Either that or someone’s computer is being naughty. I clipped the above image from the Lubbock National Weather Service page.
I’ve complained about the west Texas wind on here a few times, but winds 110mph gusting to 125 is a bit much now!
Written by David on July 1st, 2008 with 5 comments.
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As part of Lightning Safety Awareness Week, the National Weather Service Office in Lubbock would like to remind everyone of the dangers associated with lightning and provide some resources for your awareness efforts.
Lightning is a potential hazard to people outdoors and indoors and results in millions of dollars in economic losses each year. Lightning kills an average of 67 people in the United States each year, and is second only to flooding in terms of weather related fatalities. Exceeding the number of fatalities are the estimated 600-700 survivors that are left with debilitating health effects each year. West Texas sees a maximum of lightning in the late Spring and Summer months as thunderstorm develop across the southern High Plains.
Casualties are more likely to occur in open areas such as golf courses and playing fields, but lightning’s deadly strike can hit anytime during the year and in all segments of the nation. Lightning is a serious danger. With the information provided below, we hope you’ll learn more about lightning risks and how to protect yourself and your loved ones.
| NOAA Lightning Safety Website | http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/ |
| Lightning Safety Data | http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/more.htm |
| Lightning Overview | http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/overview.htm |
| Current Lightning Data | http://www.uspln.com/images/uspln.jpg |
Written by David on June 26th, 2008 with 1 comment.
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Just a little rant…
My name is David, not Dave. For some reason, seems like the majority of people want to call me Dave. I have never given my name as Dave, I don’t go by Dave anywhere. It’s always David. Yet people insist on calling me Dave. Dave is fine for other people’s names, I don’t hate the name itself, it’s just not MY name, and I wish folks would call me by my own name and not assume I use a shorthand version of it.
/rant
Written by David on June 21st, 2008 with 4 comments.
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I was really not planning on chasing today. I had stuff I needed to get done badly and was trying to ignore the storm potential in the area today. When it became apparent that supercells were going to play in the area and I was going to have to get out and chase for the TV station, I actually was a bit upset about having to get out believe it or not.
Now, in hindsight, I could not be happier that I did get out. While I didn’t experience much in the way of severe weather, I got yet another fantastic opportunity to work on my lightning shooting skills. As those that read regularly know, this was something new I was trying to learn this year since I finally got a digital camera capable of doing what I wanted to do.
I have always wanted to take lightning pics like those fantastic photographs some of my storm chaser friends have taken. I was originally inspired on lightning photography by some of the fantastic shots Warren Faidley has. But over the years, many a great storm photographer has come to light with some incredible lightning images.
One in particular is one of my more recent inspirations, lightning lady Susan Strom. She has some unbelievable photographs thanks to the unparalleled opportunities presented during the Arizona monsoon season.
Inspiration and some mentoring closer to home would be my best friend Graham Butler. He’s an outstanding photographer outside of lightning even, and could easily have a career in it, even though he doesn’t believe me when I tell him that. He got me started on the right foot when I got my Canon Rebel XTI and I took it from there.
Tonight presented me with one of the most outstanding and longest lasting presentation of nature’s fireworks I have seen in a very long time. Initially I sat just NE of the Lubbock International Airport and shot 67 images of CGs crashing down into the City of Lubbock. All but two of them had at least one CG in the shot. Of course, some were better than others. The lightning show lasted the nearly hour drive home and then almost another hour after that. The only thing that stopped me from shooting more was the rain.
I finally got to the point tonight I am satisfied that I am ready to move on from the kit lens that came with the camera to something much better. I am still not on the level of those I admire, but I am making significant progress I think.
I don’t know, what do you guys think? These are just 5 of my favorites from tonight. I also have a couple from the other night I need to get up too when I get the chance. Click on the image to get the full size one. My blog scrunches them down for some reason.
Written by David on June 20th, 2008 with 7 comments.
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Real quick post, since I’ve got to get out the door.
Chasing today northeast of Lubbock, Texas. Quick synopsis: we have a low in the Texas Panhandle between Lubbock and Amarillo, with a boundary extending off to the east, and a drylline extending back to the south/southwest. While temperatures across the area are at or around 100F, dewpoints in that area have managed to stay in the upper 50s F. Towers are already building in that general vicinity, and while wind profiles throughout the atmosphere aren’t as strong as I’d like, there is significant directional shear. While I’m expecting mainly high-based storms with hail and high wind potential, a tornado/landspout or two isn’t out of the question, given the directional shear and boundaries in the area.
The LIVE ChaseCam will be active here within the next hour or two.
Written by David on June 16th, 2008 with no comments.
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