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healeyphoto.bsky.social
Tornado McHealey
@healeyphoto.bsky.social
1.1K followers 160 following 340 posts
Impulse driven hobo with a concerning amount of photography gear and gas money.
Lightning, Aurora, Structure, Tornadoes, Landscapes. In that order.
Sony Alpha A7RIV A7IV w/ Sony and Sigma glass.
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healeyphoto.bsky.social
Tornado McHealey @healeyphoto.bsky.social · Jan 14
A few lightning highlights from this year. Photos that are finally “finished” and will be available for prints at some point soon. I can remember all of these moments clearly in my head, and I cant wait to chase more bolts and get that rush again in 2025. #wxsky #photography
A massive structured supercell thunderstorm fills the sky above Canyonlands National Park west of Moab, UT. A lightning bolt pierces the top of the storm and strikes the red rock canyon below just above the chocolatey Colorado River. To the left ahead of dust and precipitation being blown out of the storm you can see miles into the park as jagged and stepped rock formations carved out by the river stretch to the horizon, and to the right everything above the canyon rim is obscured by rain and hail being blown around by 70+ mph winds. Standing atop the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, you look out upon the vast landscape. To the far right, a flat and relatively void desert landscape sits atop the rim, while everything to the left of it is layered jagged rock formations carved thousands of feet into the earth by the Colorado River snaking through the canyon in the distance. The eastern walls of the canyon are illuminated by the last bits of sunset light reflecting off the storm clouds above. The distant part of the canyon are obscured by rain, and a part of the eastern wall that juts out is struck by a massive branchy lightning bolt arching out of the cloud above. The flat and hilly terrain of the foreground aggressively changes to bluff walls, buttes, mesas, and mountains in the distance, just north of I-70 in Eastern Utah. Storm clouds lurk above the high terrain and a massive lightning bolt illuminates the whole sky above and landscape below as it strikes the corner of one of the bluffs. A recently harvested corn field in Kansas is riddled with the shredded yellow husks and stalks of the last crop. A previous lightning strike from the storms overhead ignited the harvest litter and the flames of a large fire reach above the distant horizon, with a massive brown smoke plume drifting out of frame to the left. A new lightning bolt erupts from the storm, branching downwards in every direction before finding the more conductive particles within the smoke plume, and following a single channel to the ground through the smoke and into the raging fire.
Reposted by Tornado McHealey
ryanswx.bsky.social
I can’t believe this is even a conversation. Shutting down radiosonde sites will cost orders of magnitude more $ via poorer forecast skill. NASA’s GMAO keeps tabs here: gmao.gsfc.nasa.gov/forecasts/sy...
March 23, 2025 at 6:26 PM
healeyphoto.bsky.social
Solid 4 hours of offroading, recovery, cleanup, and bullshitting with locals around Rover after we all found ourselves trapped by several tornado damage paths earlier tonight.
March 15, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Reposted by Tornado McHealey
wxliz.bsky.social
That little black spec on the right hand side of this infographic is the total budget of the NWS. How is eliminating positions that exponentially increase economic dividends through enhancing commerce and mitigating/preventing disasters saving money or eliminating waste/fraud?
March 1, 2025 at 8:23 PM
healeyphoto.bsky.social
Did not expect to see a bunch of Chinooks from 160th flying over Lake Michigan
February 28, 2025 at 9:07 PM
healeyphoto.bsky.social
Looking forward to the definitely no consequences as we approach a major tornado outbreak
afreedma.bsky.social Andrew Freedman @afreedma.bsky.social · Feb 27
New: Layoffs underway of probationary employees at @noaa.gov Unclear so far how many were exempted for public safety reasons at the Nat'l Weather Service, NOAA Satellites and other units. www.axios.com/2025/02/27/l...
Layoffs hit federal climate, weather agency NOAA
The cuts could affect NOAA's weather forecasts, climate research and other functions.
www.axios.com
February 27, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Reposted by Tornado McHealey
rissarwx.bsky.social
All probationary federal employees at NOAA’s EMC that’s responsible for keeping all US weather model systems running have been fired with 1 hours notice. And that includes me and colleagues. We will not go quietly because we care about the NOAA mission to protect the public.
February 27, 2025 at 9:18 PM
healeyphoto.bsky.social
Nothing says the sun is rising in North America like geomagnetic activity increasing.
aurora.nws-bot.us Aurora Forecast Bot from NOAA (UNOFFICIAL) @aurora.nws-bot.us · Feb 27
Aurora Forecast Update for 2025-02-27T11:20:06Z

ALERT: Geomagnetic K-index of 6
Threshold Reached: 2025 Feb 27 1110 UTC
Synoptic Period: 0900-1200 UTC

