Category Archives: weather

Winter brings stratus to Kootenay Lake; stratus brings skies of slate. If the cloud breaks up at dawn or dusk, the low Sun may splash the slate with fire. Such was case Christmas morn—supplemented by reflections off the lake.

As much as I enjoy Kootenay Lake, I must admit that living at the bottom of a deep valley has a disadvantage: I cannot see the green flash from home. I have seen the green flash many times from elsewhere, … Continue reading →

Snow falls off trees (move cursor over image; wait; move cursor off image; repeat).

The outbreak of cold air following a cold front set the stage for today’s events. the Lake had: Steam fog—a crowd of evanescent sprites that raced across the water surface. Steam devils—whorl winds that towered over the fog (same link … Continue reading →

In early November, snow is high in the mountains; by late November, it has descended to lake level. Between those occasions, the mountainside presents a canvas upon which two distinctly different patterns of white are painted. Rime on the mountainside … Continue reading →

Long parallel lines of bubbles are often seen on the lake surface when the wind speed exceeds about 11 km/hr but is less than about 45 km/hr (when the pattern breaks up). Judging by the sparcity of white caps in … Continue reading →

There is a time in the Fall when the view of Sphinx (over 2800 m. in the Purcell Mountains) as seen from the West Arm presents an irresistible combination of water, trees, and snow—well worth a fanciful interpretation. The Kootenay-Lake Website offers … Continue reading →

Fallstreaks (cirrus uncinus) add a touch of white lace to a blue sky. Continue reading →

October brings mushrooms, autumn leaves, bears, and, Ta Da: steam fog. Certainly, steam fog on the Lake can be seen earlier in the fall, and can become downright spectacular during an outbreak of cold air in the winter. But a … Continue reading →