a few years back riding home from work on my '83 750 Sabre, having to stop for a red light by the local high school, when BOOM, right at the corner the light pole got struck. Fortunately, it all stayed at the pole. Of course, when I got home (some 15 miles later) I learned of all the twisters in the vicinity...

Jim

 

[DeeG]

And wooncha know?, of course, I had to get out the chamois to dry the machine before escaping to the personal hot soak.

You mean there's supposed to be another way to do that? Weird.

Well, yes. Got ourselves motorcycle blow dryer from the local Harley shop. Looks like a mini vacuum cleaner and it pumps out warm air. I love it.

 

[JavelinJet2008]

My goodness!

All you guys getting struck by lightening OR coming very close to getting struck by lightening, makes me wonder whether or not I should ever go outside during highly convective periods with high humidity between two opposing systems (high pressure and low pressure).

Wow! Bizarre stuff.

I just saw in the local news here, where a guy wearing an IPod got zapped through his ear drums (ouch!) while simply walking outside into some highly charged atmosphere. He said it was not a day that looked any worse than any other poor weather day. The charge, he said, burst his ear drum, ran down his chest and left leg and then exited his foot. You could also see the pricks along his arms where the nerve endings look as if they exploded as the charge tried to find and exit from his body. Poor guy - I really felt for him.

 

[DeeG]

We had a pretty fierce storm roll through the Valley last week. Decimated the apple and cherry crop in Chelan/Manson/Dryden areas. Luckily they finished picking our crop of Rainiers the day before (even a light rain will destroy ripening cherries). Golf ball sized hail also destroyed a few vehicles. I was out working in the garden, had my cell phone in one pocket, iPod in the other and my hands on a nice metal shovel. I decided to go into the shop when the thunder was less than 8 seconds after the lightning. Skiies opened up, it was NASTY for a while. Found out the next day my next door neighbor was hit by lightning. Holy Smokes Batman! Guess he's doing OK. Glad I decided to head indoors when i did.