Vivid Cumulonimbus Over Fort Lauderdale, Florida
August 24, 2010
Photographer: Cathleen Horne
Summary Author: Cathleen Horne
On the last day of July, I was taking a little walk near my home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and noticed, through a clump of trees, rather vibrant colors on the edge of a towering cloud. I quickly moved to a clearing and saw a huge cumulonimbus cloud with a silver lining and with magnificent iridescence about its edges. This breathtaking cloud’s accompanying shadows and crepuscular rays completed the surreal scene. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera with me, so I used my iPhone. The resulting picture was not nearly as colorful and spectacular as the reality, but it does convey something of what I saw.
Repeated shadows of clouds such as shown in the bottom photo typically form when a shadow is cast upon several layers of haze. The more distinct, closer-in shadow probably is being cast on a layer that's only somewhat hazy. The dimmer shadow lying a bit further away from the cloud is cast upon a slightly more distant haze or dust layer. Photo taken on July 31, 2010, from near Broward College in Fort Lauderdale.
Photo Details: Both photos - Camera: Apple iPhone; Aperture: f/2.8; Software: 3.1.
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