Another Storm at Grand Canyon National Park

The clouds played games most of the day providing only a few sprinkles.

Then last night, before I did my evening program, the crowd on the Lodge veranda was well entertained with a storm on the South Rim. Every time the lightning flashed I heard oohs and aahs like watching 4th of July fireworks. The storm moved north across the canyon and even looked like the rain may have fallen a little at Phantom Ranch down in the bottom of the canyon. Plus we got a little rain on the North Rim.

A new friend sent me this video which is so perfect for the sound of rain in Arizona.

My World Tuesday - Storm Watching at Grand Canyon National Park

Better enlarge these to get the full effect.

Southeast to southwest view of the South Rim from Cape Royal
Today I went out on the Walhalla Plateau and gave a geology talk at Cape Royal while keeping an eye on the sky. This storm swept across the South Rim from west to east in a show of thunder and lightning for over an hour. I’ll bet the temperature dropped at least 10-15 degrees F as the wind increased. I was so excited! The energy was high, lots of negative ions. Yet on the North Rim, we felt no rain. I took over 50 photos trying to catch lightning, yet it’s so quick and I’m so slow. I lost count of how many strikes. One hit the wall of the canyon with a flash of fire.

Then I tried a minuet of video.

One frame caught lightning (my first capture of it) with Wotan’s Throne in foreground
Before leaving the Cape I warned visitors, “do not to be the tallest thing standing on this rocky promontory holding the metal rail if the storm comes north. Get up that quarter mile trail as fast as you can and into your vehicles.”

View southeast with Sky Island in foreground from Walhalla overlook
I didn’t want to leave. Yet at Walhalla overlook where I gave an archeology talk another storm was coming in from the north. I felt only 10 drops of rain while watching this veil quickly sweep to the southeast.

View northeast and east from Point Imperial
Again, I didn’t want to leave. But after lunch I went to rove at Point Imperial where I always enjoy the vast distant views. I was greeted by another storm coming from the north along with patches of sun reflecting off the Vermillion Cliffs to the left and Echo Cliffs to the right.

Wow, what a day! Sure beats yesterday which I vented about on the previous post.

So that’s my exciting world today. To see more of life around the world, or to share your own,

go to My World Tuesday by clicking here.

Thank you all for your concern. I did have a second full bottle of propane to switch to. The fridge hasn’t been cooling for a week. It just does that when the temperatures rise, when it cools down outside it usually starts works again. It is an original unit in a 1977 RV. Did it all matter today? No.

Sky Watch Friday - The Sky is Falling into Grand Canyon

Storm over Dog Point
When I was out fossil hunting last week (I know, still haven’t posted the fossils but I’m working on it) the sky changed so rapidly I could barely keep up taking photos. This is what it looked like when I arrived at my camp spot overlooking North Canyon, one of many side canyons, this one out of the park but still part of the Grand Canyon.

To see more skies from around the world go to Sky Watch Friday by clicking here.

Sky Watch Friday - Storm Brewing

Enlarge to see the small plane in front of the big cloud
On my way out of the park and into the forest to play for days off. I went with trepidation because of the 40 percent chance of rain. And, oh well it rained a little after dark. But I watched the storm build all afternoon. More about where I camped tomorrow and the treasures I found.

For glimpses of skies around the world or to share your own go to Sky Watch Friday by clicking here.

Water flows in the Desert

Storm building over the Painted Desert to the north
I always feel blessed and in awe when rain comes to the desert.

Rain covers the diminishing Echo Cliffs to the east
On the drive home the storm built rapidly.

Breaking over the Vermillion Cliffs to the west
Yet already I could see a break where the sun struggled to burn through.

Vermillion Cliffs to the west
And it conquered as the clouds continued to carry their wet load away.

Colorado River in Marble Canyon to the northeast
Look closely up river to see the sediments of the Paria River mixing with the Colorado.

The Colorado River suffers the lack of sediments because the Glen Canyon Dam holds them back.

The mix creates an interesting pattern.

All the little side creeks were flowing towards the mighty Colorado.

But the sun shone on the meadows as I returned towards Grand Canyon.

Storm over Grand Canyon

Yesterday after my geology talk I lead some visitors out the Bright Angel Point Trail to my favorite fossil rock. We discovered brachiopods and crinoids (which I will post soon). We were so absorbed with our noses against the rock we barely noticed this storm coming at us. But when we did, we all hightailed it back to the Lodge. I love seeing the many moods of Grand Canyon and hope you will too.

Happy Fathers Day to all fathers and grandfathers too!

If you live near a national park, many are offering free entry this weekend. Take your father to a park for the day.

Stormy Sunday

Sunrise this morning

I’ve enjoyed such fantastic T-shirt weather this fall. Yet today, the temperature has dropped almost 10° in the last three hours, wind blows, clouds continue to roll over with thunder booming in the distance. No rain, yet. The sun persistently tries to break through.Carson is hiding on the bed as is his custom when the thunder roars.

2:30pm this afternoon

The birds are almost running each other over in a feeding frenzy. Maybe they know what’s coming.

Gambel's Quail