First Winter Weather Advisory of the Season

Photo by Matt Holiner

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY is now in effect from 8 PM Monday evening through 7 PM Tuesday evening for Franklin, Hampshire, Northern Worcester, Central and Northern Middlesex and Western Essex Counties of Massachusetts for 2-4" of snow with locally higher amounts, and around one-tenth inch of ice accretion with up to one-quarter inch ice accretion in higher terrain locations.

Keep in mind that snow and ice amounts and precipitation type changeover and timing will fluctuate as future model runs get a better handle on these items. It is possible that a prolonged period of freezing rain could develop in any of the advisory areas, and in particular the higher elevations of Western and Northern Massachusetts and northwest Hartford County in Connecticut.

Plan accordingly, people!

Yanked into Winter

First Snow at Cushman Brook, 12/2013
Photo by S. Vardattira

The National Weather Service has posted a “HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK” for Monday night into Tuesday for the Amherst area (as well as Northern Connecticut, all of Massachusetts except Berkshire County, and Rhode Island). This is one of those situations where storm track makes all the difference and there are still a lot of unknowns to consider. On the one hand, our prolonged period of well above-normal temperatures means the ground is not yet frozen in many places. This will make it tough to accumulate snow if the snow doesn’t fall quickly enough. Moreover, with the temperature rising above freezing on Tuesday, the big question (in terms of snowfall amounts) is the extent to which the snow falls while the temperature is still low enough to support snow, and before a dry slot moves in aloft and “deactivates the ice nuclei.” So depending on those and a variety of other factors, conditions could favor snow or more of a wintry mix of sleet or freezing rain.

At present, it seems most likely that the brunt of our snowfall will occur from midnight to 7 am on Tuesday. Then the transition to a wintry mix begins from Connecticut, moving north to our area. This could make for a messy Tuesday morning commute. The Tuesday evening commute should not be as bad, as any lingering precipitation should be in the form of rain at that time. Specific snow and ice accumulations are not yet definitive, but we will probably get at least a few inches of snow overnight from Monday night into Tuesday morning. Of greater concern is the strong likelihood of sleet and possibly freezing rain early Tuesday and Tuesday morning. It takes only a trace of snow and/or ice to make untreated roads slippery. Additional amounts only magnify the impact, but with this kind of event, even light precipitation can be hazardous.

And then, of course, there’s the emotional impact of our being suddenly yanked from our balmy winter into something more… well… like New England in winter.

Oh, yeah, another storm is headed our way for Thursday. What exactly that will turn out to be (snow, rain, mix) is still up in the air. Literally. Pun intended.

Dandelions in December

Dandelions in December, Amherst, MA - 12/26/2015
Photo by Barb Bilz

A smattering of local Amherst dandelion pics are popping up across Facebook, this one taken earlier today by friend of Head in the Clouds Amherst, Barb Bilz. Unbelievably, I've also seen pics of Cherry Blossoms on Cape Cod. All courtesy of our unseasonably warm weather. But don't put away those winter coats just yet. By Monday, temperatures dip down into the 30s (for highs) and something wintry - snow, sleet, freezing rain, and/or possibly a mix of all of the above - comes our way on Tuesday. A few inches of snow, at most, but the potential for a mix of precipitation may keep this interesting. Stay tuned.

After Tuesday, high temps hover in the high 30s /low 40s (still not crazy cold, it should be noted), with no storms in the forecast, at this point anyway, through at least January 9.

I must go in, the fog is rising...

Farm in fog, 12/10/2015, Amherst, MA
Photo by S. Vardatira

“I must go in, the fog is rising.” 
                                                                                  Emily Dickinson (born 185 years ago today, December 10, 1830)

