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Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Fahrenheit 68

Willow and Frio
We got an early start on a warmer morning today, and we're heading for a high near seventy:  68F.

Made our way up and into First Arroyo where we stopped for a rest and a drink of water.  Looking west across the Mesilla Valley to the far horizon I noticed one of the most peculiar phenomena I've ever seen out there:  the mesa on the horizon line appeared to be serrated, segmented into a series of smaller buttes.  When I zoomed in with my camera lens I could see a number of puffball clouds creating the illusion.  These strange low-hanging clouds were the only clouds in an otherwise clear sky.

I've posted here some of the photos I took of the phenomenon, puzzled still by what kind of clouds these might have been.

Mesquite Tree X

Tortugas Mountain Observatory

Down First Arroyo

All the way across the Mesilla Valley to the Potrillos

Another view across the Mesilla Valley

Bizarre phenomenon:  that far mesa is not serrated

Puffball clouds have created the serrated look

Heelers and Dr. K way up First Arroyo

This and the next:  Frio and Willow


Soaptree Yucca with a nest

Puffball clouds again

About half of the Barrel Cactus fruit remains uneaten

 

1 comment:

Dr. K said...

I'm glad you got those photos of the low-hanging clouds on the horizon. Like you, I've never seen anything like that before.

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