Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

19th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Double Rainbow Darkness

Storm chasing in The Great Plains is an exhilarating affair. In Nebraska, where this was shot, a dark, formidable thunderstorm enveloped the sky within minutes. This is not just a thunderstorm—it’s a supercell characterized by the presence of a mesocyclone, which is a strong, rotating vortex formed by rising air currents. Mammatus clouds, appeared like cotton puffs overhead, and the weather turned into a mix of hail and rain. The arc of a second rainbow can be seen ever so slightly.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 05.2021
Date Uploaded: 11.2021
Photo Location: Nebraska, United States of America
Camera: Canon EOS-1D X Mark III
Copyright: © Nathan Myhrvold