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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 22h

An extended period of rain brought several opportunities for weather photography. On Tuesday evening a band of storms (with weak mid-level rotation/shear) moved across northern Arizona. Wednesday morning brought fog and low clouds -- and very green landscapes. #azwx #weather #landscape 📷

Leading edge of convection and outflow winds moves across the Mormon Lake basin (currently there is very little water in the lake) on Tuesday afternoon.

Panoramic view of the leading edge of convection and outflow winds moving across the Mormon Lake basin on Tuesday afternoon. Mormon Mountain is seen on the far right of the image and is draped with low clouds across the summit. In the center distance heavy rain is falling.

Sunrise (but without much Sun) looking across the Mormon Lake basin (which is currently mostly dry). In the foreground the grasses and foliage is very green with a touch of fall color. Some old ranch bulldings are also visible. In the distance a light rain shower obscures the horizon.

Looking across the Mormon Lake basin to a small rise ringed by trees. Some of the trees are starting to show fall colors. In the distance light rain and mist obscures the horizon.

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 23h

It's been a great end-of-the-monsoon rainfall event across N AZ (and the SWUS) with storm totals > 2" in many locations and even a few 3-4" amounts. 72-hour rainfall at Flagstaff is 2.44". #azwx #weather #monsoon2026 MRMS

MRMS 72-hour multi-sensor rainfall totals across the southwest US and northwest Mexico. Moisture from tropical systems Odalys and Polo brought substantial moisture northward that interacted with a closed low in the westerlies moving across CA and AZ.

Rainfall totals across the Flagstaff rain gage network.

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Reposted by David Blanchard

Paul Voosen @voosen.me · 28/09/2026

New Horizons is now *three days away* from shutting off its two heliophysics instruments, simply because NASA has not provided the $2M in funding it had promised to the mission last year or this year. There is no science basis for shutting these off. Our earlier coverage:

science.org

NASA’s New Horizons mission may shut down two instruments over lack of funding

Decision risks “incalculable loss” of data from the edge of the Sun’s influence, scientists say

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

It's been raining for a bit more than 36 hours here in Flagstaff and storm total at the airport is 1.43". Expect more rain today. Satellite image shows Hurricane Polo, TS Rachael, and remnants of Odalys. #azwx #weather #hurricane

Visible satellite image showing the low-level swirl of the remnants of TC Odalys plus landfalling Hurrincane Polo over Mexico. Farther south, Tropical Storm Rachael is strengthening.

MRMS graphic showing rainfall over the past 72 hours across the southwest US.

KFGZ radar (Flagstaff) showing current precipitation.

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

So you are saying there is a chance...

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Moisture from the remains of Hurricane Odalys continues to bring widespread rainfall to the SWUS. Satellite image shows the plume of moisture and the MRMS graphic shows 48h rainfall totals. Hurricane Polo and Tropical Storm Rachael are also visible in the image. #azwx #weather

Visible satellite image from GOES-18 shows the remains of Hurricane Odalys, Hurricane Pola, and Tropical Storm Rachael. A plume of moisture is streaming from Odalys to the northeast and bringing widespread rainfall to the desert southwest US.

MRMS graphic showing 48h rainfall totals over the southwest US.

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Tropical systems Odalys & Polo will bring increases in moisture across the SWUS ahead of a closed low in CA/AZ. This baroclinic low and its positioning fits the climatology for "transition season" supercells and tornadoes in the southwest. www.stormresearch.com/pubs/sls_200... #azwx #weather

500-mb chart showing a deep, baroclinic low over the southwest US.

SkewT-lnP chart for north-central Arizona on Tuesday afternoon. Marginal instability but a strongly curved hodograph suggest possibilities of supercells

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Impressive image of Tropical Storm Odalys and Hurricane Polo side-by-side on Sunday morning. Moisture from these systems will move across the SWUS and produce potentially heavy rains. #azwx #weather

Satellite image showing the side-by-side circulations of Tropical Storm Odalys and Hurricane Polo in the eastern Pacific.

