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JR Hott / Panhandle Helicopter
Panama City Beach, Florida -- Fog rolls up along the shore of Panama City Beach, Florida on Feb. 5th, 2012.
JR Hott / Panhandle Helicopter
Panama City Beach, Florida -- Fog rolls up along the shore of Panama City Beach, Florida on Feb. 5th, 2012.
Helicopter pilot Mike Schaeffer was wrapping up a tour when he spotted this incredible weather phenomenon along the coast of Panama City Beach, Fl. on Sunday. As soon as he landed, he alerted Panhandle Helicopter owner JR Hott of the "cloud form waves," and together they went up for a better view. They moved quickly knowing that it is only in very specific weather conditions that this beautiful effect occurs. While the online community has dubbed this a "cloud tsunami," Hott disagrees with the popular moniker:
I wouldn't call it a "cloud tsunami." The term tsunami implies a natural disaster. The event, while it can form quickly, moves gently and slowly. It isn't something that happens with more than a gentle breeze.
While the images appear non-threatening and peaceful, as an experienced pilot, Hott has been trained to treat all fog and clouds as if they are solid objects. He and Schaeffer were very careful approaching in the air to get a better view. Fortunately, because of the location of the condos, they were able to approach the cloud waves from the side and did not place themselves in the direct path of the fog.
JR Hott / Panhandle Helicopter
Panama City Beach, Florida -- Fog rolls up along the shore of Panama City Beach, Florida on Feb. 5th, 2012.
JR Hott / Panhandle Helicopter
Panama City Beach, Florida -- Fog rolls up along the shore of Panama City Beach, Florida on Feb. 5th, 2012.
Meteorologist Dan Satterfield explains this occurrence on his blog:
Cool air offshore was very nearly at the saturation point, with a temperature near 20ºC and a dew point of about 19.5ºC. The air at this temperature can only hold a certain amount of water vapor, and how much it can hold depends heavily on the temperature. If you add more water into the air, a cloud will form, but you can also get a cloud to form by cooling the air. Drop the temperature, and it can no long hold as much water vapor, so some of it will condense out and a cloud will form.
Hott will see this happen a couple times a year, but Sunday's visibility was especially clear and he was able to make all these pictures in only five minutes! He is more amazed at the attention his pictures are getting, rather than with the event itself. "This is not so much a study in photography, but a study in how something can go viral," he said. Hott posted the photos to his company's Facebook page and suddenly he was getting requests for the pictures from all over the world. He is happy with the attention, hoping it inspires some to take a tour with him along the coastline.
For more incredible and surreal weather photos see:
JR Hott / Panhandle Helicopter
Panama City Beach, Florida -- Fog rolls up along the shore of Panama City Beach, Florida on Feb. 5th, 2012.
Leave a Comment:
Ultracool
Yes - ultracool near it's saturation part colliding with ultrawarm.
I can see hollywood stealing this for an upcoming movie
"The Cloud that ate my Condo"
They already did. It's called Swamp Volcano. it just aired last Saturday on the SyFy Channel.
Natalia Jimenez, msnbc.com .... thanks for sharing these photos ....
Timeless amazing photos ....
Good job photographer ....
There is something in The Mist!
Nature at her best! bet a lot of builder and meteorologist, are looking at the wind effect of Nature, you can bet they will be studied and studied hard, you can see how the wind pushes on the building and how the wind effect study against there models. Very Cool! To the one who posted this pic you get a 10. "don't you think zged-93---"
Kindof looks like an 'apocalyptic premonition,' LOL! After all the disasters in 2011...we sure don't need something like a 300' wall of water smashing into Florida! That would really muck things up for a lotta folk, that's for sure!
Clouds? Looks like fog to me. Interesting pictures.
Actually, it's ultra-ugly. Just look at the line of condos stretching down the beach. Just like with Va. Beach, I'll bet the beaches are shadowed by about 3 o'clock...
Oh Chester and your cousin Cantakenomore: I see you are like so many non-coast dwellers who assume that the view is preserved if ONLY houses are built....W-R-O-N-G!!!!! The 1st house built will block the view even if its a 1 story bungalow.
And if you wanted the view preserved why didn't you buy the property and let the rest of the world enjoy the view off of your dime?