Active Warning: Yes
NOAA Scale: G2 - Moderate
Additional Details Here.
Space Weather Message Code: ALTK06 Serial Number: 615 Issue Time: 2025 Feb 27 1114 UTC ALERT: Geomagnetic K-index of 6 Threshold Reached: 2025 Feb 27 1110 UTC Synoptic Period: 0900-1200 UTC Active Warning: Yes NOAA Scale: G2 - Moderate NOAA Space Weather Scale descriptions can be found at www.swpc.noaa.gov/noaa-scales-explanation Potential Impacts: Area of impact primarily poleward of 55 degrees Geomagnetic Latitude. Induced Currents - Power grid fluctuations can occur. High-latitude power systems may experience voltage alarms. Spacecraft - Satellite orientation irregularities may occur; increased drag on low Earth-orbit satellites is possible. Radio - HF (high frequency) radio propagation can fade at higher latitudes. Aurora - Aurora may be seen as low as New York to Wisconsin to Washington state. :Product: 3-Day Forecast :Issued: 2025 Feb 27 0030 UTC # Prepared by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center # A. NOAA Geomagnetic Activity Observation and Forecast The greatest observed 3 hr Kp over the past 24 hours was 4 (below NOAA Scale levels). The greatest expected 3 hr Kp for Feb 27-Mar 01 2025 is 4.00 (below NOAA Scale levels). NOAA Kp index breakdown Feb 27-Mar 01 2025 Feb 27 Feb 28 Mar 01 00-03UT 2.67 4.00 3.67 03-06UT 2.00 3.67 2.67 06-09UT 2.33 3.00 2.67 09-12UT 2.33 2.67 2.67 12-15UT 1.67 3.00 2.67 15-18UT 2.33 3.33 3.00 18-21UT 2.33 3.67 2.00 21-00UT 3.67 3.00 2.00 Rationale: No G1 (Minor) or greater geomagnetic storms are expected. No significant transient or recurrent solar wind features are forecast. B. NOAA Solar Radiation Activity Observation and Forecast Solar radiation, as observed by NOAA GOES-18 over the past 24 hours, was below S-scale storm level thresholds. Solar Radiation Storm Forecast for Feb 27-Mar 01 2025 Feb 27 Feb 28 Mar 01 S1 or greater 25% 10% 10% Rationale: A chance for S1 (Minor) levels exists on 27 Feb as levels slowly decline to background. C. NOAA Radio Blackout Activity and Forecast No radio blackouts were observed over the past 24 hours. Radio Blackout Forecast for Feb 27-Mar 01 2025 Feb 27 Feb 28 Mar 01 R1-R2 65% 65% 65% R3 or greater 25% 25% 25% Rationale: R1-R2 (Minor-Moderate) events are likely, with a chance for R3 (Strong) or greater events, over 27 Feb - 01 Mar. Map from NOAA titled showing North America and the North Pole with a color gradient overlay of aurora likelihood. Map from NOAA titled showing North America and the North Pole with a color gradient overlay of aurora likelihood.
February 27, 2025 at 11:32 AM
healeyphoto.bsky.social
Finally wrapped up working on my car and wondering why my hand hurts so bad since its not the one I’m usually wrenching with. Trip over my sledgehammer and suddenly flash back to full blast smashing my fist against the hub I was removing a lug from and feeling suspicious of the lack of pain.
February 25, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Reposted by Tornado McHealey
rincewind.run
this is exactly how to frame it, great work by Slate here
Meet the Disabled Vets, Cancer Researchers, and Nuclear Techs Fired by Elon Musk
Musk's vulture-capitalist approach to dismantling the federal government may be opening the door to wrongful termination lawsuits.
slate.com
February 19, 2025 at 5:39 PM
healeyphoto.bsky.social
Bro the amount of Nazi content on instagram is actually FUCKING. INSANE. How did we get here
February 19, 2025 at 5:12 AM
Reposted by Tornado McHealey
nkalamb.bsky.social
straight up
America is finally being run like a business: a business acquired by private equity that’s being stripped for parts before being liquidated.
February 15, 2025 at 11:58 AM
healeyphoto.bsky.social
Im asking this question with sincerity, because a whole nation under so much stress has to break at some point. How much unconstitutional recklessness has to happen before Elon has some kind of reckoning with the fatal consequences of destroying millions of livelihoods?
February 11, 2025 at 5:06 PM
healeyphoto.bsky.social
!!!IMPORTANT WEATHER UPDATE!!!
rodger.bsky.social Rodger Sherman @rodger.bsky.social · Feb 11
Weather report at the dog show: expect sentient clouds
A row of floofed-out Samoyeds
February 11, 2025 at 4:59 PM
healeyphoto.bsky.social
This panorama and composite from a night in South Dakota back in June shows Aurora, Milky Way, airglow, sprites, meteors, and lightning, all happening simultaneously. One of the craziest things I’ve ever witnessed. #photographersunited #wxsky #aurora #astro
A large Panorama shows about 180° of the skies over South Dakota from North on the left to South on the right. Starting at the left edge, the Big Dipper points towards Polaris above an arc of green and purple and red aurora that fills about half the sky. Pillars periodically accentuate the arc as it curves across the sky, obscured in a couple places by low clouds. At the right edge of the Aurora, 4 or 5 red sprites that happened throughout the night are composited into the frame where they happened shortly after the panorama was shot. Above the sprites the top of the Milky Way core stretches from almost the top of the frame down to the right edge horizon. Above the horizon between the Aurora and right edge a few stripes of airglow are visible hanging above the distant clouds. Below and to the right of the sprites, distant thunderheads glow as lightning erupts within them. The foreground is a hilly black silhouette with a few lights of distant houses and a town randomly scattered across the horizon.
February 9, 2025 at 8:02 PM
healeyphoto.bsky.social
I’d like to propose that the richest 1% of humans, as determined by (Forbes I guess?) be fired out of a cannon into the sun every year. We can do a very ancient and traditional sacrifice ritual and everything.
marinklevy.bsky.social Marin K. Levy @marinklevy.bsky.social · Feb 9
Truly, we are at a moment when we need organizations — the ABA, ALI, law firms, law schools — speaking out.

