Rainless Clouds

FTLComm - Tisdale - Wednesday, may 29, 2002

Monday afternoon these pictures were taken near the intersection of highways 3 and 35. The air was warm and spring like at last and the breeze though hard to ignore was not particularly irritating. These are what meteorologist refer to as fair weather cumulus clouds. Harmless decorations to give some interest to an otherwise empty blue sky. Looking toward the sun (below) the green is showing on the grass which like everything else could use some rain.

The sound of Pratt and Whitney radial engines is very distinctive and the blue dot in this picture shows a speck at its middle, that speck is a Saskatchewan Forest Service Grumman Tracker "Firecat" on its way from Prince Albert to Preeceville with a load of fire suppressant. Along the horizon the familiar dust and haze is mixed with smoke from fires. Last evening the smoke was so noticeable the open windows had to be closed. The pictures below were taken about ten minutes later and

the sun streaks through the clouds but those are empty impotent clouds. Today the weather man spoke of showers in the South and the North but the chance of rain here is very slight. Perhaps on the weekend we might see some shower activity but in the mean time the water bombers are still cruising back and forth trying to give some help to ground crews struggling against the daily flare up is the temperature rises and the steady Southeast wind moves the fires against more timber.