All I want for Christmas is a Chinook

No, not a helicopter.  A warm wind.

Chinooks are quite prevalent across southern Alberta and are known as "snow eaters".  Ordinarily, we may get 5 or 6 of these each winter. We were robbed last winter!  

(They also occur across some parts of Europe and are known as the Mistral winds in France.)

(Click on this to enlarge photo)

 

It looks like we had one arriving on Tuesday evening - a large warming weather front blows in, 

the sunset highlighting it for us for only about eight minutes.  You have to be quick around here with the camera.

“Those who have not the warm, invigorating Chinook winds of this country, cannot well comprehend what a blessing they are. The icy clutch of winter is lessened, the earth throws off its winding sheet of snow. Humanity ventures forth to inhale the balmy spring like air. Animated nature rejoices.” 

(1900–Calgary weekly Herald)

The cloud formations can look stormy and sinister - but they rarely bring anything other than a welcome rise in the temperature - and sometimes some fierce winds.  

But not today ... so far.

We humans may relish a temporary relief in the depths of a cold winter.  Nature gets mightily confused however, especially the vegetation which thinks "yippee" and may start to bud and leaf out too early, only to be cut down and thwarted as the next hard frost arrives.  
Which it does, sometimes even in June.

Pink must be my colour of the week - the mountains glow an unnatural colour, but I'm loving it.

Happy SkyWatch Friday folks - and a very happy festive weekend to all of you.