September 29 & 30, 2016
The end of September seems late for rain which sometimes brings inversion at Grand Canyon. Been gone or off work for the few fabulous cloud events this summer. Plus working hours in the Visitor Center keeps me off the rim. Not complaining mind you, helping visitors is part of the job.
I’ll bet it was pea soup earlier in the day.
As I drove to work at noon the rain changed from gentle to down pour. The Visitor Center was packed with people trying to stay dry. Then a fire alarm went off in the lodge and more people crammed into the tiny Visitor Center building. The acoustics are awful so it’s difficult to hear and focus on visitor questions. The most common questions about the weather. How do I know when it will quit raining. I direct people to the posted extended forecast by NOAA, explain that I don’t predict weather and ask if they have any other questions. Have patience folks, the clouds will drift in and out for the Greatest show on Earth.
What causes the inversion? Cool overnight temperatures causes clouds to settle in the canyon while a warm air layer above holds the clouds down. Then when the daytime temperatures increase in the canyon that air rises and swirls the clouds around. Makes for a most magical dance and little window peaks into the canyon. But not what the average day visitor wants to see.
The clouds literally flew to the east across canyon while a beam of light glowed on the far southern canyon wall.
Also captured a couple of tourons.
While I was home for dinner I missed an excellent sunset and rainbow as shown by visitors photos. Guess I can’t see them all.
Then it happened the next day too. When I arrived to the Lodge at 11am visitors were disappointed because they couldn’t see the canyon for the clouds. I did my usual cheerleader thing standing by the big windows in the Lodge Sunroom and encouraging the couch potato people to stand up and look at this marvel of inversion at Grand Canyon. The clouds swirled and moved quickly in and out providing the most spectacular show. Almost everybody in the world has at least seen a photograph of Grand Canyon under Arizona blue skies. But inversion is a rare enough occurrence so most short term visitors never experience. Of course it’s one of my favorite views because it’s unique.
Thirty minutes later the canyon opened.
And by sunset just enough cloud hung around to really bring on the colors.
Since ‘rangers are paid in sunsets’ – it’s obvious you must have put in some overtime! STUNNING!
Sunrises are OT. 😉 So I don’t get that.
Magical photos, well done. It amazes me that tourists can be so stupid. Walking out o a rock like that especially when it is wet and possibly slippery!!!! Take care Diane and Nigel
Thanks Diane. I can hardly believe they are this stupid either. Just one slip and it’s all over. Be well you two.
Thanks, Gaelyn! Enjoyed your description of the disappointment of visitors because they could not see the Canyon. If they would just wait a few minutes and enjoy the movement of clouds, I think very quickly they would realize how fortunate they were to observe this phenomenon.
I’m sure you’ve seen it too. Such a special view of the canyon.
I am so happy that we got to see an inversion when we were there. Definitely a great show!
One of the best.
Fantastic photos! Love the inversion and well as your comment about being paid in sunsets.
Thank you Peter.
Just absolutely fabulous pictures. I love the clouds. And I love the canyon beneath and among them. Too bad those tourists don’t know how lucky they are. And what are those two doing out on that ledge?
Thanks Sherry. Inversion makes for the best photos, without having to be 10 feet closer to the edge.
Oh, Gaelyn, what a fantastic post!!! The inversion photos are spectacular. Now I need to see one in person! Wow! And then to see the canyon open up and witness that beautiful sunset. What a wonderful job…Well, except for those few:) After all, you can’t fix stupid:) Thanks for sharing such gorgeous photos!!!
Thanks Pam. It’s always the luck of the draw to see inversion but does happen with more frequency during monsoon, and in full winter sometimes a total inversion which I’ve not seen.
These are some of your best shots – the clouds and the colors of the cliffs are so pretty. Can’t say much for the two women on the ledge, well, I can’t say anything nice anyway! 🙂
Thank you very much Patti. I said something to them once they were off the rock that wasn’t entirely nice.
Oh wow!! Clouds make things so much more interesting. You mean the uniform doesn’t come with weather prediction and sunshine timing built in?? Well, that’s a big disappointment 🙂 Always a treat to see the canyon through your eyes, thanks for sharing.
This WikiRanger doesn’t predict weather.
i’d add that Rangers get paid in magical cloud inversions as well …. beautiful. I feel sorry for anyone who can’t appreciate that special event; they *should* feel as if they were extra fortunate to be there… Of course, If everybody thought like I did, there would be a lot of stuff different in this world.
Awesome photos today. The touron’s appear to be on what might be a slippery rock. I feel sorry for folks that have to retrieve them from the bottom of the canyon!
Thanks. It had recently stopped raining so it was a possibly slippery rock. Thank goodness nobody went off, this time.
Awesome, Gaelyn!
Yes, magical photos. You have the patience of Job. I guess the lessoned learned is that looking at the canyon is a process not an event sometimes. Hard for some who just want to get the picture and move on. You have to take what nature gives you.
The pic of the tourons scared me for them.
Thanks Yogi. When I hang out/rove at an overlook for hours the average visitor only stays 2-4 minutes. I am shocked. How can they experience the Grand Canyon in that short time. Snap a few pics and move on. Those rock climbing tourons scare me all the time. I usually just look away and pray.
I’ll never forget the first time I saw inversions on the south rim of the Grand Canyon. It was more than 30 years ago and I was enthralled.
A most magical moment.