Stormy Weekend

Kansas has had a stormy summer, and the last few days were no exception. This blog showcases some of the best photos I captured of the storms. I took all of these photos either in Great Bend or north of Pawnee Rock. Each night that I went out, the radar suggested that a more western view would be the best.

This first photo was taken just after sunset on 7/16. Distant storm clouds glowed in the late light, and I photographed them reflecting in the calm waters of Stone Sandpit.

Glowing reflections, Stone Sandpit.

The next three photos were taken from Pawnee Rock State Historic Site. The passing storm clouds had an ominous look to them; notice the blue glow within the storm. This storm dropped large hail in places.

Storm clouds from Pawnee Rock SHS, 7/17/15, 6:21pm.

A break in the clouds allowed bright light to shine on the monument; 6:36pm.

Storm clouds behind the monument, 6:45pm.

This last image from that particular storm was taken north of Pawnee Rock, looking north into a strong thunderstorm.

North of Pawnee Rock, 7:02 pm.

I loved the stack clouds at sunset of this image from 7/17. I photographed the clouds over Veteran’s Lake.

Stacked clouds just before sunset, Veteran’s Lake, 8:35pm.

The rest of the photos in this blog were taken north of Pawnee Rock on 7/19, at or after sunset as a massive storm system hammered central Kansas. I stayed dry at first, but eventually the rain came over my location. I set up the tripod under the back hatch of my car and covered my camera with an old flannel shirt. The camera stayed dry; I got wet but not drenched :).

I don’t often see shapes within clouds, but the clouds in this first image appear possessed to me.

“Possessed” cloud.

The next 4 photos were taken looking back south to Pawnee Rock. Each is a single exposure of either 1 second or 2.5 seconds.

7/19/15, 9:01pm

7/19/15, 9:02pm

7/19/15, 9:04pm

7/19/15, 9:06pm

At this point, I turned the camera to the northwest. Each photo is a single exposure; the first 4 are 4 second exposures, the last 3 are 8 second exposures. The whole series was taken in under 5 minutes.

7/19/15, 9:10pm

7/19/15, 9:11pm

7/19/15, 9:11pm

7/19/15, 9:11pm

7/19/15, 9:12pm

7/19/15, 9:12pm

7/19/15, 9:14pm

I consider this last set of photos to be some of my best lightning photos. The whole experience was great, and I loved the show that Mother Nature put on over the weekend.

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Rob Graham

http://www.ksimager.com

http://www.facebook.com/RobGrahamPhotography