Bitter Gale-Force Winds

"A few times each winter, frigid arctic air bursts out from the interior mainland, spilling out through the mountain gaps and rushing through fjords, to chill coastal areas with bitter gale-force winds. These outbursts are called arctic outbreaks or arctic outflows."  That's how Keith C. Heidorn, PhD, THE WEATHER DOCTOR, February 15, 2002 describes what we are experiencing tonight in the Bella Coola Valley.  The full Arctic front has arrived and winds are intense. At my favourite outflow wind weather site of Cathedral Point in Burke Channel, they are recording gusts of wind to 124 km/h tonight.   The only thing we don't have yet is the extreme cold because the temperatures are still only -5 to -7C.  I'm sure there is more good news to come.

Apart from a wee bit of wind though it was fine late fall day in the Bella Coola Valley.  If you click on the photo and look closely you will see the wind blowing the snow off the mountain peak like a fine wisp of smoke.  Most of the mountain peaks were 'smokin' today.  Grizzly