This particular cumulonimbus (above) was east of us when I took the picture after 8 p.m. I checked with WeatherBug and they showed this cell topped out at about 33,000 feet. When it passed just to our south, we had a brief shower - just 0.11" - that gave us a quick dousing but nothing of any consequence.
Another view as the storms scooted east. There were numerous watches and warnings and a couple of tornadoes were sited south of here, one by the National Weather Service staff themselves in Wilmington. Hail reports were numerous, too.
From behind the garage, I shot to the southeast (above), as the setting sun shone brightly on the towering clouds. It was dizzying, watching these giants rumble by.
And so I know less about predicting the weather than I thought I did. It's fascinating to watch but nearly impossible to forecast, even a few hours hence.
