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2006-04-14 07:28:59.000 – Jim Salge,  Observer

Cap Cloud at Sunrise…

It’s not that unusual for the only cloud in New England to reside directly over the summit of Mount Washington. At times when blue skies are seemingly endless from horizon to horizon from places like Concord, Portland or even Fryeburg, we sit grudgingly in the clouds and fog, waiting for our first glimpse of the sun.

Once in a while though, the lone New England cloud can create, in my opinion at least, some of the most dramatic effects in the natural world. And I deliriously ascended the stairs to begin my shift at 4:30 this morning, Ryan excitedly informed me that this was one of those times. I grabbed my camera and ran outside, and the most dramatic cloudscape I’ve seen in some time surrounded me. A cap cloud rushed but a few feet over the summit in the 50 mph winds, leaving us in a pocket of clear air.

I snapped a few pictures, and ran back to get the 5AM observation in before sunrise…and the next sight I saw outside will forever burn itself into my memory. The underside of the cap cloud was seemingly on fire, as the sun had no problem penetrating the clear skies everywhere else in New England and filled the bottom of ‘our cloud’ with light. Of course the picture at right, which only shows a few degrees of the full horizon, cannot show the true beauty of the scene, but I think you get the idea!

Additionally, just for emphasis, I’ve attached a picture of the webcam view from Wildcat this morning, showing the true dimensions of the Northeast’s only cloud.

A few more shots coming soon:

Jim Salge,  Observer