Sunset clouds

[Harold_L]

The clouds were still building at sunset last night. This one looked impressive, but did not turn into a thunder storm. It is seen against the background of the anvil from a much larger storm for which NOAA had issued a warning. It was taken looking southeast from my front deck in Boulder, CO, with a Canon S500.

Harold

[Titus213]

That's pretty impressive. Nice capture of the subtle colors in the sky.

I will have to learn some more about clouds and weather since I've seen the term anvil used several times on the forums and do not know its meaning except as a large metal device on which one pounds. :lol: I suspect it has a similar meaning in weather.

[Harold_L]

Thanks, Dave.

Quoting from the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Weather, pp 87-88, under the definition of Cumulonimbus: " Upon reaching the upper inversion at the tropopause level, the topmost portion spreads out in an anvil shape.." Anvils can be huge, extending for tens of miles.

In the case of "my cloud", it looks like the winds were shearing it off, before it could rise to the tropopause.

Harold

[sparker1]

Well, from my boating days, I know an anvil-shaped cloud spells trouble. Very nice shot, Harold.