I can see the Virgin Mary in the 4th floor window on the far right!!
Beautiful.
Birdwatcher, fog is made of clouds at ground level.
Cantakenomore, Panama City is on the West Coast of Florida. If you knew geography, you'd know that there's plenty of sunshine on the Gulf Coast in the afternoon. Florida has an East Coast, a West Coast and a Southern Coast...not to mention many Keys and islands down at the tip.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
I saw the gulf for the very first time over Thanksgiving...I was in awe of all the white sand and the peaceful way the ocean just came in...but I can't imagine what this must have felt like standing in it...very cool stuff...
I'm not a fan of all the buildings that line the coast, nor in any place that has people blending into nature, but believe me, when you're standing there at 11 at night and you feel that water wash over your bare feet, you forget about the high rises.
Wow! I am so pleased to see the beautiful west end of Panama City Beach get some attention! This is the peaceful, quiet, family-oriented end of the beach and we love it there. Celadon Beach Resort is the condo with the green roof, and the views from there are magnificent. Excellent photo of a beautiful phenomenon!!
Peridot...
Okay, so I don't know where all Fla's cities are...I'll bet there's a few in Wyoming that you'd be hard pressed to find...so the beaches are shadowed from sun-up to 11. I grew up in Va beach and remember all to well the locals voicing their very vocal opinions when the first ones were built...now it's totally disgusting. Glad I live far from there now.
Duh, cantakenomore, Panama city sits on a southern exposure unlike Va. beach which has an eastern exposure. The sun is out all day!
And when Guy says all day, he means ALL day, you can sit on those beaches and watch the most amazing sunsets.
Yep. These beaches face south so you have sun light from sun up to sun down. If the condos OR houses weren't there you still couldn't see the beach unless you were on it. It would be blocked by all the scrub trees and palmettos. Actually see more of the Gulf due to the development.
How cool! Science rocks!
Science? Don't you mean....weather? or clouds? or something like that?
Pssttt... there's this thing called atmospheric science- it's about all things air/weather/cloud related.
God! Is it a requirement in this list that someone has to insult someone within the first few posts?
Of course it is a requirement! Where have you been? :-)
Z-933870 "Science? Don't you mean....weather? or clouds? or something like that?"
I'd call it photography.
I live here and this was amazing! Our beaches are both open areas and condominiums, you can still drive along and there are 17 miles of beaches, not all are wide enough for condos on the waterfront. I used to live in Virginia Beach and there is no comparison!!!
@RustyBoy--That's not the Virgin Mary. Lady Gaga is on vacation down there.
I'm just shocked that I'm 20-some messages deep in the comments, and no one has blamed the president or the congress yet. You're slipping, people!
Why should I blame the Presedent because he has a list long enough to reach around the shores of the USA of negative actions he caused in only 3 years of office. Time to get rid of him in November 2012!!!
I would be more fearful of God's judgement thats coming soon to America!
I think those pictures are Awesome! Only God can create weather patterns like that!
I totally agree with LVinwc: I wish that a pilot would have taken more than photos, a sample would have been GREAT! And I bet that toxins would have shown up,,,,People weather or not I'm right or wrong, everyone needs to know that our skies are being poisoned by Chemtrails,,,,,,,,,,
Oops, I meant "Whether",,,,,,,,,,,
don't let algore see these pics
LOL! Good grief. An actual scientist gives a complete, rational, meteorological explanation of this phenomenon and people STILL attribute it to a nonexistent, invisible being. There is no mystery here. There is no divine hand at work. It's a very simple example of atmospheric thermodynamics. (Odd how "God" only gets the credit for things we happen to find aesthetically appealing, isn't it?)
It would be completely humorous if this type of "thinking" wasn't so pervasively invading our government and classrooms.
Thinkforyourself, when you meet God on Judgement Day and he pronounces that you will spend eternity burning in Hell, I suspect you will reverse your claim of God as a nonexistent invisible being.
Great shots!
truly awesome!
