Beau's Weather Blog

Let's Talk Weather...

September 1, 2007

Winter Storm Chase Season Begins...Canada/United States   

  Fall is almost here and that means that Winter Storm Chase Season will soon begin!  I am already looking forward to an active season.  Current plans are to photograph New England Snowstorms, during January and February - see "Upcoming Events Section."  I will be staging in Boston for what will hopefully be an eventful season.  I am also hoping to photograph a Northern or Central Plains blizzard.  I will be in Quebec City to photograph the Ice Hotel during the Winter Carnival, which will be held in February.  Something new this year will be live blogging - onto this site.  I am also planning on using video for the first time.

So let's ALL HOPE FOR AN AMAZING (and early) WINTER AHEAD!  Let the games begin!

 

Some highlights from the last couple of years.

My Journal Entry from December 28, 2006

  I parked my car, got out, and looked around.  I was in awe at the size of the wet snowflakes falling from above.  They reminded me of one of Walt Disney's creations...a tapestry come to life.  A world of make believe.  But this wasn't make believe...this was real.  The air was full of silence.  The only sounds filtering through this quiet mountain town was the hushed sound of snowflakes hitting the ground - a testimony to just how large the flakes were.  I could hear myself breathing...wisps of "fog" streaming into the air as I exhaled into the cold.  Occasionally the winter silence would be broken by a branch snapping under the weight of the heavy snow.  Was I actually standing here...all alone - in the midst of one of the most beautiful winter landscapes I have ever experienced?

  The trees appeared to have been decorated by an invisible hand.  Garlands of white, laced each drooping branch.   It was as if the town had been decorated for the holiday season.  Beautiful mounds of white could be seen sliding down the windshields of the vehicles parked alongside the roadway.  Attesting to how wet the snow was.  I laughed as I looked around and thought "this is what the world would look like if a gigantic shaving cream can exploded."

  The crunching of the snow, under my boots, rekindled memories from my childhood.  Those cold winter nights walking to my grandmothers house on the family farm.  The winter landscape illuminated only by the moonlit cirrus sky and grandmothers porch light...casting a golden glow across the snow to light my path along the way.  Crunch...crunch...crunch - I would hurry along - coyotes howling from the back fields.  In my mind I always imagined them closer than they actually were.  I would hurry into her house...removing my coat, scarf, and gloves I headed straight for her wood stove - full of burning logs that we had cut earlier in the year. I would warm my hands from the rising heat. Meanwhile, grandmother would grab the pop-corn popper - a metal pan with a long handle. The lid would slide open and we would pour in the popcorn...in a matter of minutes popping noises filled the little room in the middle of her house.

  It seems like those memories were from just yesterday...but they were many years ago.  Now here I am in Boulder, Colorado.  Standing in the midst of another winter storm.  I remind myself, as I often do, that life is short.  Winters are even shorter.  Enjoy the moment...and so I do.

   Brrr a cold wind smacks me in the face. I looked around once again. The scene before me was one straight out of Charles Dickens Tale. Heavy wet snow blanketed me. I stood there for a few more moments, I was lost in a daydream. Mesmerized by the snow. I almost forgot to push the shutter button. After all that is why I came to Boulder. To photograph this snowstorm. This one moment in time.

 

 
  Boston, Massachusetts - Nor'easter 2003 


  Boston, Massachusetts - Nor'easter 2003 

 
  Boston, Massachusetts Snowstorm - 2003 


  Paducah, Kentucky - Ohio Valley Blizzard 2004  


  Boulder, Colorado 2006


  Peoria, Illinois - Winter Storm 2006


  Peoria, Illinois Winter Storm 2006

 
  Peoria, Illinois Winter Storm 2006


  Boulder, Colorado - Winter Storm 2006

 
  Peoria, Illinois Near Blizzard 2006


  Colorado Snowstorms 2006

 
  Boulder, Colorado Wet Snow Event 2006

 
  Denver Post - December 2006

 
  Evergreen, Colorado Winter Storm 2006

  More photographs, of my recent chases, can be viewed here on my photography site.  You can also read analysis of recent events at this location.

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Tropical Storm Felix Forms in the Caribbean...

  Felix is moving away from the Windward Islands this morning and gaining strength.  Felix was moving west at 10 mph and will pass near Aruba over the next 24 hours.  Maximum sustained winds were 65 mph and Felix will likely become a hurricane tonight. 

