30 April 2009

Skywatch Friday: Spring Snow, BE GONE!

In Montana's Northern Rockies at 6,000 feet, spring comes in fits and starts.

Morning dawns on Big Butte just west of our house in Walkerville, Montana. Oh brother, here it is late April and another snowstorm:

RolyTheDog, fetching the paper, finds that her old legs slip easily on the icy sidewalk:

Let's leave the Landie in its parking place and walk to work this morning:

A chilly 18 degress Fahrenheit, but the frost crystals on an old grass stem are lovely:

By early afternoon, the low sky began to lift (view over Immaculate Conception Church in uptown Butte):

And by late afternoon the occasional "sun hole" began to appear (Big Butte, with the "Big M"):

Come sunset, we knew a sunny day would follow (view northeast from Walkerville):

And it did (view southeast over the town of Butte from Montana Tech college):
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20 comments:

  1. DrowseyMonkey-PhotosThursday, 30 April, 2009

    Oh my gosh! No! Snow this time of year - and I thought we had it bad here in Canada. It's a springy rainy day today.

    Great photos :)

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  2. JamesThursday, 30 April, 2009

    Wow it was over 90F in Texas this weekend. I'll trade you. I love the big montana sky I also like snow. Great pics.

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  3. Yogi♪♪♪Thursday, 30 April, 2009

    Great photographs. Spring has sprung already in OK.

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  4. BarbThursday, 30 April, 2009

    What a lovely Sky Watch! Your ice crystals are wonderful. Your landscape (snow) looks a lot like mine in Breckenridge, CO. Will spring ever arrive for good?

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  5. judi/GmjThursday, 30 April, 2009

    I love Montana, wish my husband did. It sooo beautiful anytime of the year.

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  6. NaturegirlThursday, 30 April, 2009

    Oh my word!! Brrrr....I don't think I could handle ((((snow)))) in April!!!
    Great photos even though I'm freezing just looking at them!! Stay warm!

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  7. CarolThursday, 30 April, 2009

    Great shots with beautiful skies...love the mountains and the ice crystals...Montana is so beautiful...

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  8. B SQUAREDThursday, 30 April, 2009

    That is quite a transition in one day.

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  9. ErinThursday, 30 April, 2009

    so enjoyed your snow series...beautiful shots. the ice on the grass...wow.
    the beautiful blue sky in the last shot...gorgeous.

    have a wonderful weekend.

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  10. JanieThursday, 30 April, 2009

    One day of snowstorm followed by one day of blue sky. NOt a bad ratio. 18 degrees must have felt a little chilly in late April!
    I like the frost on the grass stem.

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  11. CountryDreamingThursday, 30 April, 2009

    Your first image of snow on the mountain was so beautiful I was almost jealous. Your overall weather is such an adventure!

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  12. Larry DThursday, 30 April, 2009

    Wow, spring is a little different everywhere! Great photos, happy SWF!

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  13. pennyThursday, 30 April, 2009

    I know your tired of the snow but I do enjoy seeing your marvelous photos.
    Our snow always melts on the way down!
    I live in sunny Florida:)

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  14. Tammie LeeFriday, 01 May, 2009

    WOW, you truly did have snow! My my my to match your "oh brother". Still nice pics. Of course I loved the icy frost shot.... wishing you flowers.
    We did not get the snow you got up in the NW. But we did get wind that blew trees over. I had to find help just to get home because of downed trees blocking the road.

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  15. Lisa WilsonFriday, 01 May, 2009

    I hope you have many more sun holes and no more snow!! Ack I'm so sick of snow.

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  16. tsduffFriday, 01 May, 2009

    I had to come over for my picture fix - you make "cold" look so beautiful. The crystals on the grass look magical.

    We are having heavy rain, after last weeks scorching ... crazy weather out here in California.

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  17. GennasusSaturday, 02 May, 2009

    It all looks so wonderful but I can understand you wanting the snow to be gone! Lovely ice crystals.

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  18. troutbirderSaturday, 02 May, 2009

    Montana you gotta love it. Got caught in a snowstorm on Swan Creek in the Gallatin Valley once.

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  19. AnonymousSunday, 03 May, 2009

    Fits and starts? It kind of looks like pure winter to me!

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  20. EcoRoverMonday, 04 May, 2009

    DM, at 6,000 feet we can get any sort of weather most any day.

    James, we might see a few days of 90+ weather, but not many. No deal on that trade.

    Hi Yogi, well, it's springtime in the Rockies, too.

    This is a cool spring so far, Barb.

    Hope you can visit, Judi.

    Thanks, Naturegirl--there's no weather so cold that another layer of clothing and a pint at the brewpub can't cure.

    Thank you, Carol--we are fortunate to be surrounded by such beauty.

    Thanks Erin and B2.

    You're totally right, Janie--I like that formula.

    CountryDreaming, life IS an adventure.

    LarryD, spring is a little different every hour here!

    Thanks, Pam. One more storm like last week and I'll be ready to visit you.

    Tammie Lee, as Rosanne Rosanna-Danna said, "It's always something..."

    Lisa, here's to a long, pleasant summer.

    TSDuff, I'm really looking forward to our first spring rain.

    Well, Gennassus, it's like this...

    We do love it, TroutBirder--spring snow and all. Hope you can visit again.

    We do have a few days of sunshine, Citizen!

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