My grandparents live there.When they saw it,they thought the Russians were attacking them with poison gas.At least it did'nt come during spring break,other wise everybody would've panicked.
why the russians ? what a dumb response on this geographical event.....Americans...shhh cant say nothing ..just get use to people like that
Alwin-My grandparents said that first of all.Next,most old people who saw this did not even know what this "foggy" stuff was.So yes,you can expect old people to say that kind of stuff.
Geographical event? What a dumb thing to say. It's a weather event, not a geo event. Shhh can't say nothing, just get used to people like that.
Look at Random's icon then you'll understand. Ignorance is in the genes for many.
If it was Springbreak, it was a marijuana tsunami.
and you are????? .....oh another one of these people.....its the russians then ....forget i said anything...damn ...i didnt know i was writing comments to a whole bunch of junior high school *(i)cks ...shut it
Yes we can believe YOUR Grandparents believing the Russians were attacking, you probable told them, that the President is a communist! LOL Your avatar speaks volumes, and you are what your avatar say's!
Tom Don't: you are correct...."Moron" is not a correct name for Obama...he's definitely an Idiot as I believe he can be educated!
That's sad. It's so beautiful. I'm sorry they were frightened.
Hmmmm, Looks like the only morons here are those trying to denigrate random pennsylvanian. Think about it girls, random's grandparents likely grew up in the cold war era where russia WAS the bogeyman
As for randoms avatar, he was probably being kind. Why not just go with this...
ABO 2012
I just finished watching the movie "take shelter" 30 seconds ago.
I think I'm being schizophrenic now...
Nasty avatar, but then, your post explains your stupidity. Hope you're their only grandkid.
Sketer McClusky - you went political first ! I decided if everyone could keep it about the story, just to remark how cool the pictuers were. But No ! It's obvious the steam is the left over hot air from the Florida primary.
earthgirl-You probably are a girl,a girl that has no knowledge of the Cold War.Everyones grandparents have most likely lived through the cold war and know of Russia's threat.My grandpa used to have drills in his elementary school where you would have to get under a desk incase a atom bomb goes off.So yes it's okay for my grandparents to think that poison gas is coming since they are super old.Anyone who thinks this is not normal is probably a 13 year old that watches to much WALL-E.Also,if the internet had a satan version of Obama(Obama in his real form)I would use that as my avatar ASAP.
No offense, RP, but your grandparents sound *incredibly* stupid if they panic when they see fog.
beedogs-My grandpa/grandma are over 89 years old.My grandpa had a stroke and my grandma lost part of her memory.So how about you just shut your mouth because some old people say even crazier stuff than what my grandparents just said.They can't help it because they are OLD!
Just another reminder......Mother Nature bats last.
its all Obama's fault! /sarc it had to be done...
Clearly this was another repurcussion of presiden bush
Compromise is for mature adults, someday you'll understand. An unjust invasion is for bullies. A beautiful weather event and a good photographer is for our enjoyment. Thank you, J.R. Hott of Panhandle Helicopter for taking the time for the pics and postings.
O.O - What does this mean??
You dont know what it means??? O.O really? O.O
van:
Could have just answered the question...I don't know what it means either...I think they are big surprised eyes with an iddy biddy nose, Taylor32.
If you liked this, google "Kelvin Hemholtz waves" images.
I don't think these shown are true Kelvin Hemholtz waves because they are formed by the buildings but they are awesome.
This is a pretty cool phenomenon!!
Beautiful! I've never seen anything like that.
I would have been on the Top of one of those condos watching it envelope all the other condos with a glass of White Zinfandel.
Yes on a Friday necause I am Retired!
Ted - friends don't let friends drink white zen. ;-)
Actually, most of you probably have seen something like it before ... it's very similar to the condensation that can happen when air is accelerated over the wing (or fuselage) of an airplane.
EricH - good analogy.
ahmm, excuse me Scientist! Thing is if you were in one of the Condos it probably would have just looked foggy and lame that you couldn't see the ocean. Thank you rotor-heads:)
It's moderately cold and clear in my backyard, and oddly more interesting than this "story." Great scoop, NBC. Maybe you could cover changing traffic signals now. Wait for it ... it's going to turn yellow any second now.
Hey unclesam,
Why do you even bother to read MSNBC if all you are going to do is complain?
These are pretty cool pictures and I, for one, am glad that they printed the article.