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Did a run today on the Abineau–Waterline–Bear Jaw loop in the San Francisco Peaks. Aspen are starting to show some color and there are still wildflowers. About 7 miles starting at ~8500' and topping out at ~10300'. #trailrunning #landscape 📷 #aspen

A runner ascends through an aspen grove showing fall colors on the Abineau Trail in the San Francisco Peaks north of Flagstaff, Arizona.

A view looking down Abineau Canyon in the San Francisco Peaks. In the far distance is the north rim of Grand Canyon jutting ~1000' feet higher than the south rim. In the foreground is a conifer forest.

At the intersection of the Abineau Trail and Waterline Road. Humphreys Peak (12633') is on the upper right.

Map of the route using Abineau Trail, Waterline Road, and Bear Jaw Trail.

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

RadarScope and Apple CarPlay. Woo-hoo!

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Thursday morning was moist and foggy across northern Arizona with low clouds and bands of fog obscuring the mountains. Also, some trees are showing a bit of fall color. #azwx #weather #landscape 📷

In the foreground is an escarpment with the [dry] Mormon Lake to the left and the San Francisco Peaks in the far distance.

Fog and low clouds are present in the distance and a forest highway can be seen on the left side of the image.

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Interesting evolution of storms over northern Arizona this afternoon. One storm was a left mover; the other a right mover. #azwx #weather

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Went to photograph a rocket launch but it was scrubbed. So, settled for sunset clouds plus the Moon, Venus, & Mercury. #azwx #weather #landscape 📷 #astrophotography

Cirrus clouds are illuminated by the setting Sun. In the distance is Mormon Mountain; in the foreground is the lake bed of Upper Lake Mary -- currently with very low water levels and dry at this end. In the bottom left are several large boulders.

A zoomed-in view of distant thunderstorm anvil clouds illuminated by the setting Sun. The shoulder/ridge of Mormon Mountain is in the middle; the dry lake bed of Upper Lake Mary is in the foreground.

A few virga showers are brightly lit by the setting sun while a Ponderosa pine forest is in the foreground.

Twilight showing high cirrus clouds, the Moon and planets Venus and Mercury. The latter is barely visible in the image. As the sky darkened Mercury dropped behind the clouds.

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Nice example of HCR (horizontal convective rolls) in both visible satellite and radar images this morning across portions of northern Arizona. #azwx #weather

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Saturday's group run was up O'Leary Peak to the Fire Lookout tower. About 10 miles and ~2100' ascent. #trailrunning #landscape 📷

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Brilliant sunset followed by great lightning! #azwx #weather #landscape 📷

A few minutes after sunset and the middle and high clouds are still illuminated by the sun. In the foreground is the nearly dry lake bed of Mormon Lake. In the distance is Mormon Mountain.

The sun has set but twilight still illuminates the upper portion of the thunderstorm while the lower part is lit up by a lightning bolt -- which is reflected in the shallow water of the lake bed.

A thunderstorm is illuminated from in-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning.

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Sunset light from a few days ago. A short segment of a rainbow is visible and the rain core is illuminated by the Sun. A few minutes later the underside of the clouds glow with sunlight as the rainbow shrinks in size. #azwx #landscape 📷 #rainbow

A distant storm is illuminated by the setting sun. A short segment of rainbow is visible and sunlight is making the rain core glow. A few trees are present in the middle distance and the foreground is a grassland.

The setting sun is illuminating the undersides of the clouds while a very short segment of rainbow is visible. There are trees in the middle distance and grasses in the foreground.

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Hummingbird slammed into a window this morning. Moved it to handrail and out of reach of neighborhood predators. Was unresponsive for ~20 minutes then rolled from its side to a sitting position. Another few minutes and it flew away. Yay! #birds #hummingbird

A dazed hummingbird rests on a wooden handrail. The bird hit a window and was unresponsive except for rapid quivering (heart beat?). It would occasionally open an eye then close it again. From time to time it would extend its tongue. It finally rolled from its side to a sitting position before flying away.

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Group run on forest roads in Government Prairie north of Parks, AZ. About 6 miles and only 162 feet elevation change. Flat! #trailrunning #landscape 📷

Unnamed cinder cone in Government Prairie area north of Parks, Arizona. Two runners can be seen in the middle distance.

