The weather on the prairie is a force to be reckoned with. With forceful winds, large thunderheads are blown around in search for the 6 people who live on the prairie. And without fail, these thunderheads have found us every time. Whether the skies actually open up and rain on us or the winds threaten to take our tents to Oz, the storms make their presence known.
I love storms, and the prairie is one of the best places to watch them. With the lack of topography and trees, the storms can be traced from very far away. The rolling thunder is a product of the incredible lightning that allows for some sweet photo opportunities. Better yet, we have had some storms in the middle of the night that consume half the night sky. So one half of the sky displays the Milky Way, and the other half has a angry-looking storm. On these evenings I've come out of my tent and watched the scene.
As nice as these storms sound, they can be a real nuisance. Driving conditions become nearly impassable after a big rainstorm. The prairie roads turn into thick mud and 4-wheel drive is mandatory to get anywhere. I've become a mudding master, getting the car unbelievably dirty and successfully breaking two mudflaps. It's safe to say that my 2002 Ford Focus wouldn't stand a chance out here.
Aside from the storms, the heat is killer. We wake up for early hikes to beat the heat, which means we spend the majority of the day sitting in heat comas. The prairie is not very forgiving when it comes to heat, especially when there is no wind... But I've definitely gotten used to the heat (and so has my skin and hair - I'm freckled/tan, and my red hair is brighter than ever!)
I love storms, and the prairie is one of the best places to watch them. With the lack of topography and trees, the storms can be traced from very far away. The rolling thunder is a product of the incredible lightning that allows for some sweet photo opportunities. Better yet, we have had some storms in the middle of the night that consume half the night sky. So one half of the sky displays the Milky Way, and the other half has a angry-looking storm. On these evenings I've come out of my tent and watched the scene.
As nice as these storms sound, they can be a real nuisance. Driving conditions become nearly impassable after a big rainstorm. The prairie roads turn into thick mud and 4-wheel drive is mandatory to get anywhere. I've become a mudding master, getting the car unbelievably dirty and successfully breaking two mudflaps. It's safe to say that my 2002 Ford Focus wouldn't stand a chance out here.
Aside from the storms, the heat is killer. We wake up for early hikes to beat the heat, which means we spend the majority of the day sitting in heat comas. The prairie is not very forgiving when it comes to heat, especially when there is no wind... But I've definitely gotten used to the heat (and so has my skin and hair - I'm freckled/tan, and my red hair is brighter than ever!)
Storm and sunset (4 August 2014)
Beer-drinking and storm-watching, myself and Alex (4 August 2014) (Photo: Jonah Gula)
Lightning west of camp (~9:30pm, 4 August 2014) (Photo: Jonah Gula)
jonahgulaphotography.weebly.com
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