Hi Everybody!

Fall is finally here and our first Florida "cold front" is coming through. The temperature is expected to plummet into the upper 80's for a high over the next few days. But it will be a "dry" 88 degrees.

Fall is also the time of some of the most beautiful sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico.  For those who have vacationed along the Gulf coast, one of the fondest memories they take back home with them is the time they spent on the beach at sunset.

To get the most spectacular sunsets, the right mix of clouds is essential, and of course they cannot be positioned in such a way that they'll block the sun. The most important clouds for a sunset are the cumulus clouds, and even cumulonimbus (thunderstorms). During the summer, we are often treated to a fierce lightning storm far offshore right after the sun goes down.  But this doesn't usually happen in the fall. High, thin cirrus clouds and cirrostratus can give bright highlights and interesting patterns to the sunset.

One cloud that can potentially block the sunset is a low, thick, slate-gray stratus cloud--especially the ones hanging low over the horizon.

Sunsets can be pink, orange, or nearly red. If you are really lucky, you may see a small green flash of light just as the last bit of the sun slips below the horizon.

Sunset happens to be my favorite time at the beach, and I've snapped a few good photos over the years, so I thought I'd share a few with you.

BeachHunter