Save Big

There’s something wonderful about the wide-open spaces of the American desert. Miles of empty land, enormous skies, distant mountains, and absolutely nothing to obstruct your view—except a couple of giant advertising signs reminding you to save big on gas, tires, and welding. Apparently, even in the middle of nowhere, someone is concerned about your automotive expenses. The clouds, meanwhile, have gone to considerable trouble to put on a spectacular performance. Towering above the desert, a massive cumulonimbus cloud spreads its anvil-shaped crown across the sky while billowing towers rise along its eastern flank. Formed by powerful updrafts carrying warm, moist air thousands of feet into the atmosphere, these clouds can produce heavy rain, lightning, and strong winds. Below, the open desert provides an uninterrupted view of the developing storm, its extraordinary size dwarfing the roadside signs, utility poles, and distant mountains.