Northwest Storms – How They Look From Space

Focus…beep…click. Focus…beep…click. 

I can imagine how it would sound if I was taking a picture like this with my own digital camera.

What I cannot begin to understand (are you with me on this?) is what it must feel like as you look out the window of the International Space Station and snap pictures. You’re looking at a Pacific Northwest Storm from outer space.

NASA recently shared these astronaut photos showing a strong looking northwest cold front (the solid white clouds on the right–this would be steady and possibly heavy rain as it moved over us) with a line of convection at the back edge where rain could be very heavy or snow levels might quickly drop as cooler air gets pulled in.

Then all the clouds broken into pieces (looking like pieces of cotton) are the showers that hit us off and on after the continuous rain has stopped. This is what I affectionately refer to as ‘downpour mode.’

I think you know what I mean. It’s sunny and you assume it’s safe to go on your walk. Next thing you know–it’s pouring rain then hailing and you and the flowers in your yard are suddenly wondering what happened. We’ve done a lot of that this April!