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Tonight I was not sure what to expect. Before I headed out to the pond a quick look at the visual satellite showed a slug of moisture From Iowa edging into Illinois. Figured I would head out even though it as still extremely dry overhead. When I got to the pond pre-sunset, Down on the water back at my summer spot. Taken with the 24-70mm at 46mm and cropped top and bottom... This last image was taken at a new location. The construction crew built up this mound that is about eight or nine feet high. That puts it around 15 to 18 feet above the pond. Seeing how the breeze as up I was not going for a reflection shot so being so much above the water did not matter to me. It also allowed me to get just a smidge more of the western horizon in it. Taken with the 100mm and cropped top and bottom some. The last of the post sunset color...

Even though the winds were howling and the temp just this side of frigid, I did go out to the pond for the few clouds that were around close to sunset. Both image were taken with the 24-70mm and at 70mm each. Looking northwest when I first got out there... Looking west with some small and faint crepuscular rays...

Today was all about the midday cirrus. That as because by sunset it was raining here and nothing to see but grey/gray. Both images were taken with the 16-35mm. Combing the cirrus with a downtown building. taken at 35mm... The Courthouse and traffic stantions framing the cirrus, taken at 21mm...

The only clouds were to the east for sunset this evening. Both images ere taken with the 16-35mm lens. Close to local sunset with the cirrus still white. Taken at 29mm and cropped top and bottom... Post sunset color taken at 31mm and cropped top and bottom...

Last night was the approaching system. This evening it was the same system but departing this time. It as a close thing here in central Indiana. Started off with a view to the south east as I got out to the pond. You can see the mud pit of all the construction. I am going to miss the views to the east from this location soon. Taken with the 16-35mm at 18mm... First view to the west was for the crepuscular rays. The rays at the bottom right are easy to see. The rays to the upper left are kind of difficult and hopefully the squashing of the resolution does not preclude them from being seen here. Taken with the 24-70mm at 58mm... A bit later as the clouds to the west were starting to break up. With the 24-70mm at 24mm and quite a bit of cropping of water at the bottom of the image... Last image of some of the color late in the sunset with a faint sun pillar to say good night to. Taken with the 24-70mm at 51mm and cropped at the top and the bottom...

1.67 in my tippy bucket from last night. Agrees well with the radar estimates.

That should verify here in Lebanon just for the hail. Came down pretty good for awhile. Most of it was dime sized or smaller but there was some nickel sized stuff in the middle of the hail core. The lawn was about 3/4'd covered by the hail.

Thanks. Approaching system this evening. I was hoping for some edge dynamics. The atmosphere kind of, sort of tried. Some weak crepuscular rays. Too bad the faint searchlight was not spotlighting anything.

First sunset of Spring. Yeah! With the 16-35mm at 27mm around local sunset with a slight sun pillar... Post sunset color with the 24-70mm at 51mm...

Had the right amount of clouds overhead this evening. Trouble was all the stuff over-the-horizon shut off all the post sunset light so there was very little color. Ended up just waiting till very late and all the clouds were grey or black...

Was right right at the edge of the system at sunset this evening. Ended up being a whole night using the 100mm. And both images are not cropped at all. The way you see them is the way they were in the camera. Started off in the vertical mode when I got out to the municipal parking lot... The last of the evening as the color started to wane...

Some serious cirrus this evening. Pre-sunset... Close to local sunset and I like how you can see the Sun through the trees. Nice natural solar dimmer... Post sunset color. I like the pink/purple retreating towards the red and orange all sliding westward...

Got off of work early due to mechanical issues so I was able to make it out to the pond in time for the sunset. Had a nice convergence of clouds and light at the right time. Looking north pre-sunset... The bronze/gold moment... Close to local sunset at 16mm... The post sunset color... Cheers! A three out of five stars night.

A lot less contrails and a little bit more of cirrus this evening...

When I got off of work there as some fairly bold contrails on the western horizon. The sun set as I was driving home but I was able to make it home and grab the camera and drive a couple blocks to the south to snag a quick image. I was wondering why the contrails were so bold when most of the air around as so dry but a quick peek at the visual satellite did show a plume of moisture from Montana, through the Dakotas, Iowa and Illinois. Must have been focused around the 30 to 40,000 foot level as it really brought out the contrails. Without further ado here is what it looked like with the post sunset color...

A death knell for winter. Outside doing yard work today and the sandhill cranes were heading north en masse. Multiple massive V's upon massive multiple V's all honking to beat the band.

Nice but chilly sunset this evening. When I got out there at 16mm... I could not make up my mind about which of these next two to share, so I will just show both. This first one I processed to bring out the crepuscular rays at the top the most. But it made the over-all image a little hot... This image was taken 31 seconds later and I processed it with a bit more contrast trying to balance it out. Made the crepuscular rays quite a bit dimmer but I like the over-all better... Max color right around local sunset...

Another nice looking evening at the pond. Too bad with all the construction out there it is nothing but a mud pit now. So I just stayed on the asphalt this evening. Looking north when I got out to the pond... Looking west south west around sunset with the 16-35mm... Post sunset color with the 100mm...

Finally. A day above freezing coupled with a day off of work. That means I could get out and actually see and image the sunset. But I made an error. Thought the overcast as going to ruin the sunset so I started heading home. Then the sun rounded the corner post sunset and gave a quick burst. Unfortunately I as already back in ton so I had to do the best I could with wires, trees and buildings in the way. Started off with the color and the 100mm... Finished off the color with the 16-35mm...

Chilly post snowfall sunset this evening Pre-sunset looking west.. Post sunset slight color looking northeast...

Winter in Indiana. Ice on the pond.

A small sucker hole opened up close to sunset this evening. Was not anything spectacular but at least it was something. Some crepuscular rays at the top of the hole... Some spot-lit clouds to the northwest... More of an overview to the northwest just before the hole closed up...

Finally broke the inversion around here today. What was that bright yellow thing in the sky all day? Had some perfectly placed cirrus for the sunset also. Around local sunset for the yellow. Do no look to close at the focus. Those darn ski mittens and lens changes can result in accidental manual focus. Fire in the sky and ice on the pond... Max red right before it disappeared.... Cheers!

If you throw out one day, Jan 4th, the diurnal range has been less than nine degrees for the month. Blandness in the skies and the temperature recording devices at KIND.

And just what is your definition of an expert? Gung-ho hobbyist? BS diploma? Masters with thesis of "The latency of of the airmass above 60N at 500mb? An Eskimo elder with 39+ different words for "snow"?