February 2022 - 26

SCENIC
SECOND PLACE
Deity in the sky
Laramie County
Matt Ley | Cheyenne, Wyoming
Nikon Z 6II: 15 sec, f/8, ISO 500
J
une 8 represented one of the
first, significant severe weather
events of 2021 for southeast
Wyoming. Damaging hail and wind
impacted Cheyenne and eastern
Laramie County as several lines of
thunderstorms moved through the
area during the mid-to-late evening
hours. I was photographing the
storms and relaying storm reports
back to the National Weather Service
office in Cheyenne as part of their
SKYWARN storm spotter program.
After the severe threat had waned
after sundown, I was treated to one
of the most impressive lightning
displays of the year. Near-constant,
intra-cloud flashes and cloud-to-air
crawlers occurred with these storms
along with numerous, impressive
cloud-to-ground strikes. I tracked the
storms from a safe distance as they
moved across Laramie County and
into the Nebraska panhandle, and
photographed numerous lightning
strikes in the process. This particular
bolt, just north of Egbert, Wyoming,
was the crown jewel of the night,
starting as a cloud-to-cloud crawler
before sending a powerful cloud-toground
strike to earth and another
stunning cloud-to-air strike branching
skyward. The channels of the skyward
branch intersected, forming a unique,
almost humanlike figure in the sky
while the primary cloud-to-cloud bolt
continued on horizontally, effectively
pointing the way. After seeing the
strike live, I checked my camera to
ensure I had actually captured the
moment and the celebration ensued.
I was incredibly fortunate and lucky to
photograph this amazing scene, and
this moment served as a highlight to
my summer storm season.
26 | February 2022

February 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2022

February 2022 - 1
February 2022 - 2
February 2022 - 3
February 2022 - 4
February 2022 - 5
February 2022 - 6
February 2022 - 7
February 2022 - 8
February 2022 - 9
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February 2022 - 11
February 2022 - 12
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February 2022 - 21
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February 2022 - 26
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February 2022 - 28
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February 2022 - 30
February 2022 - 31
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February 2022 - 37
February 2022 - 38
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February 2022 - 40
February 2022 - 41
February 2022 - 42
February 2022 - 43
February 2022 - 44
February 2022 - 45
February 2022 - 46
February 2022 - 47
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February 2022 - 55
February 2022 - 56
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/wyoming-wildlife-may-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2024-e-edition
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-iak-special-issue
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/dec-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/January2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/December2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/September2020
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