Weird Wind & Weather While Walking

My mother and I just got back from a walk. We often take walks at night, so we've seen many strange things (nothing unexplainable...just really strange). But, we've never experienced anything like this. I'm certainly not suggesting it's out of the ordinary...it's just out of the ordinary for us. So, with that in mind....

We were walking down the road, and the wind was blowing at us, from the south-west. It was relatively warm - about 17 degrees (or 63, for you American folk). The stars were out, and there were no clouds in sight.
On our way back, we were talking about random stuff, when, suddenly, we were interrupted by the wind changing direction. It started coming out of the north-east. There was also a thin line of clouds coming from the north. And, then, it got very cold... probably less than 10 degrees (50 F), in a matter of a couple seconds. It actually managed to give me goosebumps.
That in and of itself wouldn't have been overly weird. However, as the line of clouds passed overhead, we noticed that there was lightning coming from it. What was strange was the sudden drop in temperature apparently brought on by clouds producing lightning (no thunder, though...ironically, what's typically called "heat lightning").
As the clouds moved on (after about a minute), it got warm again and the wind shifted back to the south-west.

Also, I want to add that, when I say a thin line of clouds, I mean clouds that were barely thick enough to block the stars. It was a line probably a few miles long and just a mile or two wide...maybe the size of the island I live on. The lightning was pretty active, though.

So, we thought it was a little unusual.

Sounds pretty cool. Wish I was there. But you know some ATS'er on here, pics or it didn't happen

reply to post by CLPrime


What you describe sounds like an undular bore. These are essentially shifts in wind due to an atmospheric instability caused by frontal boundaries or pressure changes. They may include a condensing cloud like you've described on the outward edge of the event. These event's can cause a sudden drop in temperature much like an event called an outflow boundary, also known as a gust front, which originate on thunderstorms.

Were there any other storms or known fontal boundaries in the area, maybe within 35-40Km?

reply to post by Manhater


I was actually considering drawing a picture. But that would probably ruin the reputation I've worked so hard to achieve.

Cool story bro. And I mean that in all seriousness. Do you think it might be weather manipulation or something?

reply to post by Mapkar


That would seem to be it. As for any nearby systems, there's nothing anywhere near here. In fact, the nearest system is just off southern Newfoundland.

Originally posted by CLPrime
My mother and I just got back from a walk. We often take walks at night, so we've seen many strange things (nothing unexplainable...just really strange). But, we've never experienced anything like this. I'm certainly not suggesting it's out of the ordinary...it's just out of the ordinary for us. So, with that in mind....

We were walking down the road, and the wind was blowing at us, from the south-west. It was relatively warm - about 17 degrees (or 63, for you American folk). The stars were out, and there were no clouds in sight.
On our way back, we were talking about random stuff, when, suddenly, we were interrupted by the wind changing direction. It started coming out of the north-east. There was also a thin line of clouds coming from the north. And, then, it got very cold... probably less than 10 degrees (50 F), in a matter of a couple seconds. It actually managed to give me goosebumps.
That in and of itself wouldn't have been overly weird. However, as the line of clouds passed overhead, we noticed that there was lightning coming from it. What was strange was the sudden drop in temperature apparently brought on by clouds producing lightning (no thunder, though...ironically, what's typically called "heat lightning").
As the clouds moved on (after about a minute), it got warm again and the wind shifted back to the south-west.

Also, I want to add that, when I say a thin line of clouds, I mean clouds that were barely thick enough to block the stars. It was a line probably a few miles long and just a mile or two wide...maybe the size of the island I live on. The lightning was pretty active, though.

So, we thought it was a little unusual.

Since we're both in Nova Scotia, I'll relate my weird one to you.

Yesterday it was a hot one. No doubt about it. I'm in the Bedford basin. Started driving up to Lunenburg to check on a building and we came up to exit 6.

Within half a mile, we had to turn off the air con and turn on the heater! It was cold! Weird.

So we continue driving and come over a crest...right into a WALL of rain so bad that we couldn't see anything. About 50 cars pulled over on both sides of the highway as the highway was a river and the hydroplane possibility along with absolute zero visibility was dangerous. Wipers couldn't even keep up.

I crawled along at about 20 kms per and then sunlight! Just a wall again. The whole distance was only about 1/2 a mile wide. You could actually see the highway dry and wet line across the road. Temperature crawled back to air con levels and it was over.

