Tag: clouds
From Top to Bottom
I usually encourage people to scan for outdoor clues by looking from top to bottom – astronomy, weather, ground – and the reason can be…
Sharpening Skills at the Start and End of the Day
Just before you see the sun rise in the morning or just after it has set for you in the evening, try to work out…
The Cloud Compass
Happy Winter Solstice One and All! Here’s an interesting solstice fact for you: the Earth is actually receiving more solar radiation at this time of…
Cloudscapes and Weather Lore
I took this picture a few minutes ago. For those of you interested in these sorts of cloudscapes then here is a good tip for…
Big Game Hunting
Sometimes I feel like a big game hunter. Not a very good one though, as the idea of shooting the last white rhino, or whatever…
22 Degree Moon Halo
Just saw and managed to snap a beautiful 22 degree moon halo. They are caused by the moon’s light refracting through the ice crystals in…
Venus in Cirrus
Venus and the brighter stars, like Arcturus, appeared shrouded in a veil this morning. This was not mist close to the ground – horizontal visibility…
A Night Walk in the Woods
Last night the conditions felt right for a walk in the woods. There were plenty of clouds, but large gaps suggested that the stars would…
A Tale of Two Skies
These two photographs were taken this morning, within a few seconds of each other and from exactly the same spot. In the book I touch…
Fire Rainbows
I was just ‘tweeted’ by Anne who had spotted what initially appeared to be an unusual light phenomenon appearing in some cirrus clouds. I think…
Sarah Outen
On Friday I enjoyed a warming cup of hot chocolate with adventurer and ocean rower extraordinaire, Sarah Outen. We arranged to meet in Brighton and…
Mares’ Tails
A weekend of sailing has just passed, one that was full of meteorological kindness. Nature was generous in two ways over the weekend – perhaps…
Urban Treats
The past few days have seen me bouncing between meetings in London – pinging between Kensington, White City and Theatreland. Throw in a Tube strike…
Home to Jupiter
I returned from a family trip to Brittany yesterday and what better welcome back than to come downstairs this morning to find Jupiter beaming at…
Thwarted Again!
For the past few evenings I have been heading out into the Downs to find a good spot to keep watch out to the west.…
Unfriendly Winds
I landed back at Gatwick last night following an accidental visit to Tenerife. The wind has been my friend on so many occasions recently, a…
Lightness and Darkness
I went for a walk in the South Downs yesterday afternoon. The air was cold, there were still chunks of ice lining the north-facing side…
Conjunction in Cloud
I went for a short walk in the dark last night. The clouds were firing past the moon and jupiter giving a very eery feel…
Winds of Change
We had some old friends staying this weekend and decided to laugh in the general direction of the forecasts and go for a walk in…