On my drive up to Tuolumne this afternoon, I witnessed the most spectacular Sierra Wave cloud display that I have yet beheld. Regular readers of my blog will be familiar with my addiction to clouds, and seeing a Sierra Wave is akin to a birder viewing a condor in the wild. Shad, my partner, said he had a full view of the wave across the mountain range when he drove home from Catheys Valley and I chided him for not having a camera. For the fascinating story behind this magnificent cloud, see my article.
Twice when I have witnessed the wave, major fires were occurring in the park, and I now wonder if there is a relationship. I am working on an update of the book, Hot, Dry, Cold, Wet, and Windy: A Weather Primer for the National Parks of the Sierra Nevada with James Huning—I shall ask him about a connection.