David Blanchard
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davidblanchard.bsky.social
David Blanchard
@davidblanchard.bsky.social
1.5K followers 180 following 740 posts
Atmospheric Scientist, Ph.D., CCM. Chased by storms since 1981. Trail running, mountain biking, skiing. Astro, weather, and landscape photographer.

dblanchard.net/blog/
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davidblanchard.bsky.social
#aurora from northern Arizona. Not visible with unaided eye. 12mm fisheye, 15 seconds, iso 1600.
January 20, 2026 at 2:42 AM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
Did a group trail run this weekend into the Red Rock–Secret Mountain Wilderness area near Sedona, Arizona. Cold temps (30°F) at the start and mild temps (mid 50s) at the finish. Typical.

#trailrunning #landscape 📷
Wooden signpost at the boundary of the Red Rock–Secret Mountain Wilderness area near Sedona, Arizona. A runner moves across the red rocks in the Red Rock Wilderness area. Winter usually brings running water and small pools to the desert. Group photo at the turnaround point. Note: Photo by Neil W.
January 19, 2026 at 5:10 PM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
Tonight's sunset in northern Arizona. Shot with a Rokinon 12mm ƒ/2.8 Fisheye lens. I had another target in mind but shot this instead.

L: original fisheye view
R: "corrected" view

#landscape 📷 #rokinon
Clouds at sunset shot with a 12mm fisheye lens. Clouds at sunset shot with a 12mm fisheye lens.
January 19, 2026 at 2:47 AM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
Yesterday's run was up Munds Wagon Trail to Merry-Go-Round Rock. We haven't done this in several years and had forgotten how hard it is. But it's also got some amazing views plus some running water in the winter.

#trailrunning #landscape 📷
A runner on Munds Wagon Trail with towering rocks in the distance. Water cascades down the layered sandstone present in Bear Wallow and Munds Wagon Trail. Merry-Go-Round Rock along Munds Wagon Trail and Schnebly Hill Road in Sedona. Munds Wagon Trail in Sedona, Arizona.
January 16, 2026 at 7:32 PM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
Yesterday's run with the Sedona Trail Running group included Big Park Loop, Rabbit Ears, and VOC Loop. It was a chilly start (32F) but a warm finish (mid 50s). A bit over 5 miles and 600' vertical gain.

#trailrunning #landscape 📷
A runner starts the descent on the VOC Loop trail with the Rabbit Ears landmark in the distance. Courthouse Butte from the VOC Loop Trail. In the foreground are several ice-covered shallow pools of water. A shallow stream with reflections of red rocks at the intersection of Rabbit Ears Trail and Big Park Trails. The running route included Big Park Loop trails, Rabbit Ears Trail, and VOC Loop trail.
January 14, 2026 at 9:12 PM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
Launch of the Pandora mission on a SpaceX vehicle this morning as seen from northern Arizona. The curved flight track is the 1st stage returning to launch site (RTLS). The second stage can be seen to the left but is very faint.

#astrophotography
Launch of the Pandora mission on a SpaceX vehicle this morning as seen from northern Arizona. The curved flight track is the 1st stage returning to launch site (RTLS). The second stage can be seen to the left but is very faint.
January 11, 2026 at 4:34 PM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
Some post-storm sunrise photos from Mormon Lake and Upper Lake Mary near Flagstaff, Arizona, this morning.

#azwx #weather #landscape 📷
The rising sun illuminates clouds over Anderson Mesa. New snow covers the San Francisco Peaks in the distance. Forest Highway 3 cuts across the middle of the photo. An old ranch building in a meadow moments after sunrise. Wisps of fog rise from Upper Lake Mary shortly after sunrise.
January 9, 2026 at 9:37 PM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
Some thundersnow near Kachina Village a few miles south of Flagstaff around 1128 MST.

#azwx #weather
KFSX radar showing precipitation type (snow, rain) and a lightning flash near Kachina Village south of Flagstaff, Arizona. METARs from KFLG (Pulliam airport) indicating periods of moderate snow with thunder nearby (VCTS). VCTS in a METAR report indicates that thunderstorms are in the vicinity of the airport, typically occurring between 5 to 10 statute miles away, but not directly at the terminal.
January 8, 2026 at 7:13 PM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
A very small waterfall in the Grottos Day Use Area, Colorado.