As Judge Coughenour said, “There are other times in world history where we look back and people of goodwill can say where were the judges, where were the lawyers?”

It’s time for the lawyers.
February 9, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Reposted by Tornado McHealey
coweatherman.bsky.social
Hey just for what it’s worth, do you know where every single one of NWS’s daily radiosondes come from?

Germany and Finland.

🤷‍♂️
wired.com WIRED @wired.com · Feb 6
Our latest scoop: An internal email obtained by WIRED shows that NOAA workers received orders to pause all work with 'foreign nationals.'
NOAA Employees Told to Pause Work With ‘Foreign Nationals’
An internal email obtained by WIRED shows that NOAA workers received orders to pause all “ALL INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENTS.”
wrd.cm
February 6, 2025 at 1:15 AM
healeyphoto.bsky.social
Turns out putting 73k miles on your vehicle in 9 months yields about 3k in required maintenance not counting things that break lol
February 5, 2025 at 8:46 PM
healeyphoto.bsky.social
Remember boys and girls, “project 2025 is just a left wing conspiracy theory and DJT DEFINITELY wont be using that as his primary policy”
February 5, 2025 at 9:33 AM
healeyphoto.bsky.social
Sometimes being insane pays off. 30 miles from the nearest paved road. Flat steer and a flat spare tire. Barely enough fuel to reach any gas station. But 3 nights of aurora to myself in the wilderness? Makes all of that paradise. #aurora #photographersunited
The sky above the Wenatchee National Forest in Washington lights up with red purple and green auroras. Pillars fill the arc edge to edge and illuminate the river in lower left frame. The starry night sky hangs above the aurora, and a meteor flashes just above the brightest pillars. At ground level a black void with the silhouette of mountain peaks stretches as far as the eye can see.
February 3, 2025 at 5:25 PM
healeyphoto.bsky.social
One of my all time favorite lightning strikes. There’s probably some symbolism here but I’ll leave that for you to interpret.
#wxsky #photographersunited
Two lightning bolts well over a mile tall pierce through the clouds and branch out in every direction. The one to the left is dimmer and much farther away. In center frame the main bolt splits halfway up and continues branching down to two landing points. The closer landing point on the left strikes the top of a perfectly vertical blade atop a wind turbing, and the farther one to its right strikes a span of power lines a couple miles away. Several of the poles on either side of the farther landing point glow as they arc over from the intense electric charge pumped into them by the bolt, and one of the poles has a leader to the ground bleeding off the excess energy. The lights of a town are visible in the distance off to the right, and mostly rural land with a few trees is illuminated by the lightning bolts across the frame.
February 2, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Reposted by Tornado McHealey
gasbuddyguy.bsky.social
As a result of Trump’s tariffs, expect fuel prices, including diesel, heating oil, jet fuel, gasoline, propane to rise slightly, primarily in the Great Lakes, Midwest, Rockies, and Northeastern U.S. in the days ahead. The impact will be localized but an estimated 5-20c/gal.
February 1, 2025 at 10:35 PM
healeyphoto.bsky.social
Fuckin big cloud Friday
A structured supercell roams across the farmlands of Rose Valley, Saskatchewan. Lightning pokes out of the clouds in the distance, and a dirt road leads right into the core of the storm as the last hour of sunlight illuminates the scene from the left.
January 31, 2025 at 6:07 PM
healeyphoto.bsky.social
Grand Canyon shenanigans. I miss it.
The dynamic landscape of the Grand Canyon fills the foreground with eroded ridgelines, canyon walls, and rocky monuments. Off to the right beyond one of the canyon walls, a massive lightning bolt pierces the sky and plunges below the horizon.
January 30, 2025 at 2:21 PM
healeyphoto.bsky.social
Take me back to my favorite island paradise.
#photographersunited
The sun shines through meters of thick glacial ice casting blue hues throughout the ice cave. A pathway to the surface climbs up the far wall, and the ground is littered with crushed ice from the countless visitors and their crampons tearing up the floor. Jökulsárlón, Iceland.
January 28, 2025 at 2:49 PM
healeyphoto.bsky.social
ICE is apparently going around a town I spent most of my high school years in right now. Nice little suburb, e x t r e m e l y safe area with a very diverse community. Theyre not looking for criminals. Theyre just trying to inflict the most damage possible to our communities.
January 27, 2025 at 4:13 PM