Stormy Summer Sky

Photographer: Rebecca Jones
Summary Author: Rebecca Jones; Jim Foster

The photo above showing a stormy summer sky was taken from Bellingham, Washington late in the day on July 23, 2009. The rich texture of the undersides of these cumulonimbus and cumulus fractus clouds was enhanced by the low Sun. Although we received quite a dousing from this storm, no severe weather was reported, and the temporary relief from the searing record heat was well appreciated. Clouds are intrinsically white, thus their coloration results from several possible external causes. In this case, it is “reddening” by the longer path-length of sunlight when the Sun hangs low in the sky.