I was thinking the other evening that I need to watch more sunsets this summer. What Michigan summer resolution would you make?
Thomas caught this great photo of a young couple watching the sunset on Grand Traverse Bay. View it bigger and see more in his 6/1/16-6/3/16: Grand Traverse & Leelanau slideshow.
Inspiration Point, Arcadia, photo by Swapnil
Pure Michigan relates that the Arcadia Overlook aka Inspiration Point is the highest point on Lake Michigan’s western shore. This TripAdvisor review says it all I think:
The view of Lake Michigan is perhaps the loveliest for the Eastern shore of the Lake. High above the Lake and even higher when you climb well-constructed stairs. Some people drive up every night to watch the sunset. We know of scores of marriage proposals that transpired there. Very near the C. S. Mott Nature Preserve, which we know as the blow-out and others call Old Baldy. On Highway M-22, one of the most beautiful roads in the Midwest. by all means, stop for awhile and watch the breakers (whitecaps) on a windy day.
View Swapnil’s photo bigger and see more in his Pure Michigan slideshow.
The Vortex, photo by Nick Nerbonne
My corner of Northern Michigan was all abuzz last weekend due to a relatively rare meteorological phenomenon known as a “roll cloud.” Wikipedia’s entry on Arcus clouds explains:
An arcus cloud is a low, horizontal cloud formation. Roll clouds and shelf clouds are the two types of arcus clouds. A shelf cloud is usually associated with the leading edge of thunderstorm outflow; roll clouds are usually formed by outflows of cold air from sea breezes or cold fronts in the absence of thunderstorms.
…A roll cloud is a low, horizontal, tube-shaped, and relatively rare type of arcus cloud. They differ from shelf clouds by being completely detached from other cloud features. Roll clouds usually appear to be “rolling” about a horizontal axis. They are a solitary wave called a soliton, which is a wave that has a single crest and moves without changing speed or shape.
View Nick’s photo background big, scroll through his pictures on Facebook, and watch this time-lapse of the cloud…
Rushing In, photo by Heather Higham
It looks like parts of Michigan will be close to the 90s tomorrow, so get out there and start soaking up some of Michigan’s summertime beauty.
View Heather’s photo bigger, see more in her Summer slideshow, and definitely follow her at Snap Happy Gal Photography on Facebook where she’s got some really incredible shots from the past few days!
The best rainbow I’ve ever seen last night over Frankfort, photo by Noah Sorensen
Atmospheric Optics from the UK is far and away the best website for rainbow science as well as other atmospheric optical phenomena. Regarding primary rainbows as seen in Noah’s photo from Frankfort, they say:
To see a rainbow we need sunshine and falling rain. Rainbows are rarer than might be thought … Halos occur much more frequently.
Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to see them because the sun must not be too high. Rainbows are always opposite the sun and their centres are below the horizon at the the antisolar point. The lower the sun the higher is the bow.
Red is always outermost in the primary bow with orange, yellow, green and blue within. Occasionally, when the raindrops are small, fainter supernumerary arcs of electric greens, pinks and purples lie just inside the main bow.
A rainbow is not just a set of coloured rings. The sky inside is bright because raindrops direct light there too. The primary bow is a shining disk brightening very strongly towards its rim.
View Noah’s photo background bigilicious, see more in his slideshow, and be sure to follow him on Instagram!
Lots more rainbow information and more summer wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures!
View from my hammock, photo by Bailiwick Studios
The photographer says that the outlet of Little Black Creek was the view from his hammock at Hoffmaster State Park near Muskegon. Not too shabby!
The Gillette Nature Center’s page on P.J. Hoffmaster State Park says (in part):
P.J. Hoffmaster State Park was established in the 1960s in honor of Percy James Hoffmaster, the longest acting Director of Conservation and the first chief of state parks in Michigan. The park encompasses 1200 acres, including 3 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, and represents one of the finest examples of high relief, parabolic dunes and forested backdunes on the Great Lakes. The undisturbed quality of the habitat makes the park a refuge for 460 species of plants, nearly 90 species of birds and a rich array of mammals, reptiles, amphibians and insects. Hoffmaster is home to several listed species of plants, reptiles and birds.