December on Puffer's Pond

Geese on Puffer's Pond - 12/5/2015
Photo by S. Vardatira

12:15 pm: Now months removed from the summer's onslaught of swimmers, Puffer's Pond has returned to the waterfowl, as it does every fall and early winter. Although today's sun is pouring down out of a cloudless, blue sky, it is a brisk 40 degrees near the water, not as warm as all that light would suggest. And still, the birds seem unperturbed by the chill in the air. I have noticed that the ducks and geese never co-mingle even though they are only a few hundred feet apart. Right now, the geese are bobbing, almost motionless, where the ducks usually reside, near where Mill River flows into the pond. From a distance, they look like grey/white puff balls balanced on the surface of an slightly fuzzy mirror. The ducks, I assume to avoid the geese, have moved to the southeast corner of the pond near the bridge. They are particularly noisy this morning, complaining about this and that (I imagine about the geese, mostly). A woman with two dogs passes by on the upper walking trail. "Stay... heel... slow down." Her training commands, calm and steady, interrupt the ducks' quacking and flapping. A squirrel scampers, vertically, up a nearby tree trunk, and I head towards home.

Atkins is now carrying the 2016 Head in the Clouds Amherst Calendar!

Keep an eye out for our calendars at Atkins Farms, Amherst Books or Hastings, but call before you go over just to make sure the store has calendars in stock (in the past, stores have tended to run out of calendars by mid-December). Amherst Books is located at the center of downtown Amherst at 8 Main Street. Hastings is also downtown, at 45 South Pleasant Street on the Common. Atkins Farms now has two stores, the flagship store near Hampshire College, at 1150 West St., and Atkins North at 113 Cowls Road in North Amherst. 

Please let us know if any of these stores are out of stock (sometimes they forget to tell us!). And you can always purchase the calendar online right here for speedy delivery. Even better, Amherst residents who want to avoid the shipping and handling cost of purchasing the calendar online are welcome to contact us directly to arrange for separate payment and pickup. 

We promise you will not be disappointed! 

You may contact us directly by sending an email to: 
cloudsamherst [@] gmail [dot] com
The [at] and [dot] are done to keep email addresses from being collected by spammers and harvesting robots. You just have to replace them for [@] and [.] when you write your e-mail..

Black Friday through Cyber Monday SALE at Head in the Clouds Amherst

Sure, the weather is lovely for shopping, but we have an even better idea. First, order your Head in the Clouds Amherst Wall Calendar online HERE, ditch the box stores, and instead take to the Robert Frost Trail for a serene/invigorating weekend. And to give you just a little taste of "Black Friday," we are discounting online orders now through Cyber Monday by 20%, to $11.20 per calendar. We've only got about 40 calendars left in stock, so don't delay!

I'm headed off to Puffer's right now - where will you be spending your day?

2016 Head in the Clouds Amherst Wall Calendar - Now Available!

(Click on photo to enlarge)

Actual calendar photos and daily entries are high resolution, 
much sharper than the images shown here

If you are looking for a unique Amherst gift that will keep giving all year round, look no further than our new Head in the Clouds Amherst 2016 Wall Calendar. This year's calendar features beautiful, seasonal nature photos taken in Amherst by twelve different photographers, both professional and amateur (scroll down this page for the names of our photographers). Each photo includes location captions, and the daily entries highlight over 50 major weather events that occurred in Amherst and New England between 1660 and 2015. Printed on high quality, glossy paper, this one-of-a-kind calendar also notes holidays, as well as astronomical events visible from Amherst with the naked eye - full moon, new moon, meteor showers, and more. 

This is that perfect gift for Amherst residents and tourists, expatriates, college students here or away, writers and poets, and nature lovers. This calendar will have them (and you) falling in love with Amherst month after month. Full size when open is 17" high and 11" wide. 

Price is $14.00 per calendar purchased through this website (slightly higher at local stores).

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE ONLINE NOW: 

You can also purchase our calendar at Atkins Farms, Amherst Books or Hastings, but call before you go over just to make sure they have calendars in stock (it's not unusual for the stores to run by mid-December). Amherst Books is located at the center of downtown Amherst at 8 Main Street. Hastings is also downtown, at 45 South Pleasant Street on the Common. Atkins Farms now has two stores, the flagship store near Hampshire College, at 1150 West St., and Atkins North at 113 Cowls Road in North Amherst. 

For questions or special requests (including arranging for pick up in Amherst), please mail Sharon at CloudsAmherst[@]gmail[.]com. 
The [at] and [dot] are done to keep email addresses from being collected by spammers and harvesting robots. You just have to replace them for [@] and [.] when you write your e-mail.

