#3023 "Next Adventure at Parry Sound"

#3023 "Next Adventure at Parry Sound"
20 X 24 inches, oils on canvas.
Started at 9:15 am, Wednesday, June 24th, 2026

My friend Cam captured a wonderful deformation zone while cruising at 8:14 am on Wednesday, June 24th, 2026, not far from his personal paradise near Parry Sound. I could not resist. Cam had hooked me with the classic deformation zone and the lines in the sky. 

Every cloud and every line in the sky tells a story. With some instruction and practice, it is not very hard to do and is lots of fun at the same time. The sky is an open book, begging to be read and appreciated. 

The deformation zone, the double-headed green line to the right, is my signature dynamic feature. Every line in the sky is some flavour of the deformation zone process. You can find many meteorological lessons explaining how to employ the deformation zone within "The Art and Science of Phil the Forecaster" blog. Just insert "deformation" into the blog search engine and grab a cool beverage or three. 

This particular deformation zone over Parry Sound is the classic leading edge of the cirrostratus layer of the warm conveyor belt comprising an approaching weather system. The warm conveyor belt glides easily upward along the constant energy surfaces referred to by meteorologists as being "isentropic". The air moves freely with no exchange of energy. 

The potential temperatures that define these isentropic surfaces increase with height. The layer holding cirrus, ice-crystal clouds, is the highest within the atmospheric ocean. The middle cloud layer is below that, while the low cloud etage is closest to the ground. There are as many constant energy surfaces as you wish to examine, but three are sufficient to teach the principles. 

A deformation zone leads each layer and is coincident with the warm frontal surface. To be more precise, a three-dimensional "deformation skin" is the leading edge of the warm and moist air mass. I think of this deformation skin as a continuous, elastic fabric that encases every distinct air mass (and circulation). Moisture tends to follow isentropic surfaces (essentially two-dimensional layers) and reveals itself where that moisture intersects the deformation skin. The intersection of a layer with the three-dimensional skin is simply a line, referred to as a deformation zone since the early 1980s.

The typical warm frontal surface has a vertical slope of 1 in 200. This means that for every kilometre in altitude above the ground, the warm frontal surface advances 200 kilometres forward. The highest and coldest cirrus deformation zone is thus the furthest advanced, followed by the middle cloud and then the low cloud deformation zones. The accompanying graphics will hopefully make these words clear. 

The challenge is that these lines are displayed on a flat screen, which conceals the vertical, three-dimensional character of the clouds. Satellite imagery that senses the temperature of the cloud layers allows meteorologists to untangle the cloud lines in the vertical. The water vapour image is the best single data source to decipher this information. In the following typical enhancement, the coldest and highest (opaque) water vapour is depicted in shades of purple. 

By examining the deformation zone clouds and reading between the lines, one can deduce the following information about the approaching weather. In fact, rain had already crossed into lower Michigan and was on the way... 

There is no exam and no expectations. This is the kind of stuff I shared with joy during my career with anyone even mildly interested. A meteorologist never really retires, being continually surrounded by interesting weather. My laboratory is always with me when I pick up my paintbrushes. 

#3023 "Next Adventure at Parry Sound"

All of the above jumped out of the cloud lines when I first saw Cam's photo. The thought processes are instinctual after doing them countless thousands of times! There is much more as well, like the streets of cumulus will be found on the sunny side of the cloudy deformation zone. Basic science is all one needs. Meteorology is not "rocket surgery". 

According to Google Earth, the point of land around the corner to the right had a location called "Next Adventure". I thought that was most appropriate to include in the title for the painting. My artistic journey was about to embark on the next adventure of a Parry Sound skyscape. 

Longs Island was behind that point. Lighthouse Point of Killbear Provincial Park was to the left of the subtle gap, leading to Parry Sound. 

There is a sequel to this post that goes a bit deeper into the lines included in the sky. You may find it interesting. #3023 "Next Adventure at Parry Sound" Part Two.

For this and much more art, click on Fine Art America or go straight to the Collections. Here is the new Wet Paint Collection. Thank you so very much for reading, and stay well!

Warmest regards, and keep your paddle in the water,

Phil Chadwick