Tuesday, May 4, 2010

(Day 124) Take cover

The weatherman had predicted some thunderstorms for this afternoon. However, they were also predicted for yesterday and nothing happened - and you know how quickly we can become inured to predictions that don't come true. But as I was waiting for my vehicle to come out of the shop this afternoon I looked up and saw quite a threatening sky. There were a few sporadic flashes of lightning and it rained briefly but then nothing further.

However, as I left town I noticed that wipers on some of the approaching cars were still going furiously, even though it was only dripping a little. I found a place to pull over and took some shots of the ominous-looking sky. Within a few minutes I found out why those wipers were going fast as I came into the heavy, lashing rain, accompanied by frequent lightning flashes. And even though it was 3:00 in the afternoon, it felt like 9:00 in the evening. I'm glad I wasn't caught out in the open.

(18-55mm  f11  1/30 sec  ISO200)
















(70-200mm  f11  1/400 sec  ISO200)
















(70-200mm  f5.6  1/400 sec  ISO800)

taken through the windshield (I was stopped)

30 comments:

Katherine said...

Great shots Rick! So you too take your camera everywhere with you! I am very pleased to hear that you pulled over...we don't want anything bad to happen to you. They are some very ominous looking clouds indeed!

S. Etole said...

You caught some terrific cloud formations.

bonifer said...

Scary stuff, Rick, love the middle one, great shot, it threatened here all day, but didn't amount to anything, we really do need the rain though!!

Rick said...

@Katherine - I do try to ABC (I actually went back into the house to get it before going to the shop). The ominous clouds delivered a real downpour. I stayed dry :)

Rick said...

@S. Etole - thank you Susan - right place, right time AND ... brought the camera!

Rick said...

@bonifer - it had been fairly dry here to so glad we got it (didn't need it all in 1 hour though :). Hope you get some soon. Thanks for stopping by.

Lisa (Mountain Photog) said...

The clouds in that middle photo are awesome! I love thunderstorms--as long as they aren't accompanied by tornadoes. When the sky gets black as night like that you have to wonder what you're in for.

joey said...

Oh my! Stunning ... love weather shots and you captured some good ones, #2 breathtaking, Rick. Glad you are safe!

Anonymous said...

The color in the first shot is really cool, and the second shot looks like something from a movie.

Great work!!
['รด ] Avery

Rick said...

@Lisa (Mountain Photog) - thanks Lisa; I like thunderstorms too - as long as I'm not caught outside in them :) I've never experienced a tornado and am not lining up to, either!

Rick said...

@joey - yes, weather shots can be AWEsome; I figured I was safe (?) in the vehicle, but not if we'd had a tornado! Thanks joey.

Rick said...

@Photog Ave - thanks Avery; that first one freaked me a bit as I drove alongside it. And the 2nd one is from Twister! Ha ha - no, it was only too real! It was due north of where I stopped and covered an enormous piece of the sky.

Scott Law said...

Those are great shots of real weather. I really like that second one, beautiful. I really kind of like those downpours as long as no one gets hurt.

Chad said...

Rick I really like your second photo, unbeatable clouds. Appreciate you stopping by my site earlier. I was just talking with Scott and telling him I don't know how you guys do it. I'm not much of a typer, but this is so time consuming. Between work the yard and other chores its gettting harder to find the time. So keep comming by, I just may not have a new post every day. Thanks

darlin said...

Love that second photo Rick, they're all awesome but the second one shows me some of God's work which leaves me in awe. And yes it is a very good thing that you pulled over, I'm usually stopped at a light but I would never attempt to take photos like this without my point and shoot.

The last photo it does look like it's night time, did you go home and have a nap? ;-)

Rick said...

@Scott - I agree - a good storm any time of year is an awesome thing, and usually a photographer's delight!

Rick said...

@Chad - ha ha, I know what you mean; this bloggin' thing can suck you right in! It's a whole new world out there :) Didn't mean to pressure you at all - I had just noticed you hadn't posted for a couple of days so thought something was wrong.

Post when you can/feel like it - I'll keep coming by.

And thanks for your comments - appreciate it.

Rick said...

@darlin - thank you. I pulled over, rolled the window down, and tried to keep the rain off the lens. That 3rd shot was made just 4 minutes after the 2nd (I checked the exif data). And yes - skies like that are AWE-inspiring!

Unknown said...

Fascinating and beautiful! I love electrical storms - they don't happen very often here though. Thanks for sharing, it's fun to remember the storms I have been through. It's nice to not have to drive in them. ;o)

cata said...

Congratulations Rick!! Great shots, I only can say uauhhhhhhhhh!! :-O

Anonymous said...

Happy you got a couple of shots before the heavy rain, because the sky looks really angry ;).

I'm not sure I would have taken the risk, you were lucky you didn't get your camera soaked.

Lucy said...

Speaking of wipers... have you tried RainEx on your windshield? It works really well!

Rick said...

@Krista - I get a charge out of them too :) You're fairly safe in them in your vehicle - better than on a golf course swinging a club!

Rick said...

@cata - thanks cata ;-)

Rick said...

@M. Hassan - thank you M. I only ventured out of my vehicle for a brief moment and stayed crouched down - that was before the real heavy rain started. I made sure I protected my camera too :) btw - that's what I thought about those clouds too - angry and menacing!

Rick said...

@The Lucy and Dick Show - my son did and he said the same thing; will have to try it.

Cheryl Kohan said...

Fabulous shots! Your cloud banks are waaaaaay better than mine :-), I must say. The colors really speak to the fury that can be Mother Nature...menacing is exactly how they look!

Rick said...

@CherylK - thank you Cheryl (have I seen any of yours yet ? I'll bet they're impressive).

Julia said...

Those sure look like some angry clouds! Very nice shots though!!

Rick said...

@Julia - yes they were and they delivered a lotta rain and lightning. Thanks for your comment.