
These last ten days have brought a magnificent array of weather to my neighborhood. This included lovely lightning, cannon-like thunder, generous rains, magnificent rainbows and pearl hail pellets.
The photo above shows an approaching storm on Saturday April 18th. Strong winds sway trees and shake my car while I gaze in awe and delight.

Billowy dark clouds gather ahead of impending celestial show, Friday April 17th. A wonderful foreboding and exciting mood ascends in response. Eager anticipation fills my heart.

This Radarscope screen shot shows the complex approaching my neighborhood, fertile with my very favorite weather- lightning! It’s my hope that it all holds together by the time it reaches me, northeast of Dallas.

This mystical sheet lightning shot was taken with my new telephone application Lightning Camera. I am finding this app great for more distant and also subtle lightning displays. At this point, real strong winds and intensifying rains are moving in.

Here, I capture a little squiggle of light poking through the overcast, waving hello to me!

Another mystical ripple of sheet lightning dances across sky.

The very next night, April 18, my Saturday evening entertainment consists of excitedly awaiting the arrival of an already “severe” warned storm. This photo looks west from Richardson, TX, into the heart of the approaching storm. As I watch its swift approach, I affirm magnificent beauty and passion, free from any destruction.

Like trumpets, heralding the arrival of the king’s procession, these curling cloud towers roll out ahead of storm’s heart.

This is a Lightning Camera app capture of distant intense lightning and approaching storm.

Though grainy, this Lightning Camera app photo still captures the mystical, moody presentation of sheet lightning as it ripples above the approaching squall line.

The blue light behind the distant tree is a power flash caused by intense winds. A total of three power flashes dot the horizon as storm continues its approach.

Thrill and joy fills my heart as I capture this magnificent lightning bolt off to my west. The young child within me celebrates this dramatic capture.

Unlike Friday night’s storm which brought cascading clouds, an occasional magnificent close bolt and generous rain; taking at least 1.5 hours to ooze its way in, this storm blustered through with 50 MPH wind gusts, sheet upon sheet of swirling rain and a wild electric atmosphere. In addition, there was a beautiful display of anvil lightning afterwards. Temperatures dropped from upper 70’s to mid 50’s due to the powerful force of downdrafts.

Rivers of lightning slither brilliantly across sky, landing as a super hot positive bolt (cloud top to ground) off in the distance.

On Friday, April 24th we are blessed with another thunderstorm. It highlights frequent flickers of sheet lightning; sometimes pink through dramatic clouds, and rolling thunder. Heavy rains, briefly torrential and swirling descend upon our neighborhood and totals over 1.25″. Afterwards a magnificent sky takes my breath away. The photo above is taken as sharp clearing opens up in the western sky and artistic feathers of storm cloud press onwards at its border. I know what’s coming, and eagerly await its unfolding.

A magnificent rainbow unfolds above my neighborhood!

It brightens and turns to a sweeping double!

Rainbow fades and a shower arises. As sun nears the horizon line, the rainbow re-emerges, this time tinged with red. It brightens with full magnificence across the entire eastern sky. Occasional looping lightning discharges play about the rainbow and sunlit rain mist beyond.

This photo looks northeast into luscious rainbow, distant orange rain mist, purples and blues.

Meanwhile the entire western sky turns to pure fire, as setting sun illuminates snow aloft, which melts into gently tumbling rain.
Story and Photos Copyright Stephen Eric Levine. For further information or to purchase a photo, contact me at delightfulight@gmail.com