Gull Pond ~ Old Farm Road, Amherst ~ Photo by Amy Bush

Woman on Puffer's Pond ~ North Amherst ~ Photo by Joshua Wolfsun

Sure sign of spring ~ North Amherst ~ Photo by Sharon Vardatira

After the Storm ~ North Amherst, looking towards UMass ~ Photo by Meg Rosa

Berries Ripening at Bramble Hill Farm ~ Amherst ~ Photo by Margaret Wright

Visit the golf course for everyone ~ Cherry Hill Golf Course, North Amherst

Photo by Jill Paul

Evening Mist ~ North Amherst ~ Photo by Ryan Willey

Mount Pollux in South Amherst, with Mount Norwottuck and the

Holyoke Range in the distance

Photo by John M. Cushing Jr.

Libraries - full of unexpected treasures ~ Jones Library Garden, Amherst

Photo by Marian Wolfsun

Perfect Reflections ~ Between Fort River and the Robert Frost Trail, Amherst

Photo by Ben Harper

Falling Down ~ North East Street, Amherst ~ Photo by Baer Tierkel

Sunset Dog ~ Wentworth Farm Conservation Area, Amherst ~ Photo by Mindy Domb

Cool, crisp day, freeze at night

Random tree by the side of the road, Easthampton MA
Photo by S. Vardatira, 10/17/2015

What a beautiful, cool, crisp fall day here in the Valley. Cold night, though - if you haven't heard already (or felt it in the air), there's a freeze warning in effect overnight. So, um, too late for harvesting now....

Cumulus to the Rescue!

Cumulus Clouds (among others) over Hadley, MA
Photo by S. Vardatira

"The weather threatened to ruin the day: there was a completely clear blue sky throughout the morning. Luckily some fair-weather Cumulus came to the rescue and arrived just as we were breaking for lunch."  

From a recap of the 10th Annual Cloud Appreciation Society International Gathering in the UK on September 26. (Cloud Appreciation Society October 2015 e-newsletter)

Lunar Eclipse Still in Progress!

About half an hour from totality
9:45 pm, 9/27/2015
Photo by S. Vardatira

Near totality - 10:13 pm, 9/27/2015
Photo by S. Vardatira

Yes, totality just passed, but the stars are still shining (click on the lower photo to see the stars even better). You still have another hour (give or take) to watch the moon come back to its full brilliance. And as you watch, consider for a moment that what you are seeing is essentially the Earth's shadow passing across the surface of the moon. Awesome is the only word for it.

Supermoon Lunar Eclipse this Sunday evening, 9/27

This Sunday evening, 9/27, stargazers will see a rare supermoon lunar eclipse. If you miss it, the next one isn't until 2033! What makes this event so special?

If this video doesn't play for you, you can find it on YouTube here.

Tips on Submitting Photos for the Head in the Clouds Wall Calendar

Cover of the 2018 Calendar

(Updated May 2019)

The response to our call for photos has been growing each year, and it's a thrill to open each email and be treated to such a wealth of beautiful local scenes. We've been told more than once that each year's calendar is even more exquisite than the last!

Although we receive plenty of really imaginative and beautiful submissions, for a variety of reasons many are not quite right for this calendar. 

So as you are considering what photos to submit, please keep these pointers in mind: 