#PhotographersUnited #waterfallWednesday #landscape 📷
A small waterfall nestled between rocks.
January 7, 2026 at 11:37 PM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
The NBM 1D viewer is giving server errors yesterday and today. Maintenance? Other?

apps.gsl.noaa.gov/nbmviewer/
January 7, 2026 at 5:55 PM
Reposted by David Blanchard
pcorrette.bsky.social
Saturday was a perfect day to photograph the Sandhill Cranes at Whitewater Draw in Cochise County, Arizona. Image #3 is a 21-frame composite of one flyby.
Sandhill crane with full flaps and gear down for landing. Flight of two. Blue sky full of returning sandhill cranes after feeding on the local fields. Below are hundreds of cranes in the fields of shallow water.
January 6, 2026 at 11:43 PM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
Colder and wetter weather is coming this week so we took the opportunity today to run the Brins Mesa--Soldiers Pass loop in Sedona. Lots of climbing and some pretty amazing views.

#landscape 📷 #trailrunning #Sedona
A runner ascends the final steps to the top of Cibola Pass. Several large red rock towers can be seen in the distance (Morning Glory Spire on left; Cibola Mitten on the right. The calendar says January but the weather has been warm and rainy so it is no surprise that wild flowers (Cliffrose) are already blooming. A panoramic view from the top of Brins Mesa looking towards Wilson Mountain. Map of the Soldiers Pass Trail and Brins Mesa Trail in Sedona, Arizona.
January 7, 2026 at 12:13 AM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
Did a run in Sedona this morning connecting many trails to get a double loop:

•Hogwash
•Hog Heaven
•High on the Hog
•Broken Arrow
•Chicken Point turnaround
•Broken Arrow
•Submarine Rock
•Broken Arrow

About 5.8 miles with 938' total elevation.

#landscape 📷 #trailrunning
Two trail runners on the Hogwash Trail in Sedona. Water is running down the slickrock and across the trail. View of Sedona from Hogwash Trail. Traill route: Hogwash -- Hog Heaven -- High on the Hog -- Broken Arrow -- Chicken Point (turnaround) -- Submarine Rock -- Broken Arrow.
January 3, 2026 at 8:59 PM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
SpaceX launched the COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation Mission this evening from Vandenberg SFB in California. The launch was after the end of twilight so the rocket had to climb a fair bit before it caught sunlight.

#astrophotography #rocket
January 3, 2026 at 4:17 AM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
Our annual group run on New Year's Day was along the Flagstaff Urban Trail System. It may be January but it is raining here at 7000' feet--making for an odd "winter" run.

Photo of a sculpture along the FUTS trail adorned with holiday attire.

#trailrunning #azwx #weather
A sculpture adorned with some holiday attire along the Flagstaff Urban Trail System. It is raining and the sky is gray. Radar image showing rain falling in and near Flagstaff during our New Year's Day morning group run. It was a simple out-and-back run along the Flagstaff Urban Trail System (FUTS).
January 1, 2026 at 9:20 PM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
•Faint parhelia lie on either side of the Sun and are reflected in the waters of Ashurst Lake.

•Sunset colors are present in the sky and water.

•Reflections of trees in the still waters of Ashurst Lake.

#landscape 📷 #AtmosphericOptics
Faint parhelia ("sun dogs") are visible on either side of the Sun and are also reflected in the waters of Ashurst Lake. 5-stop ND filter used for a longer exposure. Sunset colors appear just above the horizon and are also reflected in the waters of Ashurst Lake. 5-stop ND filter used for longer exposure. Trees along the shore of Ashurst Lake are reflected in the still waters.
December 31, 2025 at 11:39 PM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
Yesterday's trail run included "Outer Limits" and "Ledge 'n Airy" in west Sedona. Did the outbound on LnA and the return on OL with our turnaround at the low point on Dry Creek. Nice views and great weather!

