Cobus van Zyl Storm Chaser Photography

18 March 2024, Roodeplaat Incoming storm system last night, almost looked like a shelf cloud system.

10 March 2024 - Amper 'n braai disaster 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Pretoria, Roodeplaat

10 March 2024 - Early Autumn incoming storm

2 March 2024, Roodeplaat Lazy Evening Thunderstorms. I took a well deserved afternoon nap, when I was woken by the distant rumbling of thunder. After checking the incoming system towards the south, I knew chances of getting any photos without being interrupted rain are slim. So I sat this one out on my stoep, watching the system splitting in two separate parts, one passing towards the east and the other one towards the west. I was hoping for more rain, which I'm collecting for my pot plants. Maybe today we will get some more rain. @followers

26 February 2024, Roodeplaat

Live storm chase 6 years ago today close to Heineken Breweries Sedibeng

3 May 2023 - Here be Dragons in Autumn – Time-lapse Video , Roodeplaat/Kameeldrift East That night I saw on the weather apps that we had storms over parts of Gauteng and I stepped out to take a look. I was not expecting much of a show due to the fact that we are in the month of May and any thunderstorms that may develop, will not be that active or intense. I was in for a surprise. This thunderstorm or storms were quite active and intense, it is a pity that it didn't come closer to my location and I couldn't get closer to it. This time-lapse video consists of 217 photos each at 15 - 20 seconds of exposure, which in real time was just over an hour’s duration of photos Music Credit: Scott Buckley PS. Another master piece track from Scott Buckley that is fitting to this time-lapse video of mine. 😎

3 May 2023 - Early morning thunderstorms, Annlin, Pretoria (Cell phone video) This morning's early thunderstorms over parts of Pretoria. First time for me.

9 April 2023 - Possible late afternoon thunderstorms - Roodeplaat I'm currently keeping an eye on this system moving in from the south west which can maybe later give us some later afternoon thunderstorms here in my area. I'm hoping for shelf cloud formations. 😎😎

13 November 2022 - The birth of a Mesocyclone aka Supercell Video Location: Buffelsdrift Conservancy Area So during my unexpected storm chase on 13 November 2022, I was about to say that I think I was looking at the birth of a Mesocyclone or Supercell as it is commonly known. I was not sure because of the locality, because usually, one will come across one of these in the Free State rather than the north of Gauteng. But it was verified by two storm experts whose expertise and knowledge I rely on from time to time. One can clearly see the mechanics of a typical Mesocyclone in my timelapse video here. Remember, I'm no meteorologist, I work in the construction industry, I like my beer, good music and motorcycles. That is the thing about Mother Nature, she will always surprise you, and that is one of the elements I love about storm chasing. This time-lapse video consists of 491 photos each at 1.3 seconds of exposure, which in real time was almost 11 minutes duration of photos before I had to leave due to the rain. My video was sped up by 10 times, but in real life, all that one sees here happens fast in terms of extreme weather and storm chasing. It took me a good deal of time to work on this video in between work, loadshedding and other personal responsibilities. I am grateful that I was able to witness this beautiful event with my own eyes and in person. I will take it as a gift from Mother Nature and my Guardians Angels. Apparently, I have a lot of those!!! Coffee break over, and back to work for me! 🤪😜 Have a nice day and stay safe! 😎🐉🌩 Music Credit: Scott Buckley PS. I love Scott Buckley's work, somehow he always creates a track that fits a time-lapse video of mine. 😎

5 December 2022 - Everything will kill you. So choose something fun. Location: Pretoria, Annlin #stormchasing #stormchaser #stormchasingsouthafrica

5 December 2022 - Everything will kill you. So choose something fun. Location: Pretoria, Annlin On 5 December 2022 at approximately 09:25 I started doing a live video watching a beautiful incoming shelf cloud system coming in from the west. Shelf clouds are beautiful to look at and I've seen many different forms and sizes of these during day and night time. I use some methods with help of weather apps to determine when a storm system is indeed a shelf cloud system or not. However, I mostly rely on other people's photos further into the shelf cloud system or where it has all ready went past. This gives me then the conformation and then I can set up to capture it. From my past storm chases, I've learned that there are usually high winds and high rainfall behind these shelf cloud systems. The lightning strikes of these shelf cloud systems are beautiful but are very, very unpredictable. I have cut my live video short when I got a dangerously close CG strike from where I was standing doing my video. I could even smell the strike, which has a sulphur type of burning smell to it. Usually with close strikes, there is a loud "click" sound and then followed with in a split second by the roar of the thunderclap. That "click" sound is the actually "contact" or "striking sound" of the lightning bolt itself. With this, one I didn't even hear the "click" sound. The lightning strike that I caught in the frame of my camera was actually one of the "branches “of the main CG strike that was to the left of my camera's view. I will not recommend that anyone should ever do this. This close call was my second in two days time. And yes, it does make me rethinking my passion and the love I have for storm chasing. My other passion is motorbikes and especially off road motorbikes. I haven't had the time or finances to ride the past two years or so. And yes as with storm chasing I do get "withdrawal symptoms" when I haven't ridden a motorbike for a while. Both passions are danger