Monday, February 28, 2011

The first thunderstorm of 2011

Late Saturday afternoon, while I was out walking with Callie, the sky darkened from the northwest as a thunderstorm rolled over our town. The lightning was brilliant and the thunder was loud. Callie and I turned tail and headed home as the front overtook us. We made it into the house seconds before a shower of small hail started to fall.

A near-by birch wood still lit by the sun as the storm approaches from the northwest. Click to ennebulate.

The front went through rather quickly and the hail turned into a hard rain for a while then gently tapered off over the next hour or so. By then the sun was setting and it was staying dark outside. Just as the sun dipped below the horizon, the western sky opened up and lit the last of the storm clouds from below.

Looking westward as the sun sets after the storm.

It was a year ago today that we were dealing with the aftermath of the storm Xynthia. Hurricane force winds blew over us all through that night. We shuttered ourselves in the house and tried to sleep through it. The storm took a number of roof tiles off our house and we were without power to run the heat and lights for four days after. This little storm was like a day at the beach compared to that.

17 terrific comments:

Evol Kween said...

Cool. That first shot of the wheat field (?) and the storm clouds is now my favourite photo of yours :)

Niall & Antoinette said...

Love the purple-blue clouds! Great photo!
Antoinette

Mark said...

You didn't get your hair messed up in the wind, did you?
Loving the photos!
m.

Evelyn said...

These photos are so fine- I'm glad you were spared from another storm like Xynthia. Maybe her name would have been Zynthia this go around;)

Anonymous said...

The first great sunset of 2011, thanks!

BettyAnn

Diogenes said...

That first picture of the storm clouds and the trees still in sunlight is just beautiful.

John said...

Have to agree - that first picture is downright artistic. I was a little afraid to "ennebulate", but I survived...

The Beaver said...

According to some reports I saw, some parts of French Atlantic coasts are still down on their luck. As far as the cabinet, let's wait for another mishap from a minister who should know better :-)

GaynorB said...

Super photographs. Glad there wasn't too much damage.

ginny said...

Always love your photos, Walt!

Starman said...

"Click to ennebulate." Been checking our the Thesaurus again?

Evol Kween said...

Ooops, I have no idea why I thought it was a wheat field. D'oh!

Ur-spo said...

Sometimes I think it is thunderstorms I miss most by not living in the Midwest. I love them so!

wcs said...

evol, I'll forgive you this time. :)

antoinette, thanks!

mark, no, I was wearing a cap.

evelyn, don't want to go through that again. I son't like the strong wind!

bettyann, :)

diogenes, merci!

john, glad of that.

beaver, yes, there is still a lot of unresolved stuff down on the coast. We were very lucky inland. They took the brunt of the storm (and water surge).

gaynor, thanks!

ginny, soon you'll see the sights in person!

starman, yes, the thesaurus of my imagination!

michael, I'll add them to the list. ;)

Leesa said...

Walt- You've outdone yourself on those pics.. GORGEOUS!!! I wish you could see/here the rain here right now-- it's tropical rain at this loudest/best... it's amazing to me that so much rain can keep coming and coming from the sky--- I'm going to take pics today if it lets up... and video the sound....

Take care,
Leesa

susan said...

Stunning photos. Amazing!

Transport Bulgaria said...

I have to say I do like the first photo, too, although I can almost fell the cold-ish wind blowing announcing the storm. I hate storms, but I do like the sky after the storm. It is purely beautiful. Your both pictures are.