The park’s pristine sandy beach is often described in magazines and travel guides as one of the wildest and most scenic beaches in Michigan.
…The park’s ten miles of trails and diversity of birds provides a birding experience unparalleled in the region, especially in the spring at the peak of migration. The park’s 293 site campground provides the opportunity for an overnight stay, and the surrounding landscape abounds with outdoor adventure for overnight or day visitors alike.
View the photo background bigtacular and see more in Bailwick Studios’ slideshow.
More summer wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures.
Grand Haven MI, photo by Cyndie M
Summer 2016 is here, and as it’s the only Summer 2016 you’re ever gonna have – I recommend you get the most out of it!!
Cyndie took this last week at the sand dunes by Grand Haven. View it background bigtacular, see more in her slideshow, and check out more of her work on her website.
PS: More summer wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures!
Wingspan, photo by Phil Squattrito
in advance of Memorial Day, the New York Times reviewed Heroes on Deck: World War II on Lake Michigan (trailer below) that tells the tale of how dozens of wrecked planes came to be on the bottom of that body of water. They write:
The film, by John Davies, recounts the training of pilots in how to land on aircraft carriers. Two passenger liners were stripped down and fitted with long decks (though not as long as the decks on actual aircraft carriers) and floated on Lake Michigan, where the training could take place without the threat posed by enemy submarines. Landing a plane on a floating airstrip was easier for some young men than others.
…Vintage footage shows crash after crash, though only a few fatalities resulted, in part because preflight training included how to escape if your plane were to go into the drink.
The film, showing on many public television outlets (including NJTV on Saturday and WLIW World on Sunday; check local listings), does more than just revisit an interesting tidbit of military history. It also chronicles present-day efforts to raise some of the planes from the lake bottom and restore them for display in museums and airports.
View Phil’s photo of this World War II fighter plane from the 2009 Gratiot County Airport open house background big and see more in his Transportation slideshow.
Here’s the trailer…
Ludington St. PK, Skyline Trail 2, photo by Jerry Herrendeen
Visit Ludington’s page on Ludington State Park’s trails says:
The Skyline Trail runs along a tall sand dune ridge, on the south side of the river between the footbridge and Hamlin Dam. The trail begins at the west end of the parking lot and exits onto the Sable River Trail. This trail is completely elevated, made even higher by an extensive wooden boardwalk system. Several vistas let you look out over miles of sand dunes and Lake Michigan. On a clear day, you can see 20 miles to the Silver Lake State Park Sand Dunes. On the back side is an area where you can leave the boardwalk and run up and down the steep slope of this sand dune.
Read on for more about other trails at the park and click for the official Ludington State Park page.
View Jerry’s photo background big and see lots more in his Moods of Lake Michigan slideshow.
More Ludington and more spring wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures.
Whipped Up, photo by Terry Clark
mLive reports that big waves are expected for parts of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan this weekend:
High winds and an arctic air mass are set to hit Michigan this weekend, and gales are in the forecast for the Great Lakes as a result.
A gale warning for much of Lake Huron’s offshore waters, issued by the National Weather Service, is scheduled for 8 p.m. Saturday, April 2 to 5 a.m. Sunday, April 3.
Winds are expected to reach up to 41 mph from the northwest with gusts up to 53 mph. According to the warning, waves will build up to 13 feet tall with the potential for an occasional 19-footer. The largest waves in an area 5 nautical miles off shore and out are expected around 1 a.m. Sunday on Lake Huron.
If you want to tune in, check out NOAA’s Great Lakes Coast Watch and the Great Lakes Webcam page.
View Terry’s photo background big and see more in his Wintry Scenes slideshow.
More waves and more wild weather on Michigan in Pictures!
Michigan in Pictures 