Open a window in your cave and let some sunshine in!
It happens only a couple of times a year. So not nearly as often as traffic signals. So if you 'wait for it' then you should probably pack a lunch, eh? Now go home and tell your mommy you accidentally learned something today to stuff into your small infantile troll mind.
It's some neat looking pictures of an unusual natural event, hence it's on photoblog. If you don't like to look at interesting pictures, don't click on links to photoblog articles.
Ya see, unclesam, it's all motivated by a generous spirit and a desire to share something beautiful with others who appreciate beauty. Because that's what regular human beings do.
Well said Old Lefthander, I for one think the pictures are absolutely stunning. My favorite is the one where we are looking down the beach and you can see the wave going over really only a few of the condos. Thank you helicopter pilots.
If you squint, you can almost see that coastline without the behemoth condos
And they complain about all the buildings going up on the shore line.
Man made + natural weather occurrence = win
Man made + natural weather occurance destroying man made's uglyness = win
Man made ALWAYS destroys natural beauty. People who think that this snapshot (not photography) is beautiful must have never seen real beauty.
Disagree. I'm originally from the Pacific Northwest and have seen true natural beauty. What this area would look like untouched is thorned brambles, scrub trees and other vegetation so thick you couldn't take two steps into it. If you ever come here just look for some undevelped land and you'll see "ugly" nature. Man made is not always destructive and is an improvement over the existing landscape. These pictures were awesome.
Those are some nice pics! Looks awesome against the turquoise water backdrop. Wish I was there to see it!
Panama City is the only city I know of that has that many high condos on the beach.Yet behind the condos,there is no tall building what so ever.Panama City was built for spring break.
Panama City is the "Redneck Riviera". A great place to take the kids..except for springbreak.
Random penn, Our Touristism Developement Council would heartily disagree with your statement that Panama City was built for Spring Break... we are a year-round tourism destination that has always aimed at having something for everyone in the family, though among a certain age group its notoriety is well earned. Many "Snowbirds" are packing up now to return to Canada, Michigan, and other snowbound areas after a mild winter's sojourn here. And many families will tell you that our beaches are the best for a summertime roadtrip destination.
Plus you get the occasional fog tsunami, no extra charge. Awesome.
Random again dont waste your breath using logic with LIEberals thier small brains cant comprehend
Screw Hollywood, Mr. King please write me a book!!!
Awesome pix!
This is a weather story about a U.S. city, posted on an american based website, couldn't you find a meteorologist that explained what occurred in fahrenheit degrees instead of celsius as this is what most U.S. residents are used to? I had to go to a conversion site to learn that the temperature was 68 and the dew point was 67.1, you're welcome other curious folks.
Usually meterology is studied using the metric system. Then meterologists have to convert the numbers so the pretty weather people on channel 3 don't have to think so hard.
scotti, THANK YOU! I thought i was the only one that thought the metric system should end at the border. I have to use those conversions everyday at work because we have too many overseas engineers.
Thanks, scotti, well said :)
It is glad that there is no harm done. But it is very cool.
Thanks to Mike Schaeffer for his quick thinking and to JR Hott for some great photographs.
Great job gentlemen.
That's just a theory. Why didn't you also interview a priest to present the "God did it" explanation? After all, that's what school districts are starting to do with Evolution, so it must be right....
God did do it !!! Why does everyone have to have an explanation as to WHY this happens and WHY that happens... Our wonderful creator made this phenomenon, I dont ask why I just believe. I think that was an awsome picture guys, Thanks for sharing.
LOL. "God" didn't do a damned thing. This is a normal weather occurrence.
What's ignorance like? Is it really blissful?
LOL God is imaginary, Michelle, and as a direct result of this, is quite unable to DO anything.
It looks like virtual Ghost Clouds testing what a real tsunami would be like. Kind of creepy! Yet very cool site to see!
This is shameful! To compare a sea breeze to a tsunami! Shame on you MSNBC! Change the article's title before someone effected by one of the devastating tsunamis see this!
It's being used correctly as "an overwhelming amount/volume" so calm down. Do you refuse to give somebody the time if it's 9:11?
Hollywood already made a movie about this, it was called The Mist.
It's called sea fog and it is COOL AS HECK