Tropical Storm Felix
  National Hurricane Center Forecast Track

September 01, 2007Tropical Storm Felix
  Gempak Image                 Navy Image

4 PM - Sept 1, 2007 Felix
  4 PM Satellite


  5 PM Satellite - Felix is nearly a hurricane.

Testing the tornado sirens in Paducah...

  This was the first time I have actually helped with the testing of the tornado sirens.  I believe I will park a few blocks away next time!


  Waiting for the sirens to go off


Hurricane Felix...

  As expected Tropical Storm Felix has been upgraded to a hurricane.  It has had the appearance of a hurricane for most of the evening.  Winds are now reported at 75 mph. 

BULLETIN
HURRICANE FELIX INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL  
800 PM AST SAT SEP 01 2007

...FELIX BECOMES A HURRICANE...NEW WATCH FOR JAMAICA...

AT 8 PM AST...0000 UTC...THE GOVERNMENT OF JAMAICA HAS ISSUED A
TROPICAL STORM WATCH FOR JAMAICA.  A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS
THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH
AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ISLANDS OF
ARUBA...BONAIRE AND CURACAO.  A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT
TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA
WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

 

September 2, 2007

Hurricane Felix at 1 AM - September 2nd 2007 
  Hurricane Felix at 1 a.m.

  Hurricane Felix continues to roll through the Caribbean this morning with winds of 75 mph with gusts to 90 mph.  Felix will likely continue to strengthen.  It is not out of the question that Felix could become a category three hurricane.

1 AM Satellite - Hurricane Felix
  1 AM Satellite


  First light - visible


  Hurricane Felix At First Light

Hurricane Felix
  9 a.m Central Time - Hurricane Felix Gempak Images

Hurricane Felix
  Hurricane Felix

  Felix looks healthy this morning and now has winds of 100 mph with gusts to 130 mph.  This makes Hurricane Felix a category 2 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale.  Felix is becoming a dangerous hurricane and will likely become a category 3 later today.  It is not out of the question that Felix could strengthen to a category 5 hurricane.  Felix may also interact with land much earlier than forecast as it appears to be heading more south of west.  Honduras could be threatened as early as Monday Night and Tuesday.  Stay tuned...

Radar Images... 

  Weather Radar Link

 

HURRICANE FELIX RAPIDLY STRENGTHENING IN THE CARIBBEAN...

CATEGORY FOUR AT 5 PM...


  Category Four - Hurricane Felix


  5 PM Central Daylight Time - Gempak

Hurricane FelixHurricane Felix Forecast 5 pm Sept 2nd 2007
  Monster                   Evening Forecast
© 2006, PC Weather Products - Image From HurrTrak Advanced 2006

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WHAT IS THIS???  The most rain we have had in 45 DAYS!!!

Beau's First Rainfall!
  My first significant rainfall in 45 DAYS!!!!  0.29" fell in 20 minutes!

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HURRICANE FELIX UPGRADED TO CATEGORY FIVE...

FELIX IS A MONSTER HURRICANE...WINDS GUSTING TO NEAR 200 MPH

HURRICANE FELIX SPECIAL ADVISORY NUMBER  10
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL   AL062007
800 PM EDT SUN SEP 02 2007

...FELIX NOW A CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE...

REPORTS FROM A NOAA HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT FELIX
CONTINUES TO RAPIDLY STRENGTHEN.

AT 800 PM EDT...0000Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE FELIX WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 13.8 NORTH...LONGITUDE 72.9 WEST OR ABOUT 390 MILES...
625 KM...SOUTHEAST OF KINGSTON JAMAICA.

FELIX IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 18 MPH...30 KM/HR...
AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24
HOURS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 165 MPH...270 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS.  FELIX IS A CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON
SCALE.

THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE ESTIMATED FROM RECONNAISSANCE
DATA IS 934 MB...27.58 INCHES.


  Evening Images from Gempak

 

HURRICANE FELIX ADVISORY NUMBER  11
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL   AL062007
1100 PM EDT SUN SEP 02 2007

...HURRICANE WATCH ISSUED FOR HONDURAS AS POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC
HURRICANE FELIX MOVES WESTWARD IN THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN...

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The Severe Drought Continues...

Drought Continues
  Severe Drought Continues For Our Region...



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All Photos are copyrighted by Beau Dodson (unless otherwise clearly stated) and are used on this site with his permission.  Any use other than authorized by them is against the law.  If you wish to contact him regarding use of these photos, please e-mail me and I will forward it.