Weather in the Tropical North

Blonde Moment · January 22, 2007

This time of the year is called the WET season. We can get up to 6 inches of rain every day for weeks at a time. Our average rainfall is something like 14 feet and it all comes between November and March. For the rest of the year we have no rain at all.

My day job is a Pilot flying people around the north of Australia. I have just landed and the weather was good, so I took the camera to try to get some aerial shots of the comet. Unfortunately, I did not see the comet, but I did take these>

17-35 AFS @ 17, 1/1600 f8.0 ISO200

Blonde Moment · January 22, 2007

This was just at sunset and the sky was a lovely blue.

17-35 @ 17 1/200 f8.0 ISO 320

Blonde Moment · January 22, 2007

The just before I had to get back and fly the aircraft, we passed a Thunderstorm that was lighting up the night sky. I was at 23000 feet and this guy topped out at 45000 feet.

17-35 @ 17, 1/15, f2.8, ISO 200

Blonde Moment · January 22, 2007

17 - 35 @ 17, 1/10, f2.8, ISO 200

Scotty_R · January 22, 2007

Not only am I impressed that you can fly a plane and take pictures at the same time, but such good pictures to boot. All of them are fine examples, but the first one is my favorite...lovely.

kdog · January 22, 2007

Those are great. Number 3 is awesome!

ajroahkni · January 22, 2007

WOW - #3...

How close are you to that formation? It looks as if the lightning is contained/trapped in that cloud, and trying to explode it's way out.

Can you hear/feel the concussion of the thunder at that distance?

Amazing shots!

John

Blonde Moment · January 22, 2007

We where about 5nm from the action.

I have only heard thunder once in an aircraft. If you hear it, you are normally inside it and that is one place you try not to be.

Thanks for the comments.

Phyxius · January 22, 2007

Blonde Moment wrote:

The just before I had to get back and fly the aircraft, we passed a Thunderstorm that was lighting up the night sky. I was at 23000 feet and this guy topped out at 45000 feet.

17-35 @ 17, 1/15, f2.8, ISO 200

That has got to be one of the coolest weather shots I have ever seen. WOW!

Quite a while ago I read a book (fiction) about the diamond trade and it focused on a fictional diamond mine near Darwin. Basically middle of nowhere...like you had to get the jeep in Darwin then you drove out for a couple days. It talked about build-up and the wet season. Sounds crazy! (Though I'm sure it's a bit over done since it IS ficiton.) A good friend of mine is flying back to Adelaide tomorrow, but he spent some time on a dig (archeological) in Darwin last year, and he took some pictures of snakes, crocs, and TERMITE mounds. Luckily he brought me back a t-shirt, not critters.

I'd love to see more shots from you and I hope you get a chance to see McNaught!

christulk · January 22, 2007

Fantastic shots - 3 wins, what a cracker!
Can't quite make out the aircraft, what is it?

Marc Muench · January 22, 2007

Blonde Moment wrote:

The just before I had to get back and fly the aircraft, we passed a Thunderstorm that was lighting up the night sky. I was at 23000 feet and this guy topped out at 45000 feet.

17-35 @ 17, 1/15, f2.8, ISO 200

Great shot!
This is a fantastic view of our earth.

anwmn1 · January 23, 2007

First one id good but number 3 is fantastic.

Blonde Moment · January 23, 2007

Aircraft is an Embraer Brasilia. 30 seat pressurised turboprop. Company website: www.airnorth.com.au

JWilbur26 · January 23, 2007

Blonde Moment wrote:

The just before I had to get back and fly the aircraft, we passed a Thunderstorm that was lighting up the night sky. I was at 23000 feet and this guy topped out at 45000 feet.

17-35 @ 17, 1/15, f2.8, ISO 200

I Love this shot. Do you see stuff like this often?

salazar · January 23, 2007

Blonde Moment wrote:

The just before I had to get back and fly the aircraft, we passed a Thunderstorm that was lighting up the night sky. I was at 23000 feet and this guy topped out at 45000 feet.

17-35 @ 17, 1/15, f2.8, ISO 200

#3 & 4 Wow! How many shots did it take to time the lightning flash?

Blonde Moment · January 23, 2007

Only took about 6 shots of the lightning as we where doing over 300 knots.

I would have liked a longer exposure, but hand held in a moving aircraft makes that impossible.

Blonde Moment · January 23, 2007

Here is another of the same thunderstorm before I went passed it and took the lightning images.

It only took 11 minutes to get from this shot until I took #3 of the first series.

Elaine · January 23, 2007

Wow!!! Love #3 especially! Really unique view that most of us don't get to see. Thanks for sharing!

Elaine

jdryan3 · January 23, 2007

#3 is definitely a 'wow' shot, but I think #1 printed large (18" x24") and well framed would look great....

... in my house!

frankenstein · January 24, 2007

Mark, these are all great shots, but the first one is a ripper! I love the subtle lighting across the water and the way my eye is led back to the horizon. Magic!

Frank

tobers · January 26, 2007

#3 OMG that is incredible. I'm a bit of a fan of the weather and that really is awesome.

Any chance of getting rid of the wing on the left?

Allen Maestas · January 26, 2007

Amazing images, this is a perspective not everyone gets

Al

christulk · January 26, 2007

tobers wrote:

#3 OMG that is incredible. I'm a bit of a fan of the weather and that really is awesome.

Any chance of getting rid of the wing on the left?

Might be a bit hard to fly then...

tobers · January 26, 2007

Mmmm - good point, well argued.

gus · January 26, 2007

tobers wrote:

Mmmm - good point, well argued.

Yeah...its always about them 'eh ?

Great shot there mark !

Weather in the Tropical North

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