Sunrise Thunderstorm in Oklahoma City

Talk about good timing!  The sun and the storm danced in perfect concert to create this beautiful scene on the east side of Oklahoma City.  The windmill, the cows and the pond provide a sense of scale that otherwise would be lost and then detract from the scope of the storm clouds.  Had I only been able to get closer to the pond (I'm not so much into trespassing!), the reflection in the water would have added yet another wonderful element to the photograph.

You really have to take a macro approach to understand why the views can change so dramatically even in what most people consider a very flat part of the state.  Just 1/4 of a mile to the west of this spot is a ridge line that completely obscures the view of the horizon.  

This picture was taken from roughly where the "X" is in the map below near Hefner Rd and Midwest Blvd, right on the edge of the North Canadian River 'valley.'  This is where the earth gets REALLY flat, making a prime location for both occasional flooding and, if you've ever driven Midwest Boulevard here, sod farms.  This drop off in elevation to very flat land provides an incredible and unobstructed view of the eastern horizon.