Another Angry Sky by Jeremy Vohwinkle

Beryl is the earliest category 5 hurricane since we classifying them 100 years ago & a pretty clear indication that climate change continues apace. Since we’ve all probably formed an opinion on that which can’t be changed, how about some other science? mLive meteorologist Mark Torrregrossa shares that the storms in Michigan due to Hurricane Beryl are NOT your ordinary rainstorms:

Tropical rain such as the heavy rain we are having tonight and Wednesday originates from a different part of the globe compared to most all other rains in Michigan. The rain now has some moisture in it from Africa, the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico and the deep southern states of the U.S. Most of our rain has moisture gathered from the air over the Pacific Ocean or the western and central United States.

…. The tropical clouds typically have a lower base, sometimes only one thousand to two thousand feet above the ground. You may feel like you can reach up and touch the clouds. Our ordinary rains would have a low base at five thousand feet and many bases are higher than five thousand feet.

…Now think about the different things that can be in a raindrop from Africa and the tropics. I haven’t seen any actual research on this but tropical rains can carry more and different nutrients within the drop. I call this rain, “the great green-up.” Look at your grass. Look at your vegetable and flower garden after the rain. If it’s not drowned out, your garden with go through robust growth this week. It will be like you fertilized it. It’s about to get nature’s “Miracle-Gro.”

Lots more in this fascinating article!

Jeremy took this way back in the summer of 2011 in Edwardsburg, way down in southwest Michigan. See more in his Landscapes gallery on Flickr & stay dry!!