Today was the second day in a row I got to enjoy a shelf cloud and strong storm (today’s was severe) as it swept through the Space Coast.
Even better, we got a lot of rain. My parched plants, after several rainless, extremely hot days, seemed to breathe a sigh of relief – except for the palm tree that shed multiple fronds in the strong winds that blasted us today. Maybe it enjoyed the haircut.
This is a “short”/reel video, hence the annoying vertical format, but it seemed like a good way to share the highlights of the storm on my Instagram (if you’d like to follow me) and YouTube channel (ditto, please).
Yesterday’s storm (on July 12) was ominous and dumped nearly two inches of rain at our house, according to my unscientific rain gauge. (I really need a scientific rain gauge so I can report more accurately.) Anyway, it was quite impressive as I stepped out of the grocery store.
Ominous storm July 12 in Rockledge, Florida.
Today’s storm — on July 13 — earned a severe warning from the National Weather Service. It had beautiful structure as it moved across the Space Coast. Shelf clouds tend to mature and get prettier as they slide east to the beaches, but even on the mainland, where I caught it (or it caught me), it was gorgeous.
A shelf cloud on the leading edge of the severe storm July 13 in Rockledge, Florida.
The shelf moves in.
Overtaken by the storm!
And those aforementioned palm fronds, which you can see flying in the video, are all over our yard.
The dogs weren’t very happy with the lightning and thunder. But we’ll take whatever break we can get from this summer’s oppressive heat.