Skywatch Friday No. 47: Stormin' Norman

Tell ya what, us Washington folk sure do get excited for a good summer storm. And I'm no exception. In fact, for the last few weeks, I've been hoping for a good thunderstorm. Or even just an electrical storm (at a safe distance...I'm a little afraid of lightening). Or at least some kind of funky summery storm. Preferably one without rain...we get enough of that. So far, though, I've been outta luck.

That is, until yesterday evening. The day started out pretty normal, but you could definitely feel the pressure building throughout the day. It was hot, hot, hot (at least for around here)...I think the bank sign I saw said 95 degrees. Pretty unusual for this time of year. Actually, pretty unusual period. We generally have a pretty temperate climate and in my opinion, our summer weather is pretty perfect. Usually 70s & 80s.

In addition to being so hot, it was hu-mid! I was certainly not complaining though. You will never hear me complain about hot weather. Not after the kind of winters we've been having!

As the early evening approached and the sky started looking like this, I thought for certain that I was gonna get my storm. Well, I didn't get any thunder, but we did get some major "weirdness". It began around 7, I believe. I was outside finishing up some chores when all of a sudden something changed. You know when you can just feel it in your guts? In the pit of your stomach and the hollows of your chest? When the air even smells different all of a sudden? That's what it was like. And I was totally diggin' it.

Pretty soon, the wind was a whippin' and the dust was a flyin'! It's kinda hard to really tell in these pictures, but the trees were being blown everywhere! In the woods behind us, I could hear limbs snapping and trunks creaking. My horse was running around and the dogs were whining. I stood outside with the hot wind swirling around me, soaking it all in (and taking pictures, of course). Total craziness...at least for Washington! ;)

Pretty soon though, it was all over. And no thunder. Darn it! ;) Maybe next time.

Here's the moon poking out after things settled down.

Check out Skywatch Friday for more awesome sky pics from all over the world...I'm gonna go see if I can find some other people's storm pics!

'Till next time!