1. Photos must show Amherst, not Easthampton, Hadley, Leverett, or anywhere else not exactly in Amherst. We will ask you where the photo was taken - it has to be either in Amherst or "of" Amherst. We will consider photos taken outside of Amherst if the subject is Amherst. For example, if you stood on a hill in Hadley to take a photo of UMass from a distance, we would consider that photo even though you weren't standing in Amherst when you took it. But if the scene doesn't show Amherst proper, we won't be considering it for the calendar no matter how amazing the photo. 
2. Featured photos capture the progression of the seasons. Our April and May calendar photos will be more springlike, while October will be a fall scene. Thus, among all the fall foliage photos we receive each year, we will pick two or three for the calendar. We tend to receive fewer quality winter and spring shots than any other season. So feel free to submit multiple photos, but your odds of being selected increase if you submit a variety of seasons. 
3. Diversity of scenes. We have no idea why, but in 2018 we received more Mount Pollux photos than anything else. We did pick one for the calendar, but about a dozen excellent shots were rejected. We like to show different aspects of Amherst, and we won't include a Mount Pollux photo every year. Check out our calendars from past years, and consider ways to vary the subject.                           2018 Calendar     2017 Calendar     2016 Calendar                                               2015 Calendar     2014 Calendar 
4. Landscape orientation. Due to the layout of the calendar, your photo submissions should be in landscape orientation (photo is wider than it is tall). Photos in portrait orientation (photo is taller than it is wide) generally do not work. The one exception is if the taller-than-wide photo can be cropped into a landscape orientation. That said, only once have we cropped a portrait photo into a landscape variation, and in that case the photo was extremely high resolution, thus allowing us to crop the photo severely without significantly reducing the image quality. 
5. Main subject should be the place. People and pets in the photo are fine as long as the photo isn't all about the people or pets (we're not looking for portraits or close ups of groups of people, in other words) - the main subject needs to be the setting around the people or pets. Crowd shots - where groups of people are the focus of the shot - are also not appropriate.
6. Avoid extreme close-ups. While close-ups can be beautiful, they don't necessarily convey a sense of place. For example, a photo of a lilac branch taken at Lilacland doesn't say "Amherst" (it could have been taken anywhere). Better to pull back on that shot to show, for example, lilac bushes blooming against the hill and art gallery beyond.
7. Weather, clouds, and Amherst landmarks are a plus. Even though we are "in the clouds," we do not require all the featured photos to have clouds - and, ideally the photo won't just be clouds. But we do like good cloud shots, as well as pictures showing weather. We also love Amherst landmarks. Our cover photo in 2018 (shown above) featured all three - in addition to being a beautiful photo, it showed the Common (Amherst landmark), along with clouds and snow on the ground. This photo fit just about every criteria while evoking a true winter feel as well as a scene people rarely see unless they are up in the very early morning. 

Ideally, viewers will see and feel "Amherst" in the photos. It's not necessary that the places featured be recognizable, but the photos should convey a feel for the area, the nature around us, the sky, and, yes, sometimes those locations anyone passing through might recognize or feel drawn to visit.

Can't wait to see what you have. Full instructions on submitting photos can be found here.

Sunset tonight over Simple Gifts Farm

Sunset over Simple Gifts Farm, Amherst MA - 9-22-2015
Photo by S. Vardatira

Sunset, this evening, from Simple Gifts Farm. (And you've probably already seen many, many variations on this theme in the past few hours.) Lovely night. 

Good Yom Tov for those observing.

Seeking Photos for the 2016 Head in the Clouds Amherst Calendar!

Your photo could be featured (kind of like this) in our upcoming 2016 calendar!

CALLING ALL AMHERST-AREA & AMHERST VISITING PHOTOGRAPHERS:

Head in the Clouds Amherst is seeking photo submissions for our 2016 calendar.  That’s right, we’re changing it up this year to feature monthly photos by 12 different people!

The deadline to submit is October 1, 2015. Submissions can be emailed or uploaded via Google Drive to CloudsAmherst@gmail.com. Please enter "HITC Calendar Photo Submissions" in the subject line.

Along with your photo(s), please include: a caption or title; who is in the photo (unless it's a crowd scene or from a distance), where it was taken, the photographer's name, and your contact information

All submissions must have been taken in Amherst or feature a scenic view of Amherst. And photos must also depict scenes that evoke the seasons and the intersection of life and weather.  In addition, if your photo captures one or more of these themes it will get special consideration:

• Amherst landmarks (popular gathering sites, university/colleges, museums, etc.)
• Amherst annual events and happenings 
• Clouds formations and weather phenomena (over or around Amherst)

You can see last year’s calendar, here. But keep in mind that, with 12 different photographers instead of one, we would expect this year’s calendar to show a wider variation in styles and subject matter. We are open to professionals and amateurs, color, and black and white. And we’re also counting on friends of Head in the Clouds re-submitting photos you’ve already sent to us over the year. You can submit as many photos as you like.

