Triple Floaters

This photo opportunity "nudged me right on the shoulder": I began hearing the distinctive sound of a hot air balloon burner, so I naturally went outside to catch a glimpse of it. Not one, not two, but three balloons were clustered together with a beautiful altocumulus background sky to boot on Friday evening, October 21, 2016. The three images shown here look SW from Brentwood Drive NE in Cedar Rapids, Iowa near Bowman Woods Park.  Top image was captured at 4:55 pm, middle at 4:56 pm and bottom at 4:58 pm. Nikon D7200 DSLR camera.

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October Sunset

Contrasty stratus clouds seem to emanate from the setting sun and stretch across the sky in this panorama image, captured at 5:55 pm CDT, Wednesday, October 19, 2016. The photograph was made from the grounds at Noelridge Christian Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Nikon D7200 DSLR camera.

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Sign From Heaven?

Resembling an Aurora Borealis display in the daytime, or a sign from Heaven (I'm not sure what the sign might be for--it can't be for the Cubs going to the World Series), a long-lived crepuscular ray display graced the skies over Cedar Rapids and Hiawatha Iowa around midday on Wednesday, October 19, 2016. The display persisted over a few hours. The above image looks south from a US Bank location on Council Street in Cedar Rapids at 11:35 am CDT.

11:42 am. From the intersection of Boyson Road and Robins Road in Hiawatha.

11:44 am. From the intersection of Boyson Road and North Center Point Road in Hiawatha.

11:47 am. From North 20th Avenue in Hiawatha, just north of Boyson Road.

11:49 am. From North 18th Avenue, just north of Progress Drive in Hiawatha.

11:49 am. Panorama from same location and time as the previous image. iPhone 6-Plus camera.

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May 16, 2016 Storm Chase Leftovers

From my excess files. Strengthening supercell with inflow cloud (right) looking northeast at 4:45 pm CDT while eastbound on US Highway 56/64, near Felt, Oklahoma.

Similar shot a minute later.

4:47 pm. Close up of supercell's hail core.

4:52 pm. Wall cloud with clear slot (left), looking north from US Highway 56/64, just east of Felt, Oklahoma.

5:22 pm. RFD cut from approaching supercell (right), seen from alongside US Highway 385, just south of the Texas/Oklahoma border. Image looks southwest. Nikon D7200 DSLR camera.

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