#trailrunning #landscape 📷
Trail sign for the intersection of Outer Limits and Ledge 'n Airy Trails in Sedona. In the distance is Capitol Butte (aka Thunder Mountain). View along the trail of Capitol Butte in Sedona, Arizona. Map of the route showing how the trail follows the canyon rim above Dry Creek.
December 31, 2025 at 7:05 PM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
Flagstaff precip since Oct 1 is 190% of normal. Snowfall is 30% of normal.

Satellite shows a push of subtropical moisture into the SW US. Looks like another rain event this week for Flagstaff with snow levels generally above 9000'.

#azwx #weather #AtmosphericRiver
GOES-18 water vapor image showing a northward surge of subtropical moisture into the southwestern United States. Accumulated Winter Season Severity Index (AWSSI) for Flagstaff for Winter 2025-26 to date. https://mrcc.purdue.edu/research/awssi/
December 30, 2025 at 10:20 PM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
With the Moon high in the sky and Orion rising in the east I was able to get a well-lit foreground and nice stars above Wukoki Pueblo and Sunset Crater Volcano.

•Wupatki National Monument
•Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

#landscape 📷 #astrophotography
Wukoki Pueblo in Wupatki National Monument, Arizona. The constellation Orion is rising above the pueblo. Nikon D850, 12mm fisheye, ƒ/2.8, ISO 1600, 30 seconds. Wukoki Pueblo in Wupatki National Monument, Arizona. The constellation Orion is rising above the pueblo. Nikon D850, 24mm, ISO 3200, ƒ/5.6, 8 seconds. Orion rises above Sunset Crater Volcano. Nikon D850, 12mm fisheye, ƒ/4.0, ISO 1600, 15 seconds.
December 29, 2025 at 11:30 PM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
Today's group run was Turkey Creek Trail near Village of Oak Creek (VOC). Net elevation was 665' but up-and-down nature of the trail resulted in 1075' total elevation. 7.5 miles.

#landscape 📷 #trailrunning
The final uphill. Turnaround is top of the saddle. A view back from the high point at the terrain we ran through. Love running in Sedona in the winter! Turkey Creek Trail and Turkey Creek Alternate lines.
December 27, 2025 at 8:35 PM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
Extended period of precip starts tonight so we decided to get in a trail run on Schultz Creek Trail today. The first 2 miles were okay. Beyond 2 miles there were icy sections -- so we decided to do the return run on the road. Good move.

#trailrunning #landscape 📷
A runner carefully moves across an icy section on Schultz Creek Trail. The intersection of Schultz Creek Trail and Arizona Trail -- our turnaround location. The return on the road was dry.
December 24, 2025 at 1:01 AM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
Sunset shot from Ashurst Lake near Flagstaff on Monday evening. Was really hoping the clouds would light up. Nope. But got some nice reflections in the water.

#landscape 📷 #azwx
Sunset shot of Ashurst Lake. Colors near the horizon are reflected in the calm waters of the lake.
December 24, 2025 at 12:55 AM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
Was driving down Lake Mary Road near Flagstaff yesterday afternoon and saw this partial halo with parhelia that was reflected in the water.

#landscape 📷 #optics
A partial halo is visible around the sun with parhelia ("sun dog") at the same altitude as the sun. The parhelia are reflected in the still waters of the lake. A small segment of a parhelic circle is visible on the left.
December 23, 2025 at 5:30 PM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
GOES-18 water vapor image shows an impressive plume of subtropical moisture heading northward into southwest US. Forecasts call for very high snow levels so expecting mostly rain -- even here in Flagstaff at 7000' elevation!

#azwx #weather
GOES-18 water vapor satellite image showing a plume of subtropical moisture moving westward and then to the north and impinging upon the southwest United States.
December 22, 2025 at 4:22 PM
davidblanchard.bsky.social
Yesterday's run was an out-and-back on the Huckaby Trail in Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona, Arizona. Total elevation gain is almost 3x the net gain with lots of ups-and-downs. Turnaround point was Midgley Bridge.

#trailrunning #landscape 📷
Two runners climb up the trail out of the canyon bottom onto the ridge above. From the high point along the trail and looking towards Midgley Bridge -- the turnaround point on the run. Huckaby Trail in Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona, Arizona.
December 21, 2025 at 11:19 PM