If your photo is selected for the 2016 calendar, you will receive a free calendar and reduced rates on any additional calendars you opt to purchase. And keep in mind that we will not consider photos that are low resolution, low quality, or that contain inappropriate material.

So what are you waiting for??? Start flipping through your photo collection – or grab your camera and make some new memories. We can’t wait to see what you’ve got!

Hints of fall and a return to summer

Sundown on the Connecticut River, August 2015
Photo by S. Vardatira

The question of the hour is just how much fall are we going to get anyway. Could we be living the fall version of the one-day spring? Enjoy tonight’s cool evening while you can – the rest of the week will see a return of summer-like conditions as high pressure builds in and pushes temps up to the mid-80s, well above average for the week ahead. And there’s no rain in the forecast until maybe Saturday night (and that’s iffy). Somewhat cooler temps arrive on Sunday, which means they drop into the mid-70s instead of the mid-80s. Not exactly frosty and cool. And so goes our summer-like, above-average September. For those of you who crave the warmer temps, you’re in luck. For the rest of us, well, winter is coming. Eventually.

Ball lightning observed in Hadley last night

Note: this photo of ball lightning was taken by UK scientists -
it was NOT taken in Hadley last night (it's actually incredibly
challenging to photograph ball lightning)

I'm posting this observation, provided by Paula, a friend of Head in the Clouds Amherst, of what sounds for all the world like an electrical phenomenon known as "ball lightning." She saw this last night, around 7:15, during that intense thunderstorm that came through the area. I wonder if anyone else saw this? Here's what Paula observed:

There was lightning, yes.... It looked like a cloud that morphed into a white ball, then exploded and slowly broke into many pieces before it disappeared. We were on North Maple near the Hadley Farm, and stopped along the road to watch the storm in the east. Other cars stopped, too. Some took pictures. The dark grey clouds moved fast, while wispy fingers dipped down toward the ground. I wanted to see if one of those fingers would rotate into a funnel cloud. It didn't. The finger receded, then a bright white ball glowed in the air below, until it burst apart into many pieces. Quite a sight, whatever it was.

Read more about ball lightning here.

Thanks, Paula, for that incredibly clear and fascinating description!

Even as summer lingers on, a change is coming

No, summer won't be around forever
Connecticut River - Photo by S. Vardatira

As we look forward to another week of oddly hot, near record-breaking temperatures hovering near or above 90 through Thursday, it may be hard to grasp that summer will ever end. But a change is coming - on Friday, temps drop back into the 70's where they remain through at least Tuesday. Not exactly a cold snap (night temps only get to the mid-50s), but much more seasonable days are ahead.

El Niño in Southern New England

This map shows the most commonly experienced impacts related to
El Niño during the period December to February
Images courtesy of the NWS/NCEP Climate Prediction Center.)

Don't freak out yet about El Niño, New Englanders, regardless of what the Farmer's Almanac has to say about our upcoming "worse-than-normal" winter. IF (and this is an important IF) the predicted El Niño comes to pass, it's more likely to mean a milder and drier winter for Southern New England, not a more severe winter. Of course, that's assuming the El Niño acts like a typical El Niño and doesn't do something off the charts bizarre.

So stay calm, keep breathing.

If you don't want a repeat of last winter, El Niño could be a good thing (around here anyway). Of course, no one knows for sure what a "monster" El Niño could mean for our region ultimately. But we'll know soon enough. For now, enjoy these dog days of August.

Click here to learn more.

Time to Vote (for Head in the Clouds Amherst)

I've entered a couple of photos in the Get the Picture! A Valley Photo Contest, and now just need people to vote for them. You've seen both of them here in recent weeks, and if you're in doubt, you will know it's a Head in the Clouds photo because the photographer is listed as HITClouds (Head in the Clouds). You can vote everyday between now and August 30. Thanks in advance for your support!

