Convective Xplosions yesterday afternoon (photos).

[Pedro C. Fernández]

Firstly, nice contrail shapes

And, after that, convective explosions due to strong heat at the surface, as the result of a strong insolation and difluence/divergence at upper levels. Enjoy...

Bye!

 

[Darren Addy]

Nice pics!

I've often wondered if contrails could provide any useful indicators for stormchasers. It would seem reasonable to me that the could provide some information regarding the air temperature at that level (short/dissipating vs long, ect.). These contrail pics seems to indicate instability at that altitude, don't they?

Is there any info out there on clues that contrail observation can provide regarding the weather at that altitude?

Darren Addy
Kearney, NE

 

[Pedro C. Fernández]

Nice pics!

I've often wondered if contrails could provide any useful indicators for stormchasers. It would seem reasonable to me that the could provide some information regarding the air temperature at that level (short/dissipating vs long, ect.). These contrail pics seems to indicate instability at that altitude, don't they?

Is there any info out there on clues that contrail observation can provide regarding the weather at that altitude?

Darren Addy
Kearney, NE

Hmmm... All books about Meteorology that I have read didn't tell any interesting info about that. I mean that I have read contrails are not a good sign for instability, if we talk about storms development.

In the other hand, I have always read Ac castellanus and floccus are the best indicators.

In the case of these photographs, the Cb you can see in my pics, appeared in the end of the afternoon, at 21:00h or so... as a result of a strong diurnal insolation mainly. Then, contrails in the morning weren't an indicator...

 

[Court Hubbard]

Awesome pictures. I must ask this question though. What camera and lens(if applies) do you have? Whatever it is, and however you compose your shots, they are very nice. Just curious.

 

[Pedro C. Fernández]

Awesome pictures. I must ask this question though. What camera and lens(if applies) do you have? Whatever it is, and however you compose your shots, they are very nice. Just curious.

Thanks, Court

It is a Canon EOS 350D with the 18-55 mm. lens and "polarized filter" (I'm not sure about these words in English). I've got another of 70-300 mm, marvellous I can look inside of clouds :lol: Above all if there is something souspicious in the cloud (tuba, funnel-cloud...).

Nevertheless I've got a problem with this camera: dust; it comes into the camera easily and put over the sensor... Hmmm... You must be very careful cleaning it...

 

[Bill Hark]

Great pics!

Since I was a child, I have noticed contrails are indicative of approaching rain, usually within 24 hours. (eastern United States) I have also noticed contrails before "dry fronts". No rain but a change in temp and wind direction. I don't think contrails are useful with forecasting convection.

Bill Hark