c/cloud-spotting-pics

My friend told me to always check the sky after a storm in Boulder

He said the best cloud formations show up right as the bad weather clears. I didn't believe him until last Thursday, when I saw the most amazing mammatus clouds rolling over the Flatirons about twenty minutes after a hailstorm. Has anyone else noticed a specific time or place that always seems to deliver?

Just hit my 100th cloud photo from the top of Mount Washington

I was up there last month, freezing my fingers off, when a perfect lenticular cloud formed right over the summit. I used to just snap quick phone pics, but watching that cloud hold its shape for an hour made me start bringing my real camera and a tripod. Anyone else have a specific spot that totally changed how you shoot?

Saw a weird cloud formation over the lake yesterday and looked it up...

It was a shelf cloud, and I found out they can sometimes come with a sudden, strong wind gust right before the storm hits. I read it on the National Weather Service site after I took the picture. Has anyone else been caught off guard by the wind from one of these?

Heads up about those 'premium cloud forecast' apps

Paid $15 for one that promised perfect lenticular alerts in Colorado, but it just gave generic weather reports. Has anyone found a free tool that actually works for spotting specific formations?

A guy at the park in Boise pointed out something I always miss

I was trying to get a picture of some big fluffy clouds over the foothills last weekend. This older man walking his dog stopped and said, 'You see that little hook shape on the bottom left? That's a sign it might turn into a cumulonimbus.' He explained he was a retired weather spotter and showed me how to look for the early signs. I never would have noticed that small detail on my own. It made me watch the sky for the next hour as it actually did start to build up. Has anyone else had a stranger give you a quick cloud spotting tip that stuck?

My beef with the local obsession over storm cloud pics

Honestly, everyone in my area just posts dramatic storm clouds and acts like that's all that matters. Tbh, I think the everyday fair-weather cumulus clouds get totally ignored, and they can be way more interesting. Like yesterday, I watched these puffy clouds drift past the old factory chimney and they formed perfect animal shapes. Ngl, it was cooler than any dark sky I've seen lately. People say storm clouds are more exciting, but they miss the subtle changes in regular clouds. So, I'm focusing on sharing my simple cloud finds, and I wish others would appreciate them too.

It HIT me yesterday that the afternoon thunderheads are building up WAY earlier in the season now.

Showerthought: Snapping cloud pics became my anxiety break

I've been pushing myself to take five minutes outside when I feel overwhelmed. This morning, I caught these strange, lumpy mammatus clouds right after a storm. Getting the shot felt like a tiny victory over my stress. Now I'm keeping an eye on the sky more often, and it's honestly helping.

Getting stared at for pointing out a perfect mammatus cloud

I was at the park with my dog last week when I spotted these wild, pouch-like clouds hanging low, all puffy and dark against the orange sky. I knew right away it was a mammatus formation, which is pretty rare here. Without thinking, I blurted out 'Whoa, check out those clouds!' and gestured up with both hands. This family on a picnic blanket just froze and gave me the side-eye, like I was shouting about aliens. Their kid asked if I was okay, and I had to explain I was just excited about the weather. The mom nodded slowly and went back to her sandwich, totally ignoring the amazing sky show. I felt pretty silly standing there alone with my dog, but I snapped a few photos before leaving. Sometimes cloud spotting turns into a solo mission when no one else gets it.

Shoutout to learning cloud types from my grandpa's old book

Knowing your cumulonimbus makes storm watching way cooler.

My cloud photo was shared without asking

Felt ripped off even though it's free to see. What do you guys think?

Update: Almost called a lenticular cloud a UFO in my post.

Check for that lens shape before you share, folks.

Back when I kept a cloud diary, it was just scribbles and guesses, not like the clear pics I get now.

If you bail before the sky changes, you don't deserve the view

I planted myself on a hilltop at dawn yesterday to watch morning clouds form. The forecast said clear skies, but I knew better from past trips. For ninety minutes, it was just flat, boring gray nothing. My phone died, and I almost left like three times. Then, out of nowhere, these weird, lumpy pouches started to sag down from the haze. They were altocumulus castellanus, I'm pretty sure. That slow reveal made the whole empty wait feel huge. People who snap one pic and go miss how the sky tells a story. Real cloud spotting means sitting through the boring parts, no shortcuts.

My dad called mammatus clouds ugly, but I think he's just jealous of their drama.

We had a full-blown argument over it at the family BBQ, and now everyone's picking sides.

Sunset clouds near the refinery have a weird orange-brown tint now

I take cloud pictures every evening from my back porch. For the past few weeks, the clouds over the refinery look muddy orange, not clean red. It reminds me of smog pictures I saw online. I'm starting to think it's from all the plant smoke mixing with the air. Has anyone else noticed cloud colors shifting near big pollution sources? I want to learn if this is a sign of bad air quality. How can I use my photos to show this change to others?