Go here to vote: Photo 1
And here:           Photo 2



http://northampton.upickem.net/engine/Details.aspx?p=V&c=182526&s=78724329&i=1

Storm Advancing

Storm Advancing, 7/30/2015
Hadley, MA - Path along the Connecticut River
Photo by S. Vardatira

I didn't catch lightning this afternoon, but I got some pretty fierce storm clouds before that first thunderstorm this afternoon moved through. At some point as the wind was whipping up and the thunder moving closer, it occurred to me that standing out in the open next to a metal tripod was fairly idiotic (albeit exciting). Found it interesting that the color/tone of the sky in these two photos (taken within about 10 minutes and less than a mile of each other) was so different.

Storm Clouds, 7/30/2015
Hadley, MA - Farm fields by Connecticut River
Photo by S. Vardatira

Something Stormy this Way Comes

Sun through gathering clouds

Amherst, MA (near UMass), 7/21/2015

Photo by S. Vardatira, 

The following Special Weather Statement was just issued for Eastern Hampshire County:

...A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO REACH WESTERN NEW ENGLAND EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. A FEW STORMS MAY PRODUCE WIND GUSTS AS HIGH AS 60 MPH...TORRENTIAL RAINFALL AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING...ESPECIALLY FROM THE BERKSHIRES TO THE WORCESTER HILLS AND IN NORTHERN CONNECTICUT BETWEEN 2 PM AND 4 PM.

THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO WEAKEN SOMEWHAT AS THEY REACH RHODE ISLAND AND EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS BETWEEN 4 AND 6 PM...BUT COULD STILL PRODUCE FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAINFALL.

IF YOU HAVE OUTDOOR PLANS...KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY AND HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO GO TO IF THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH SUCH AS A VEHICLE OR BUILDING. IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

Rainbow Chasing in Amherst (this afternoon)

Rainbow over Amherst - Amherst, MA (7/27/2015)
Photo by S. Vardatira

Forget tornado chasing for the moment. This afternoon was all about rainbow chasing (for me anyway). As soon as I saw the rain pouring while the sun was shining I hit the road. Rainbow profusion - actually saw what appeared to be two or three completely different rainbows within about 15 minutes. As I pulled off the road at one point a passerby remarked happily, "all rainbows go to Amherst!" Of course, we were in Amherst, so it only seemed like that. I'm sure people were seeing them all over the Valley, but Amherst's rainbows were spectacular.

Rainbow over Route 9 (looking towards Amherst Center)
Photo by S. Vardatira - Amherst, MA 7/27/2015

Rainbow over UMass from Rt 116 - Amherst, MA 7/27/2015
Photo by S. Vardatira

Daylight's Last Glowing Embers

Friend of Head in the Clouds Amherst, Meg Rosa, captured another gorgeous sunset. Yesterday afternoon's storminess to our west never really reached us here, but the post-storm clouds still made it beautifully memorable. Thanks for sharing, Meg!

Sunset over the Pioneer Valley - Tuesday, 7/21/2015
Photo by Meg Rosa

New Cloud Type Recognized - First Time Since 1951!

An asperitas cloud formation over Statesboro, Georgia (USA)
Photo by Sarah K. Davis, posted on 3/31/2015
This photo shows an example of: Altocumulus, asperitas
Photo was featured as the Cloud Appreciation Society's “Cloud of the Month” for July 2015

As a blog claiming to be "in the clouds," it's hard to believe I've never posted on the subject of cloud classification or, more to the point, on the imminent formal recognition of a new variety of cloud. To cloud geeks everywhere this is serious and exciting business. Especially so this summer, as a few weeks ago the World Meteorological Organization* accepted a new type of cloud into the fold. Named "asperitas," after the Latin for ‘roughness,' it's the first new cloud type recognized since 1951! According to the Cloud Appreciation Society (of which, yes, I am a proud member), this new cloud was identified thanks to photographs sent in by their members – like this one by Sarah K. Davis, taken over Statesboro, in Georgia. (Brief aside here - for whatever reason, "cloudspotting," not even really a thing in the U.S., tends to be hugely popular in other countries, so I always find it encouraging when people in the U.S. show more than a passing interest.)

