Extreme weather photos from the NOAA
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Tornadoes
Tornadoes
ntWeather can be an awesome and dangerous thing and these images from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration prove it.
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ntOn April 3, 1974, Louisville was one of the hundreds of cities to be hit by a tornado. I was 12 and the memory of the destruction delivered that day is still vivid. The power revealed by those events has fueled a life-long fascination with extreme weather. The images in this gallery are mesmerizing and ominous and never cease to amaze.
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ntNote: Since I am sure someone will bring it up u2013 yes some of these images are grainy or a non-perfect resolution, but they are public domain and often have historical significance. If you want better images, they are available, but I cannot display them in a gallery like this without violating copyright laws.
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ntPhoto credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
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ntThis photo gallery was originally published in November 2010.
Louisville
Louisville
This is a map of the path the April 3, 1974 F4 tornado took through Louisville. I was about a mile from this path along the L&N railroad at the time. I was in the basement listening to the radio broadcast of the event. Dick Gilbert’s description of the storm from his small traffic helicopter is fantastic.
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Occluded mesocyclone tornado - 1999
Occluded mesocyclone tornado - 1999
Occluded mesocyclone tornado. Occluded means old circulation on a storm; this tornado was forming while the new circulation was beginning to form the tornadoes which preceeded the F5 Oklahoma City tornado.
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Roping tornado
Roping tornado
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
1965 Palm Sunday Tornado Outbreak
1965 Palm Sunday Tornado Outbreak
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
The Dimmitt Tornado - 1995
The Dimmitt Tornado - 1995
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Multiple waterspouts off the Bahamas Islands
Multiple waterspouts off the Bahamas Islands
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Multiple cloud-to-ground and cloud-to-cloud lightning strokes
Multiple cloud-to-ground and cloud-to-cloud lightning strokes
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Dangerous
Dangerous
Lightning strikes more than 400 people in the United States each year.
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Multiple strokes
Multiple strokes
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Wall cloud with lightning
Wall cloud with lightning
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Lightning storm over Boston - 1967
Lightning storm over Boston - 1967
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Hail
Hail
Large hail collects on streets and grass during severe thunderstorm. Larger stones appear to be nearly 2 to 3 inches in diameter.
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Photo taken by James Gluba
Photo taken by James Gluba
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Pancake ice adrift on the Ross Sea - 1999
Pancake ice adrift on the Ross Sea - 1999
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
The Great Blizzard of March 12, 1888
The Great Blizzard of March 12, 1888
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Blizzard - 1966
Blizzard - 1966
Standing tall on North Dakota snow A March blizzard nearly buried utility poles. Caption jokingly read “I believe there is a train under here somewhere!”
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Rocky Mountain snow survey from NOAA aircraft
Rocky Mountain snow survey from NOAA aircraft
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Katrina eye-wall
Katrina eye-wall
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Isabel - 2003
Isabel - 2003
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Damage from Hurricane Ike
Damage from Hurricane Ike
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Flooding of farmlands and homes along the San Joaquin River - 2006
Flooding of farmlands and homes along the San Joaquin River - 2006
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
The southeast floods of 1916
The southeast floods of 1916
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Sandstorm approaching Big Spring - 1931
Sandstorm approaching Big Spring - 1931
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Dust Bowl circa 1935
Dust Bowl circa 1935
Dust buried farms and equipment, killed livestock, and caused human death and misery during the height of the Dust Bowl years.
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
The sun sets over Narragansett Bay, RI mid-spring - 1997
The sun sets over Narragansett Bay, RI mid-spring - 1997
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Wave cloud east of Mt. Mitchel - 1978
Wave cloud east of Mt. Mitchel - 1978
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Mauna Loa - 1982
Mauna Loa - 1982
Each day the cloud cover rolls up Mauna Loa from the Hilo area. It fills the saddle first, then reaches the observatory by late afternoon. This is a daily cycle.
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Sun pillar
Sun pillar
Sun pillar below the sun, sun dog to the left of sun One hour before sunset.
Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