Strange days!

reply to post by dave0davidson


Nope, no weather manipulation. But, that's me. I don't go for any of the HAARP hype and whatnot.
Though, I wouldn't put it past Harper to randomly terrorize a little place like this for kicks.

reply to post by CLPrime


If you check your forecast, you will notice that you have a cold front (or occluded front) coming through your area right as we speak. A change in wind is very indicative of a change in weather, and usually precedes a frontal system as it moves through. It may seem weird to you, but its a completely normal event

Here's a synoptic weather map, which shows the front approaching Nova Scotia

www.flightplanning.navcanada.ca...

reply to post by jude11


That's what it's been like here for the past few days. We haven't had it rain that hard, but, just today, I was getting ready to open the building doors , 'cause the sun was coming out, when I looked out and it was pouring. My parents were away, and they called to see what it was like here, and I told them it was pouring. By the time they got home, the sun was coming out again.

I suppose, this is the Maritimes. If you don't like the weather....

Originally posted by CLPrime
reply to post by jude11

 

That's what it's been like here for the past few days. We haven't had it rain that hard, but, just today, I was getting ready to open the building doors , 'cause the sun was coming out, when I looked out and it was pouring. My parents were away, and they called to see what it was like here, and I told them it was pouring. By the time they got home, the sun was coming out again.

I suppose, this is the Maritimes. If you don't like the weather....

Yes it's the Maritimes but I have never seen this happen. I've lived all over Canada and I have never seen it go from hot to cold to hot, dry to wet to dry all within 1/2 mile or so. It was like another location altogether.

Oh well...

nasa claims la nina petered out early this winter, which is contributing to odd weather patterns in N. america.

science.nasa.gov...

reply to post by OzWeatherman


I'm not describing an incoming cold front (which, right now, is causing the temperature to drop a degree every hour or so). I'm describing a sudden drop of about 6 or 7 degrees associated with a passing line of clouds producing lightning.
Trust me, I'm more than used to cold fronts.
Also, I know it's not overall unusual. It was just a peculiar experience. We didn't see any UFOs or anything.

reply to post by CLPrime


A sudden drop of that magnitude actually is quite common with approaching cold fronts, particularly in summer months. And how sure are you that it dropped that much? Do you carry a thermometer on you, lol.

When I was training for my job, we actually witnessed a 6 degree celsisu drop in 6 minutes with an approaching cold front. Eventually the temperature dropped from 38 to 16 degrees in 2 hours!!! Its not common but its certainly possible, and is very frequent with frontal systems that are preceded by storms

reply to post by OzWeatherman


It was also the fact that it only lasted for a minute or so, while the line of clouds was passing over. After that, it warmed back up.

I didn't have a thermometer on me, but I can typically tell the difference between a temperature that's below 10 degrees and one that's above 10. It was mainly due to the wind being cold, rather than the air itself being colder, but it was certainly a drop to at least about 10. So, that's a 6 or 7 degree drop. If I were you, I wouldn't trust my ability to judge the temperature, but I do know my own ability to do so, and I can say it was certainly not above 10 degrees. But, again, if I were you, I wouldn't believe my ability to say so.
It gave me goosebumps, though.

Originally posted by OzWeatherman
reply to post by CLPrime

 

A sudden drop of that magnitude actually is quite common with approaching cold fronts, particularly in summer months. And how sure are you that it dropped that much? Do you carry a thermometer on you, lol.

When I was training for my job, we actually witnessed a 6 degree celsisu drop in 6 minutes with an approaching cold front. Eventually the temperature dropped from 38 to 16 degrees in 2 hours!!! Its not common but its certainly possible, and is very frequent with frontal systems that are preceded by storms

I can understand your explanation but with my experience it was a wall of temperature. Not a gradual decline but rather an instant drop. No thermometer but we went from air con to heater in a minute. It was that cold! And the rain was also a wall. A line across the road type of wall.

And then it suddenly went from cold to hot again in what seemed like seconds. Air con on, heater off and another line across the road from wet to dry. Just like that.

It was really a moment in time is the best way I can describe it.

That was yesterday.

reply to post by jude11


And that would be the same thing we felt. The temperature dropped so fast, it made us stop in mid-conversation. In fact, mom was in the middle of a word.

May I interject for just a Moment to say I really enjoy the alliteration in the title?

No? Well, I just did.

I just wanted to post a reply because it seems something like this happened to us while we were at the beach. was about 15 mins from the first roll of thunder untill it was on top of us.

A fast mover, the sky was clear when we got there two hours before and this storm cell, moved over produced a lot of lightening. I remember commenting on how the darkness of the clouds looked like a shell.

We moved my car and I remember the temp saying 72 whereas when we got there it was near 90. A quick downpour and then clear skies for the rest of the day.

Summer showers are typical this time of year but the small size and power it punched and the speed of it was just odd and I thought I'd share.

reply to post by Semaphore527


I certainly appreciate the reply.
So, again, a significant temperature drop (and change in the weather) in a ridiculously short time. The weather seems to be taking great pride in how fast it can change. We don't even have to wait 15 minutes anymore. 15 seconds is all it takes.