The journey towards recognition of asperitas began back in 2006, when the Cloud Appreciation Society started receiving some photographs of a strange cloud over Iowa. With rough, turbulent and contorted waves, these formations didn’t seem to fit within the existing cloud classifications. As the Society wrote in their recent newsletter,

We weren’t sure what to call these clouds when we added them up on our photo gallery. There is already a term for wavy clouds, they’re called undulatus, but these turbulent waves seemed different from the usual undulatus. And those 2006 examples weren’t the only ones. We soon noticed other examples. These same dramatic wave clouds were being sent in from other parts of the world. Each time, we thought there’s another of those weird, nameless clouds.

By 2008, the Cloud Appreciation Society decided to give this cloud a name, which was subsequently tweaked by the WMO to conform with their Latin naming system. And no, Harry Potter fans, "Voldemort" was never considered during the naming process, no matter how much the new cloud looks like something he would conjure.

A cloud type is only official when it appears in the WMO’s International Cloud Atlas, an international reference for meteorologists (also prized by cloud geeks, cloud photographers, and nature lovers). The next edition of the Cloud Atlas is scheduled to come out in 2016, at which point aspiritas will be included right alongside some 100 recognized cloud combinations. In addition, a whole new cloud classification species, Volutus (from the Latin volutus, which means rolled) is also slated for inclusion in the 2016 edition. 

Now here's where it gets even more interesting for cloud aficionados who also know their way around a camera. The WMO, through the Cloud Appreciation Society, is soliciting photographs of the new cloud type, and to facilitate that process, the Cloud Appreciation Society has just launched a competition to find the best photograph of asperitas, which will appear in the International Cloud Atlas. This is your chance to make cloudspotting history, as the photo will be the reference image against which all asperitas spottings will be judged. The winner will be announced at the Cloud Appreciation Society Conference in London on September 26, 2015. Go here for more information. 

For those of you whose cloud knowledge begins and ends with "cumulus" and "cirrus," welcome to a whole new world! And don't forget to look at the road from time to time when you find yourself cloudspotting while driving.

__________________________________

* The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It is the UN system's authoritative voice on the state and behavior of the Earth's atmosphere, its interaction with the oceans, the climate it produces and the resulting distribution of water resources. WMO has a membership of 191 Member States and Territories.

Summer Lightning

Captured some lightning action on video this evening (about an hour ago, at 7:15 pm). Apologies in advance for the under-the-breath invocation. I had been seeing action in the distance and didn't expect something quite so over-arching!

If you are unable to see the video in this window, you can view it on YouTube at:
https://youtu.be/CmO-ivswqOc

A hard rain's a-gonna possibly fall

Storm over Hadley
Photo taken by S. Vardatira, July 24, 2009

You wouldn't know it to look outside at this moment, but two severe weather alerts have just been posted for today. First, we are under a heat advisory through 6 pm this evening (the worst of it between 1 pm and 5 pm). Expect heat index values (what it will feel like outside) around 100 degrees due to temperatures in the low 90s and dewpoints near 70. The second alert concerns the risk of strong to severe thunderstorms this afternoon and evening, with the highest risk north of the Mass Pike - which includes us here in Amherst, of course. These thunderstorms may bring locally strong to damaging wind gusts and possible hail.

The biggest uncertainty is whether or not these isolated strong storms merge into a larger complex of thunderstorms. If that happens, we could get dangerous cloud to ground lightning, heavy rain, localized flooding, and significant wind damage. So keep a watchful eye as you go about your afternoon. Drink plenty of fluids and if you hear thunder, head for indoor shelter.

All on a summer day at Puffer's Pond

South Beach in July, Puffer's Pond (Amherst MA)
Photo by S. Vardatira, 7-12-2015

Although the temperature topped out at 89 F this afternoon at Puffer's Pond, the crowds weren't as intense as you might expect on such an uncomfortably hot day. I theorize that some people, wanting to avoid mobs at Puffer's, may have sought relief at pools and other swimming holes across the area. At the same time, it's possible the crowd on the beach just seemed a little thinner because so many people were out on the water courtesy of air mattresses and inflatable boats. Whole groups had also congregated above and below the waterfall, along with a handful of young men who were rock jumping (a wholly prohibited and incredibly dangerous activity). The rock jumpers left the area in a hurry shortly after they realized I was photographing them. Ah, the power of a camera!

