cumulus Archives - Page 7 of 24

Over no horizon, lower cumulus and upper-level clouds

View with alternate video source

Scene notes:

Exemplar of towering clouds. These are called Cumulus congestus. If the clouds were closer together (greater humidity) or the air was a little warmer, a thunderstorm would have formed. Later in the day, these clouds did form a storm. One gets the impression that these clouds, when experienced in the morning or around noon, are a fair indicator of rain or lightning to come shortly. Visually observing these clouds closely allows the observer the ability to predict rainfall with higher accuracy than a weather forecast or radar alone.
Time-lapse length (30 fps):
37 seconds and 13 frames.

Near Mt Whitney are low clouds building close on…

View with alternate video source

Scene notes:

…rocky, snowy winter peaks. Symmetrical slopes dominate the frame, with rocks and small boulders among evergreens that lead up to near the very tips of these mountain tops. With light, low rolling clouds pouring over and piling on these steep slopes, jagged, snowy peaks poke out like jigsaw teeth.

Alpine meadow under cloud shadows on grassy meadow and evergreens

View with alternate video source

Scene notes:

On Mt June, in Oregon, this alpine meadow shows shadows from clouds that are outside the frame moving towards the camera. A few humans walk past. The shadows move steadily up the hill as low-density, light clouds in the top four tenth of the frame meander along harmlessly.
Time-lapse length (30 fps):
8 seconds and 17 frames.

Clouds shift on rocky Canyonlands in Needles District with desert landscape

View with alternate video source

Scene notes:

A desert scene in Canyonlands National Park, Needles district. Heavy clouds are overhead in this late-afternoon scene, and the shadows go over the foreground. In the background, around four tenths of the way up the frame, are the jagged needle-like formations this district is named after. The area around the needles is hike-able after a road that is relatively inaccessible.
Time-lapse length (30 fps):
9 seconds and 3 frames.

On a hilltop, looking out at cloud shadows moving on fields

View with alternate video source

Scene notes:

A nice spring day with modest lower-level clouds. Their fine definitions create sharp shadows to move over the woods and cypress trees below and beyond in this vast vista. All the way to the horizon the trees cover the gentle hills, which gently rise where the view limits. On the top half of the frame, the medium-small clouds are herd-like in the movements. The wind seems to caress the foreground treescape.
Time-lapse length (30 fps):
21 seconds and 3 frames.

3 of 3 | Shifting, dark snowy rain clouds on vast lake

View with alternate video source

Scene notes:

Wind on water is visible throughout this frame. Strong gusts push the water chaotically on the surface of the vast, deep volcanic caldera. So much freshwater fills this vast crater that it is one of the deepest lakes in the world, the lake spans well outside the viewing angle of this POV. After days of solitude and nothing but clouds, light shafts eventually peak through the cloud and snowfall to brightly illuminate sections of water next to Wizard Hat Island.
Time-lapse length (30 fps):
17 seconds and 5 frames.

Slower, small Cumulus clouds at winter at Grand Canyon

View with alternate video source

Scene notes:

A winter landscape at Grand Canyon facing north from South Rim, with light, fluffy clouds. Along the vista and foreground, the shadows of the clouds move steadily along the scene. The north side of the canyon has a blanket of snow on the rim, which is mostly under very low vapor cover.
Time-lapse length (30 fps):
20 seconds and 11 frames.

Virga, evaporating rain, clouds on hills at sunset

View with alternate video source

Scene notes:

Bright Cantaloupe highlights in the bright precipitation of these stratus clouds, and Halloween orange colors on the fading rain at right of the frame. Silhouetted bare ridges in the lower quarter, under these clouds that darken in as time progresses, the open sky a perfect Mid-blue.
Time-lapse length (30 fps):
10 seconds and 15 frames.