I have been on the internet since my UNC-Asheville college days from 1994 until 1998. Initially weather information was available only through the great gopher servers like twister.sbs.ohio-state.edu. Then in early 1995 we started hearing about this new web protocol called http, and the ability it gave to embed graphics within text!
Here's many of the oddest, most interesting, or just plain cool weather-related images I've collected in my internet journeys!
Rapidly developing shallow convection near Wilmington, NC
December 10, 2004
Convection developed a few hours after sunset well ahead of a cold front. The mid-levels of the atmosphere were cooling rapidly which probably explains the convective behavior.
Gulf Stream swirl (reflectivity)
November 27, 2004
Several times of year a coastal trough will sharpen into a closed low surrounded by shallow convection. Here it assumed the look of a tropical system even though surface winds remained light.
Gulf Stream swirl (velocity)
November 27, 2004
Velocity imagery matching the reflectivity imagery above. Maximum winds around the circulation appear to be 25 knots (30 mph)
Hurricane Jeanne crossing Florida
September 26, 2004
Florida endured the worst hurricane season in recent memory, capped off by Hurricane Jeanne. This is a long 40 frame loop.
Hurricane Ivan just before landfall in Mobile Bay
September 15, 2004
Hurricane Ivan crossed the Cayman Islands, extreme western Cuba, then made another landfall near the Florida/Alabama border.
Hurricane Charley Storm Surge Model - Coastal NC and SC
August 14, 2004
Output from an ultra-high resolution model forecasting tidal departures as Hurricane Charley made landfall on the NC coast.
Remnants of Tropical Storm Bonnie in North Carolina
August 13, 2004
After making a weak landfall on Florida's gulf coast, Bonnie zipped northeast through the Carolinas and produced a deadly tornado in Pender County, just north of Wilmington.
Hurricane Alex continues to intensify and threaten the Outer Banks
August 3, 2004
Alex is now near hurricane strength as it threatens Cape Hatteras, Ocracoke Island and the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
Tropical Storm Alex rapidly intensifying off the SC Coast
August 2, 2004
Tropical Storm Alex was rapidly intensifying across the hot Gulf Stream waters just off the South Carolina coast. This is a long 40-frame radar loop.
Colliding Outflow boundaries near Albuquerque, NM
July 22, 2004
Four outflow boundaries collided just south of Albuquerque, NM, producing additional convection.
Garden Variety Afternoon Thunderstorms
July 22, 2004
This picture, taken from on top of the sky needle at Carowinds theme park in Charlotte, NC, shows a multicell cumulonimbus cloud to the south.
Perfect Afternoon Seabreeze
June 18, 2004
This is a loop of a well defined seabreeze on a hot summer afternoon.
Eye of the Storm - Nor'Easter
December 6, 2003
Sometimes strong winter storms can develop an eye much like a hurricane. In this case, an exceptionally strong Nor'Easter developed an eye southeast of New York City.
Convection Along the Seabreeze
September 28, 2003
Seabreezes often produce thunderstorms since they converge and lift air very effectively. This is a classic example.defined seabreeze on a hot summer afternoon.
Hurricane Isabel
September 18, 2003
Hurricane Isabel made landfall on eastern North Carolina. Isabel was a large storm with an absolutely huge eye!
Tropical Storm Henri near the Florida west coast
September 5, 2003
Tropical Storm Henri was a weak tropical storm as it crossed the Florida peninsula. The storm was nearing Tropical Storm strength in this loop.
A Strong Circulation on the Coastal Trough
March 15, 2003
The coastal trough can develop rather strong circulations along it - this is one of best I've ever seen.
Hurricane Lili near the Isle of Youth
October 1, 2002
This radar loop shows Hurricane Lili near landfall on the south shore of Cuba.
Hurricane Lili near western Cuba
October 1, 2002
This radar loop shows Hurricane Lili near landfall in western Cuba.
Hurricane Isidore landfall near New Orleans, LA
September 26, 2002
This small radar loop shows the ragged eye of Isidore making landfall on the Mississippi delta south of New Orleans.
The Weather Channel - Blazing Hot Virginia
July 5, 1999
I was an intern with the National Weather Service in Wakefield, VA when this heat wave occurred.
The Weather Channel - Sweltering Petersburg, VA
July 5, 1999
Yikes. This is still the highest heat index I think I've been witness to anywhere I've lived.
The Weather Channel - Extremely Hot Forecast
July 5, 1999
This was the hottest forecast I'd even seen, up until I moved to Wilmington, NC.
Tornado in Anderson County, SC
September 18, 1997
An F2 tornado in Anderson County, SC moved from Sandy Springs to Piedmont, doing five million dollars damage. This is the 0.5 degree reflectivity image from the GSP radar.
Tornado in Anderson County, SC
September 18, 1997
This is the 1.5 degree reflectivity image from the GSP radar for the Anderson County tornado.
Tornado in Anderson County, SC
September 18, 1997
This is the 2.5 degree reflectivity image from the GSP radar for the Anderson County tornado.
Tornado in Anderson County, SC
September 18, 1997
This is the 3.5 degree reflectivity image from the GSP radar for the Anderson County tornado.
Tornado in Anderson County, SC
September 18, 1997
This is the 1.5 degree base velocity image from the GSP radar for the Anderson County tornado.
Tornado in Anderson County, SC
September 18, 1997
This is the 0.5 degree storm relative velocity image from the GSP radar for the Anderson County tornado.
Tornado in Anderson County, SC
September 18, 1997
This is the 1.5 storm relative reflectivity image from the GSP radar for the Anderson County tornado.
The Weather Channel - THUNDERSNOW
March 13, 1993
Wow - the ultimate weather weenie's dream. Occurred during the great Superstorm of March 1993.
The Weather Channel - Blowing Snow
March 13, 1993
I'm sure many of you from colder
climates see this often, but this is still the only time I've seen blowing snow reported on my local
Weather Channel.
The Weather Channel - Blizzard Warning from NWS CLT
March 13, 1993
Blizzard Warnings are a rarity in the Carolinas. And yes, the NWS office in Charlotte doesn't exist anymore either!
The Weather Channel - 100 Miles Visibility
January 14, 1992
This is from 1992 and shows an amazing 100 mile visibility! A weather observer from the Hickory airport spoke to my world geography high school class in 1992 and told us that their 50-mile reference point was the peak of Mt. Mitchell to the west.
The Weather Channel - Current Conditions: SMOKE
November 5, 1991
If I remember correctly there were large forest fires burning in West Virginia, which led to smoky conditions being reported in the western Carolinas.
The Weather Channel - Zero Visibility
December 16, 1990
Old stuff from The Weather Channel! This is from 1990 and shows the lowest of all possible visibilities: ZERO!
The Weather Channel - Tornado Warning from NWS AVL
April 23, 1990
The NWS office in Asheville, NC doesn't exist anymore, possibly because they misdated this tornado warning to say 1989 when it should be 1990. :)
The Weather Channel - Regional Conditions from 1990
February 23, 1990
I remember I taped this because we had unexpected thunderstorms in February. Now it seems special because of it showcases how far we've come in computer technology!