Top 5 Events of 2018

5. Aftermath of Kilauea Eruption on Hawaii

The active Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii had been spewing lava through the area of Leilani Estates, on the eastern part of the island, causing catastrophic damage. We had arrived to island just after the much-publicized lava river ceased flowing in mid-August, so we just observed the aftermath. I got a personal tour from a member of the National Guard to survey the damage as a media personality. Thankfully by then, lingering "vog" (toxic volcanic fog) had also blown away, with improved air quality. 

Toward the end of our week-long trip, we observed heavy surf pounding the southern tip of the island ahead of Hurricane Lane. We got out ahead of the storm making landfall in the islands. 

4. Skating on a Clear Mountain Lake

There is nothing quite like it. Perfectly clear smooth ice, allowing you to see to the bottom of the lake, amid an already wild environment. Some years it is possible to safely skate several iconic Rockies ponds and lakes for a few short days between the end of October and end of November, but other years, optimal conditions for skating conditions do not occur at all. 

The best conditions leading to good Rockies ice skating is several days of clear, cold, and calm days and nights (often associated with large scale high pressure), guaranteeing a glass-like ice surface. Shallow bodies of water freeze up first. High winds will tend to cause rougher surfaces, as will snowfalls - making the ice more crusty and opaque, as more air bubbles are trapped in it. It is possible that "nature's zamboni" (a warm, Chinook wind) could melt the lake surface before refreezing, giving good skating once again. Usually, the good stuff only lasts a day or two, if at all. Just make sure the ice is at least 10cm thick!

3. Monarch Butterfly Migration

On a business trip to southern Ontario in early September, I arrived a day early to go exploring. Much to my delight, many thousands of Monarch Butterflies were hanging out in the trees and bushes of Canada's southernmost mainland point, at Point Pelee, ready to launch across Lake Erie and southward. 

2. Maui Waterspout

It had been a slow year for severe weather back home, and despite a summer of storm chasing in Canada and a spring trip to the US Plains, I hadn't observed a single tornado in 2018. 

On December 28, the weather was unsettled, and my wife and I spent the day window shopping in Lahaina. On the way back to Kihei, where we were staying, my wife insisted we do a photo shoot at Secret Beach. I asked, "are you sure? The weather is crap." But she insisted. After snapping a few photos, the ever active sea breeze boundary off La Perouse Bay forced rapidly growing towering cumulus into and aided by cool air aloft. We then watched my only tornado of 2018 from birth to death for 20 minutes. Thanks, Gerg!

Moments before the waterspout

1. Alonsa, Manitoba Tornado Aftermath

Aerial shot of the tornado's swath through aspen forests, with the property in the foreground sustaining  EF4 damage, as well as a fatality.

On the evening of August 3, the Friday of the August long weekend, the most violent tornado in North  America (and possibly the world) of 2018 struck the Alonsa and Margaret Bruck Beach campground areas. One death occurred when the tornado was likely at its strongest, and plenty of other near-misses occurred as well, as residents and campers alike sought last minute shelter. 

I have written more extensively about this event here. I arrived on the Monday, before cleanup efforts really began, to document the aftermath. Observing the damage inflicted by violent, EF4 winds was life-changing. It was my first really meaningful assignment as well, having the privilege of telling the harrowing stories of the survivors. In one case, 14 people survived having the entire cottage ripped off its foundation above them, with a dog getting carried away by the tornado during the ordeal. It later came back unhurt. I also saw numerous debarked trees, thrown hay bales, unearthed potatoes, and tossed vehicles impaled by missiles of debris, among other spectacles. 

Debris, including trucks, trailers, and numerous hay bales were thrown into nearby Lake Manitoba.