Map of the route. This is one of the loops of the 18K and 30k distances in the "Soulstice Prairie Run" to be held in October.

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Active storm day in the eastern Pacific. GOES-18 water vapor channel. #wxsky #weather #hurricanes

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

2026 was the 2nd hottest meteorological summer (JJA) on record for Flagstaff. Five of the top 10 hottest summers have occurred since 2020. #azwx #weather

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Two lightning photos from a few nights ago. Long past sunset but the Moon was rising to provide some light on the storm. Camera details in Alt Text.

A distant thunderstorm produces several lightning strikes to the ground while the in-cloud portion of the lightning illuminates the cloud. Blue sky and stars are visible in the upper left.

Nikon D850, 34mm, f/8.0, ISO 200, 8 seconds.

A distant thunderstorm produces lightning strikes to the ground while the in-cloud portion of the lightning illuminates the cloud. The rising Moon gently illuminates the spreading anvil.

Nikon D850, 24mm, f/4.0, ISO 400, 8 seconds.

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

For a few days before/after the full Moon the lunar light can be bright enough to create a visible Moonbow (or Lunar rainbow). Here the bow shares the night sky with a flash of lightning. 2025 MST 29 August 2026. Moonrise 1942 MST; Moon ~8° above horizon. #rainbow #moonbow #azwx #astrophotography

A nocturnal thunderstorm in the distance produces a flash of lightning as well as a partial arc of a Lunar rainbow or a Moonbow.

2025 MST 29 August 2026.
Moonrise 1942 MST; Moon ~8° above horizon.

Nikon D850, 24mm, f/8.0, ISO 6400, 15 seconds.

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Late afternoon light on the San Francisco Peaks in northern Arizona. Several thunderstorms can be seen in the distance and a cap cloud lies atop the peaks. A small area in the foreground is also lit by the Sun. #azwx #wxsky #landscape 📷

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Serious flooding along Bright Angel Creek yesterday.

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Juvenile red-tailed hawk flying the updrafts on the Mormon Lake escarpment. The birds have become accustomed to visitors at the overlook and happily fly just a a few 10's of meters above. Sony RX10 IV, 600mm (equiv.), 1/2000 sec, f/4, auto ISO. #bif #BirdsInFlight

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Forecast was for mostly cloudy skies -- and it was. Got a brief moment in the clear while the Moon was still low in the east. 0239 UTC and 0415 UTC. #eclipse #astrophotography

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Trail run today on Orbit-Apollo-Dipper-Spacewalk-Big Bang-Afterglow (the "space loops") and finished on Schultz Creek trail. The fragrance from this cliffrose was enough to make me stop and turn back. #trailrun #wildflowers

Trail map of today's run through the Mount Elden—Dry Lakes (MEDL) area north of Flagstaff.

White flowers on a bushy cliffrose plant on the side of the trail.

Trail sign at Dipper and Apollo. There is a tree swing near here.

Trail sign for Big Bang and Afterglow trails near a large boulder in a forest.

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Saw many wildflowers on a morning walk along the Flagstaff Urban Trail System (FUTS) just north of Fort Tuthill County park. After trail re-construction a few years ago, they spread native wildflower seed on the sides. #wildflowers #landscape 📷

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Late afternoon light on Sunset Crater Volcano taken from Bonito Park. Focus stacking. #landscape 📷

Late afternoon light illuminates Sunset Crater Volcano while a field of yellow sunflowers is in the middle and foreground.

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Did a group run up Kendrick Peak yesterday. About 8.7 miles round trip and 2650 feet vertical. Did a short visit to the old fire tower on the summit. Lots of wildflowers and one horned toad. #trairunning #landscape 📷

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

For just a few minutes the sun broke through and lit up the clouds. Wupatki National Monument, Arizona. #landscape 📷 #azwx

The setting sun illuminates the bottom of the clouds. In the foreground is a winding trail that lead to an ancient pueblo.

Wupatki National Monument, Arizona.

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Did a run this morning on the trails and forest roads through and west of Fort Tuthill County park. I think we are past peak wildflower season but there were still plenty along the route. #trailrunning #landscape 📷 #wildflowers

A runner on an old logging road near Fort Tuthill County park.

