Question to the weather gurus

Sal · 05-09-2010, 06:51 AM

At the lake, at the end of cloudy/rainy/nasty days, the cloud cover in the west opens up a crack and we get a spectacular sunset, amazing scenes of sunlit islands and hills with dark cloud sky backgrounds, complete with beautiful rainbows.
This happens, it seems to me, way more often than it does elsewhere. In fact, it seems to hapen almost all the time.

Why?

Lakesrider · 05-09-2010, 07:09 AM

Well, I think it depends on where you are. You are in Moultonborough, Correct?
So you look west. The people in Meridith look west, but not over the water or hills. So they don't see the same thing as we do in Moultonborough.....
I am up in Suissevale and so get a bit of elevation. So if that little bit of sun peaks out on the horizon, at the last second of sunset we get a great show.
I love the sunsets we get here. Yesterdays fog/low clouds on the hills was awesome when the sun come out briefly as well.
We went to the VK for my usual prime rib dinner last night, and red Hill was spectacular when the sun hit it. Of course another of those times we took the wife's car and my camera was in my truck....

Not sure if that is a meteorological answer though.....

upthesaukee · 05-09-2010, 07:11 AM

As the weather starts to clear, which is usually from the west to the east, and with the sun setting in west, the sunlight shines into any remaining water droplets in the air acting like a prism which forms the rainbows, much like looking at sunlight through a glass prism. The rest of the picture is almost like sitting in a theatre; the audience is in the dark, relatively speaking looking out at a brightly lit stage. We are fortunate to have this stage here in the Lakes Region with the stage's lighting being the sun shining down on our mountains, lakes, and islands. At least that is my take on this. And a disclaimer: I am not one of the weather gurus as such.

Mother Nature at its best...Happy Mother's Day, Mom Nature !

Lakesrider · 05-09-2010, 10:31 AM

Sunrises too.....

Mirror Lake off of RT109 Tuftonboro.

And Hawaii has a few good sunsets too. I was just out getting married there and took this shot in Kauai. The beach House Restaurant.

Misty Blue · 05-09-2010, 10:42 AM

Sounds like the SMILE OF THE GREAT SPIRIT to me. Enjoy it!

Misty Blue

Lucy Goose · 05-09-2010, 06:05 PM

I know that exact spot in Kauai. Have some similar shots from a few years ago. Wonderul place.

05-09-2010, 06:51 AM	#1
Sal Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 311 Thanks: 103 Thanked 169 Times in 53 Posts	Question to the weather gurus At the lake, at the end of cloudy/rainy/nasty days, the cloud cover in the west opens up a crack and we get a spectacular sunset, amazing scenes of sunlit islands and hills with dark cloud sky backgrounds, complete with beautiful rainbows. This happens, it seems to me, way more often than it does elsewhere. In fact, it seems to hapen almost all the time. Why?

05-09-2010, 07:11 AM	#3
upthesaukee Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 5,547 Blog Entries: 2 Thanks: 2,398 Thanked 1,918 Times in 1,061 Posts	Nature at its best. As the weather starts to clear, which is usually from the west to the east, and with the sun setting in west, the sunlight shines into any remaining water droplets in the air acting like a prism which forms the rainbows, much like looking at sunlight through a glass prism. The rest of the picture is almost like sitting in a theatre; the audience is in the dark, relatively speaking looking out at a brightly lit stage. We are fortunate to have this stage here in the Lakes Region with the stage's lighting being the sun shining down on our mountains, lakes, and islands. At least that is my take on this. And a disclaimer: I am not one of the weather gurus as such. Mother Nature at its best...Happy Mother's Day, Mom Nature ! __________________ I Live Here... I am always UPTHESAUKEE !!!!

05-09-2010, 10:42 AM	#5
Misty Blue Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 658 Thanks: 121 Thanked 283 Times in 98 Posts	The answer? Sounds like the SMILE OF THE GREAT SPIRIT to me. Enjoy it! Misty Blue

05-09-2010, 07:09 AM	#2
Lakesrider Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,129 Thanks: 380 Thanked 1,016 Times in 345 Posts	Well, I think it depends on where you are. You are in Moultonborough, Correct? So you look west. The people in Meridith look west, but not over the water or hills. So they don't see the same thing as we do in Moultonborough..... I am up in Suissevale and so get a bit of elevation. So if that little bit of sun peaks out on the horizon, at the last second of sunset we get a great show. I love the sunsets we get here. Yesterdays fog/low clouds on the hills was awesome when the sun come out briefly as well. We went to the VK for my usual prime rib dinner last night, and red Hill was spectacular when the sun hit it. Of course another of those times we took the wife's car and my camera was in my truck.... Not sure if that is a meteorological answer though.....

05-09-2010, 10:31 AM	#4
Lakesrider Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,129 Thanks: 380 Thanked 1,016 Times in 345 Posts	Sunrises too..... Mirror Lake off of RT109 Tuftonboro. And Hawaii has a few good sunsets too. I was just out getting married there and took this shot in Kauai. The beach House Restaurant.

05-09-2010, 06:05 PM	#6
Lucy Goose Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 228 Thanks: 29 Thanked 108 Times in 29 Posts	I know that exact spot in Kauai. Have some similar shots from a few years ago. Wonderul place.