Into the storm

The Artdog Images of Interest

Three major signals of climate change’s onset are increased rates and ferocity of fires, deepening drought, and increasingly violent storms. Today’s image focuses on storms.

First, a little “storm porn,” because dramatic, high-contrast clouds plus lightning and panoramic skies make for jaw-dropping storm photos. Here’s a mini-portfolio from American storm-chaser Mike Mezeul II:

Thunderstorm outside Cheyenne, WY by Mike Mezeul II

Thunderstorm over Big Spring TX – Mike Mezeul II

Thunderstorm with internal lightning over Graham, TX, by Mike Mazeul II

I could look at these all day, but a little reminder may be in order that gorgeous clouds can contain devastating downpours, tornadoes, and/or hurricanes that can do millions of dollars’ worth of damages in just a short time. Havoc such as that shown in these photos:

This is what we denizens of Tornado Alley call “a real toad-strangler.” This storm hit the San Fernando Valley in February 2017.

The website didn’t give a location or date for this photo, but I hope that truck had water wings!

Stormy surf at Porthcawl Harbor, South Wales, in 2014. (photo: PA/Mirror)

A man in Northern Ireland excavates his sheep from a snowdrift in 2014.

Dramatic flooding resulted in 2015 from Tropical Storm Etau in Japan.

2016 flooding and mudslides in Victory, WI made for some arduous cleanup afterwards.

As the EPA is still so far able to say on its website, “Extreme weather is typically rare. But climate change is increasing the odds of more extreme weather events taking place.” 

One thing’s clear: we’d better batten down the hatches–and make sure we have an emergency plan. Unfortunately, we never know when we’ll be caught up in the next disaster.

IMAGES: Many thanks to Mike Mezeul II and The Daily Mail for the gorgeous “storm porn” series at the top. I also am grateful to Climate 101 with Jason, for the San Fernando Valley storm photo by David McNew/Getty Images, to Insurance Advocate for the hurricane-swamping-the-road photo with the pickup truck, to the Mirror for the stormy surf South Welsh photo from 2014, and to the BBC for the photo of the Northern Irishman excavating his sheep from a snowdrift the same year. Many thanks to Young Independent for the Tropical Storm Etau image, and to WXOW Channel 19 of LaCrosse, WI for the mudslide photo.