White lupine flowers. Usually blue or purple.

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Mesoscale convective system (MCS) across the southern half of Arizona last night produced a lot of rain. The system has also developed an anticyclonic outflow region. Impressive. #azwx #wxsky

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Image of a parselene -- the lunar equivalent of a solar parhelia. #astrophotography #landscape📷

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Did a 6 mile trail run on Schultz Creek trail this morning. Pleasantly cool at the start (i.e., mid-60s). Wildflowers are still going strong. #trailrunning #landscape 📷 #wildflowers

A runner ascends Schultz Creek trail and passes by a large cluster of purple aster flowers.

Yellow evening primrose flowers on the side of the trail.

Golden columbine flowers on the side of the trail.

A runner descends the Schultz Creek trail through a forest of pine, spruce, and fir.

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Another image of the Moon and Venus in the evening twilight sky. #astrophotography #landscape 📷

The crescent Moon and Venus appear in the evening twilight sky. In the foreground, the blue sky is reflected in the calm waters of a lake.

The crescent Moon and Venus appear in the evening twilight sky with many stars. In the foreground, the blue sky is reflected in the calm waters of a lake.

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

We have several planters of petunias on the back deck and the hummingbirds visit often. Sony RX10 IV, ISO 1600, f/4.0, 1/2000 second. #wildflowers #hummingbirds 📷

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

The Moon and Venus share the evening twilight sky with reflections in the waters of Upper Lake Mary near Flagstaff, Arizona. #astrophotography

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Very moist monsoon pattern brings a lot of low clouds and some patchy fog in the morning hours. Mormon Lake overlook -- northern Arizona. #azwx #wxsky #landscape 📷

An area of fog in the distance drifts from a dry lake bed and up a small escarpment before moving across a road. The distant mountains are lost in the mist and clouds.

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Storm photography took me to Wupatki and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monuments on Tuesday. Wide open grasslands and lightning in the former; wildflowers, rainbows and sunsets in the latter. #azwx #wildflowers #landscape 📷

Composite image of two lightning bolts and looking eastward across the Little Colorado River valley and the Painted Desert.

Water droplets adorn these purple locoweed flowers in Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument.

Sunset colors on...wait for it...Sunset Crater Volcano in northern Arizona.

A brief rainbow appeared after the light had faded on the volcano.

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Large mesoscale convective system (MCS) from last night has generated a residual mesoscale convective vortex (MCV). #azwx #weather #wxsky

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Short run/walk on this section of the Flagstaff Urban Trail System (FUTS) just north of Fort Tuthill county park. This path was excavated to lay water lines a few years ago -- and when finished wildflower seed was spread along the trail. #trailrunning #wildflowers #landscape 📷

• Blanketflower and yarrow
• Four 'o clocks
• Blue flax

• Purple prairie clover
• Flagstaff Urban Trail System (FUTS) entering Fort Tuthill park
• Wild bergamot (bee balm)

• Black-eyed Susans and yarrow
• Rocky Mountain beardtongue, yarrow, and goldenweed
• Purple locoweed

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Thunderstorms continue drifting south off the Mogollon Rim this afternoon. This MRMS hail swath graphic shows the extent of hail with this cluster of storms. Have seen some photos of 1+ inch hail from nearby communities. #azwx #weather #wxsky

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Mesoscale convective system across the AZ/MX border last night left a well-defined mesoscale convective vortex (MCV) in its wake. #azwx #weather #wxsky

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Did a hike connecting Broadside, Abalone, Swell, and Schultz Creek trails. Wildflower season continues to be amazing. Also got to see a horned lizard ("horned toad") that stayed still for a few photos. #hiking #wildflowers #landscape 📷

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David Blanchard @davidblanchard.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Mountain biking today on Broadside (up) and Full Sail (down). And, of course, a pano shot of Schultz Tank as it continues to shrink in size. Lots of wildflowers, too. #mountainbiking #wildflowers #landscape 📷

Panoramic shot of Schultz Tank with cloud and tree reflections in the still water.

A cluster of three blue flax wildflowers near Schultz Tank.

Pedaling through the ferns on Full Sail trail.

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