Tony Laubach
EF5
Nature toonight gave one helluva show this evening in and around the Denver Metro area.. I was working the pie driving when this evening storm rolled in which served as a double-edged sword. The good, it gave me the chance to be out and about to enjoy this thing as it came in, however, it also kept me from my camera (video camera busted, still camera at home), which I didn't have with me as I am spending the weekend doing various car repairs.
At about 7:30, ominous skies with some incredible clouds began to move in from the north. Within five minutes, the air around me went from calm to 50mph as the leading edge of this narrow band of storms pushed through. Rain fell in areas, but not where I was in Southwest Denver. However, the lightning was awesome!!!
Lightning lit up the sky starting to my north and trailing to the east with another small cluster of strikes hitting over near the Hogback to my west and south. The winds were the big story, though, shifting directions 3 times in a matter of 10 minutes.. the first gusts came from the north as the leading outflow came through.. then mixed with very light drizzle came winds blowing from the east. As the lightning cluster to my southwest pushed over the Hogback, the winds shifted again, this time blowing from the southwest to the northeast. I measured several gusts over 50mph, including a 57mph while sitting at the intersection of Ken Caryl and Wadsworth at 7:49pm. While gusts over 50 were common for about 25 minutes, none reached severe criteria.
Once the winds died, my focus turned to the CG strikes over what I would guess to be Eastern Littleton and Southern Aurora. Brilliant bolts darted form the clouds and onto the ground; and even a few terrific clooud-to-cloud strikes. Although I missed the camera, it was nice to see such action around here in September. Reminds me that another season lurks around the bend..
At about 7:30, ominous skies with some incredible clouds began to move in from the north. Within five minutes, the air around me went from calm to 50mph as the leading edge of this narrow band of storms pushed through. Rain fell in areas, but not where I was in Southwest Denver. However, the lightning was awesome!!!
Lightning lit up the sky starting to my north and trailing to the east with another small cluster of strikes hitting over near the Hogback to my west and south. The winds were the big story, though, shifting directions 3 times in a matter of 10 minutes.. the first gusts came from the north as the leading outflow came through.. then mixed with very light drizzle came winds blowing from the east. As the lightning cluster to my southwest pushed over the Hogback, the winds shifted again, this time blowing from the southwest to the northeast. I measured several gusts over 50mph, including a 57mph while sitting at the intersection of Ken Caryl and Wadsworth at 7:49pm. While gusts over 50 were common for about 25 minutes, none reached severe criteria.
Once the winds died, my focus turned to the CG strikes over what I would guess to be Eastern Littleton and Southern Aurora. Brilliant bolts darted form the clouds and onto the ground; and even a few terrific clooud-to-cloud strikes. Although I missed the camera, it was nice to see such action around here in September. Reminds me that another season lurks around the bend..