I took a narrow path along the shore from Fisherman's Point towards the waterfall, on the way discovering a lovely secluded spot where a couple had set out a picnic, complete with h'ordeuvres and a small carafe of wine. They were bobbing in an inflatable boat a few feet off shore, and when I apologized for intruding on their site, they laughed and waved their hands across the water, as if to encompass the whole summer scene. "Come on through," they urged, "this is for everyone."

Men on Puffer's Pond Dam
(before you do this, be aware that sitting on the dam is prohibited)
Photo by S. Vardatira, Amherst MA - 7-12-2015

Photographing yet more prohibited activity on the water....

Rock jumping at Puffer's Pond, 7-12-2015

(Photos by S. Vardatira)

A tale of two seasons - at Puffer's Pond

Two photos, one taken in January and one taken in July, at Puffer's Pond. Both photos taken from the same general vantage point as the sun was going down.

Last Swim of the Day - Puffer's Pond, 7/10/2015
Photo by S. Vardatira

Ice Skating at Nightfall - Puffer's Pond, 1/4/2013
Photo by S. Vardatira

Sunset After the Storm

Gorgeous photo taken this evening by friend of Head in the Clouds Amherst, Meg Rosa. If you were lucky enough to be driving through the Pioneer Valley about an hour ago, this would have been your reward. Thanks for sharing, Meg!

Sunset over the Pioneer Valley, 6/23/2015
Photo by Meg Rosa

Under a Tornado Watch

This is serious everyone. A Tornado Watch has just been issued for Hampshire County until 11 p.m. tonight. Which also, by the way, means you can expect thunderstorms through that period as well. Stay tuned to the changing conditions, keep your ears out for any sirens from UMass, and generally just stay aware. And figure out a plan for where you can take shelter if necessary. Stay safe!

Cumulus Clouds Gathering

Photo of cumulus clouds over Hadley Massachusetts taken just now. More thunderstorms yet to move through this afternoon. Keep your eyes on the skies!

Batten down the hatches Tuesday afternoon

The buzz around the New England weather community has taken an uptick overnight, as anyone who keeps an eye on stormy weather is turning their attention to tomorrow afternoon. There is the potential for scattered to numerous strong to severe thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon and evening across Western, Central and interior Northeast Massachusetts, Northern Connecticut and extreme Northwest Rhode Island. At this point, Central and Western Massachusetts have a slightly higher potential for severe weather than the rest of the area. (Are you excited yet?) Damaging winds, large hail and poor drainage flooding are the main threats, but there does exist the potential for an isolated tornado or two.

The threat will be contingent on any cloud debris from any shower and thunderstorm activity that occurs Tuesday morning and how much destabilization occurs. Many other parameters look quite favorable for severe weather potential including very strong wind shear profiles. Although this is the most favorable severe weather setup modeled for the spring/summer 2015 season (so far), keep in mind that predicting severe weather threats 36-48 hours in advance - particularly in Southern New England – is more difficult than predicting nor'easter and other major storm events.

Summer Solstice rain - and then sun

It may not be everyone's idea of a perfect summer solstice, but I'm finding the rain lovely and peaceful. There's more than one way to experience the longest day of the year here in New England.

And, what's more, we will be treated to sun this afternoon, so don't worry about getting wet if you're headed to the UMass Sunwheel this evening at 7:30 to bear witness to the setting sun (details here).

Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser for Puffer’s Pond is Tomorrow Morning!

Puffer's Pond (photo by Joshua Wolfsun)

The 24th annual Pancake Breakfast fundraiser for Puffer’s Pond will be happening tomorrow morning, Saturday, June 6th at the Mill River Recreation Area in North Amherst from 8:30-11:00 am! All local and whole grain – local flour, eggs, butter, milk, blueberries, and real maple syrup! New for 2015 – gluten free option and sausage. Thanks to the Kestrel Land Trust which has partnered with the Town of Amherst to help create conservation areas like Puffer’s Pond since 1970. Please join the fun and help preserve this wonderful recreation area. Donations: $8 for adults, $6 for children and $5 extra for sausage. Music by Juggle Meadow String Band. We hope to see you there!