of living on the Dry Line.
For those that don’t know, the ‘Dry Line’ basically runs from Marfa, TX, through Wichita Falls, and on up to around Wichita, KS. West of the line is ‘dry’ weather, east is ‘wet’ weather…
On the line… well, sometimes it gets ‘interesting’…
Yesterday was one of those interesting days. We’ve been over 30 days without any rain, but things started popping day before yesterday. First two ‘severe’ thunderstorms we got maybe ten drops of rain out of the first, and a 30 second sprinkle out of the second. I walked out and looked south and saw this about six in the evening…
Interesting cloud pattern, confused winds… Surface winds were 15 to 17 kn from the south east, mid-level winds were 15 kn from 270 and the upper level winds were 20 to 30 kn from 180. But it does make for a pretty picture! OBTW, taken looking directly south.
But it was ‘funny’ in a hair raising way, to watch the little CU cloud moving to the left in the picture, as the winds on the ground blew in the exact opposite direction, and the upper level 90 degrees off from that.
I’m just glad I wasn’t up in that mess, because based on previous experience, that was BUMPY…
Oh, and after two days of severe thunderstorms, we’ve gotten an eighth of an inch of rain, while places north and south of us (less than five miles), have gotten an inch or more.
Sorry If I’m OFF TOPIC
I really DO apologize
BUT, I really need to rant for just one minute…
I’m getting old and I’ve worked hard all my life. I have made my reputation – the good and the bad. I didn’t inherit my job or my income, and I have busted ass to get where I am in life.
I have juggled my job, my family, and I’ve made countless sacrifices up front to secure a good life for myself and my children. It wasn’t always easy and still isn’t, but I did it all while maintaining my integrity and my principles. I’ve never put anyone beneath myself or denied help to anyone. I have friends of every walk of life and if you’re in my circle, it should be understood that I don’t have to remind you of what I’d be willing to do for you.
However….
I’m tired of being told that I have to “spread the wealth” to people who don’t have my work ethic. People who have sacrificed nothing and feel entitled to receive everything.
I’m tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it themselves.
I’m tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which, no one is allowed to debate.
I’m tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of all parties talk like their opinions matter to the common man. I’m tired of any of them pretending they can even relate to the life and bank account that I have.
I’m tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor. I’m tired of the greed, everybody always wanting more.
I’m tired of being labeled as a racist because I am white. Because I am proud of my heritage, the same way black, Asian and native people are proud of theirs.
I never stole any ones land, I never owned slaves and neither has anyone up my line of genealogy…
I’m tired of being told I need to accept the latest political fad, or politically correct stupidity, or blindly accept a group that would smile while stoning me because I won’t convert to their point of view – because I won’t cover my face.
I’m really tired of people who don’t take responsibility for their lives and actions. Especially the ones that want me to fund it. I’m tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination, or big-whatever for their problems.
No one is entitled to anything. You have a choice to work, a choice to stay off drugs – a choice to make something of yourself. I have nothing to do with your choice. That’s all on you.
You are entitled to what you earn.
I didn’t earn this for you. I didn’t put in the time, and the effort, and miss out on Christmas, Thanksgiving and birthdays and Baseball games for you. I did this for my family. I EARNED this life for my family. You could have done the same.
O&R- While I agree with you, I DO try to keep comments to pertinent things on the blog post. I will leave this one, but I’d appreciate it if you would be content to comment on the blog post itself. Thank you.
Funny, he posted the same at my place.
Now, see? THIS is how civilized adults interact. I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiments of the venting AND completely understand and appreciate our host’s civil admonition, er, comment, whatever.
Marfa, TX. Home of the Marfa lights?
Spent an afternoon at a stormspotter seminar with a famous Texas meterologist (sorry, forget his name). Every one of his slides had the text: ALWAYS know where you are, ALWAYS know where the storm is, ALWAYS have a route out. And he said, unlike clear-air Texas, it was impossible to see s#!t with our humidity and stuff in the air here.
Those clouds look positively Van Gogh-ish.
We here in Gainesville FL have somewhat the same thing. Spectacular clouds as many really good storms brew up west of us, come rushing in with spectacular winds and huge amounts of lightning, hit I-75 and split around the city. Really damned annoying.
It’s due to us being surrounded by swamps and low wet areas that aren’t swamps and us being a damned giant oak hammock protruding 20-30′ above the surrounding terrain and forming a heat island.
So, well, I feel your pain. But, like what you see, sure makes for some pretty skies in a ‘uh-oh, this may be bad’ way.
Here in the upstate of SC, we have the same thing. The way the mountains are, it sort of splits the weather around us. Typically we get Atlanta weather.
That 30 second rain is what we call a “40 drop per acre” rain.
I do miss the awe-inspiring moments of Texas weather – we just have to settle for the occasional tornado and hurricane here in NC… but all the damn trees get in the way of looking at the horizon to see what’s bearing down on us
Spent 40 years living in or near Amarillo before moving to Missouri. I miss the ability to watch sever storms from a considerable distance (flat land, no trees). Spent 9 years of that as the right hand man for a popular TV meteorologist during severe weather events. Finally got to storm chase once I left working in TV. The dry line is an awesome thing, especially when you get the wind shear you described to induce vorticity. Can’t see squat for all of the hills and trees here, so I don’t chase anymore. Too many wannabes since the movie “Twister” anyway. Chaser convergences can be deadly.
I was a spotter for Channel 10 for several years, while I worked at [redacted] airport in Amarillo. Never chased, don’t want to. Also spotted when I was in Really Flat State. Clouds are going left to right, and north to south, and the wind at the surface is right to left. That means TxRed gets very, very twitchy and lingers near solid shelter.
I worked 3 years at Channel 10 and 7 years at 4 before going back into radio. Sure miss working with Roy McCoy. Yeah, I know I’m old.
I highly recommend the Pecos Hank channel on YOutube. He’s a storm chaser out of Houston. LOVE his videos. Storms, humor, and good music all in one package.
On the wet side of the dry line, we’re at nine inches of rain over the last three days. The pulses of thunderstorm occur during the day, and in the evening, the sunsets are spectacular.
That picture looks like a hand, palm up, half cupped, with five fingers and a thumb. That’s quite a pic. Special if I may say, or is my imagination that’s “special”? OG
Marfa is THE place for glider pilots. For that very reason I have thought I need to get to Marfa some day.
That cloud picture is exactly as described. It sure is a busy sky. Busy sky, dramatic weather, brilliant photographs.
I have seen on prognostic charts that dry line (chart symbol is a line of orange ‘D’) extending within a couple hundred miles of the Canadian border.
Live in North Central Colorado and you are in the rain shadow of the Rockies. Low in a light airplane you can see the vegetation change color in just a few miles. Late summer afternoons usually produce a squall line at the edge of the rain shadow, often with virga. Passing through can give you a few “interesting” moments. In most places, putting your back to the wind will show you the low pressure area to be 45° to your side. Not so along the Front Range.
All- Thanks for the comments, and yes, we don’t chase. We stay ‘close’ to solid shelter. I have seen one continuous line of thunderstorms last year that stretched from Marfa (yes, the one with lights), all the way to the Canadian border in one CONTINUOUS line! THAT was scary!
To me, it appears as if the sky is on fire. Perhaps a message for those who look?