EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Warning! Snow Squall Slices Through Utah

January 27, 2022

Slcsnow612c_27dec21

Photographer: Ray Boren

Summary Author: Ray Boren

While out or a winter walk along the east shore of Utah’s Great
Salt Lake on December 27, 2021, I heard the oddest intermittent squawk.
The sound was a new kind of text alert sent out by the National
Weather Service. The alert warned a hazardous “ snow squall” was
coming our way. I snapped a few photos of a low, roiling band of clouds
from the lake shore and headed home — even as two more alerts sounded
on my phone. The turbulent clouds inevitably diverted me to a higher
vantage in the suburban community of Bountiful, Utah, where I snapped
this photo of a low, beveled shelf cloud chiseling its way
southeast across the lake directly toward Salt Lake City. The
National Weather Service Salt Lake City later confirmed this shelf
cloud occurrence on its Twitter account, tweeting subscribers and
photographers to “send us your ’shelfies!’”

News reports later explained the first-ever alerts were issued because
the intense cold front was moving extremely quickly and was
approaching Utah’s Wasatch Front cities and interstate freeways
during the evening rush hour. The National Weather Service further
clarified the snow event was indeed the first such squall warning
issued for the Wasatch Front. They also described that snow squalls are
limited duration weather events involving moderate to heavy snowfall
accompanied by high surface winds that together lead to reduced
visibility and near whiteout conditions. In conjunction with the
snow and wind, rapidly tumbling temperatures can cause dangerous
conditions for motorists. Like other occurrences of squalls, winter
snow squalls are similar in appearance to those that accompany
strong summer thunderstorms.

The snow was flying well before I made it home — right behind a
snowplow truck much of the way — but I made it there before the worst
of it. The swift blizzard only dropped about 3 inches (7.62 cm) of snow
on my yard, then departed as quickly as it came.

Photo details: NIKON D3200, f/4, ISO- 640, 1/60 second exposure
* Bountiful, Utah Coordinates: 40.8894, -111.8808

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Severe Weather Links

* World Severe Weather Information Center
* Enhanced Fujita Scale
* A Lightning Primer
* More About Thunderstorms
* Staying Safe Outdoors in Severe Weather
* NOAA Storm Prediction Center
* Patterns of Lightning Activity
* US National Weather Service

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 7 weeks, 4 days, 20 hours, 43 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)

EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Crepuscular Rays Observed from Turin, Italy

September 27, 2022

Crepuscular rays_resize

Photographer: Piero Armando

Summary Authors: Piero Armando; Jim Foster
The setting Sun behind the peaks of the Orsiera-Rocciavrè Massif,
cast this impressive set of crepuscular rays over Turin, Italy.
Though most often associated with clouds, gaps in mountain peaks can
also produce lanes of shadow and sunlight. However, there must be
sufficient aerosols in the atmosphere in order to result in the
dramatic effect shown above. Note it's perspective that seems to
make the rays converge near the horizon. Photo taken on September 9,
2022.

Photo details: Canon EOS 600D camera;1/1250 sec. exposure; f/7; ISO
100; 180 mm focal length.

Turin, Italy Coordinates: 45.0703, 7.6869


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Atmospheric Effects Links

* Atmospheric Optics
* Optic Picture of Day: Gruppo Astrofili Galileo Galilei
* Color and Light in Nature
* The Colors of Twillight and Sunset
* Refraction Index
* Image Gallery: Atmospheric Effects
* What is a Rainbow?

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 30 weeks, 1 day, 21 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)

EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Patterns in the Dieffenbachia Plant

December 27, 2022

Menashe_varegation_Picture1

Menashe_varegation_Picture2

Photographer: Menashe Davidson

Summary Author: Menashe Davidson

In our apartment-garden, located in the city Rishon-LeZion, Israel, we
grow in containers about 100 species of plants. Annuals and perennials,
low plants, bushes, climbers and trees. Most of them flowering
ornamentals, for the beauty of their seasonal bloom. But the most
prominent plant, all the yearlong and not just seasonal, is the
Dieffenbachia seguine plant, known as dumb cane from the family
Araceae. The focal point of a dieffenbachia is the beautiful patterns
of the foliage, which are variegated, all year long if properly
cultivated.

Variegation is the appearance of differently colored zones pf a
plants’ leaves. Dieffenbachia leaves, are generally large and ovate,
have irregular areas of splotches with lighter green, yellow or even
cream color. In the first picture we already see the patterns appear on
the eternal juvenile leaf of the vegetative bud. It then maintains this
same appearance regardless of the plants’ age (second picture).

The variegation is caused by mutations that affect chlorophyll
production. This is 'built' into the plant DNA. Note that in some
portions of the leaf tissues there’s a lack of chlorophyll pigments.
The purpose of variegation is still a matter of debate. Regardless,
gardeners enjoy harnessing the pattern traits that produce the most
desirable, eye-catching plants.


Rishon-LeZion, Israel Coordinates: 31.9730, 34.7925


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Plant Links

* Discover Life
* Tree Encyclopedia
* What are Phytoplankton?
* Encyclopedia of Life - What is a Plant?
* USDA Plants Database
* University of Texas Native Plant Database
* Plants in Motion
* What Tree is It?

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 43 weeks, 1 day, 20 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)