Skywatch Friday - Banff Baillies


In the middle of this unsettlingly warm winter (temperatures of 12 degrees forecast this week) we had a sharp episode of normality last weekend. We were up in Speyside, where snow fell heavily on Saturday, then froze hard overnight. Snow usually comes in from the coast, 15 miles to the north, and this is its harbinger - a Banff Baillie. These towering snow clouds are named after the fishing port of Banff and its baillies, local government officers or aldermen. The officers would have been portly, florid characters, moving ponderously through the streets of Banff.

In my childhood everyone would have known what was meant if someone said that Banff Baillies could be seen in the north. I'm not so sure that would be the case now. I hope the term isn't dying out. It's a lovely thing to have a local name for a particular sort of cloud, and one that has come down through the generations. Do you have a local cloud name in your part of the world?

More skies across the world are at Skywatch Friday.

Comments

  1. No local cloud names here, but I'm sure the bailies are flattered? Did you know that we have a city in Canada called Banff as well? It's in British Columbia up in the mountains!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hmmmm...actually I don't think so. Really nice shot.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Spectacular cloud formation. cool name and great story. I'm reading about the huricane that wiped out Galveston TX in 1900 (Isaac's Storm), weather watching is fascinating to me at the moment.
    The only special cloud name I know of is a Wave cloud (lenticular-flying saucer like one that's great for soaring, and my husband goes ape over.)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Linda,
    All too often we are so busy looking at the ground, that we never notice what's happening above our heads. Lovely picture, and tale to go with it....thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Beautiful cloud image and very interesting story about its name! Never heard about if before, thank you! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ooh I've heard of those! A few years ago there was a feature on North Tonight about them. We see them over the North Sea from Aberdeen (as I understood it).

    Funny to think about the baillies making their way about in an important and portly manner. And perhaps creating a frosty atmosphere!

    ReplyDelete
  7. We have "Long Island Grey"... a particular sort of thick, evenly spread layer of clouds that turns the air a sort of depressing greyish green for days on end. It makes the prettiest neighborhoods look poorly, and the ratty neighborhoods look downright depressing. Usually accompanied by a steady, misting rain.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Karine. I wonder if the clouds had their name at the time of the original baillies? That would have been flattering for them. Yes, I know of Banff - have passed through it. Another famous Canadian place to have its origins in north east Scotland is Craigellachie, of CPR fame. I lived in the Scottish Craigellachie until I was 4.

    Michelle, I've been wondering why some places have local cloud names and some don't. It obviously takes some bold individual to get things started. Perhaps you could give it a go for your local area.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Beautiful sky.

    Regards and best wishes

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great photo ! have a wonderful day!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I am not aware of any regional cloud names but the Cornish have many special names for all sorts of things eg pasty = oggy. Went to Banff once didn't see a Baillie though. Lovely photo.

    ReplyDelete
  12. ... no but these clouds are beautiful :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi Tash, I didn't know about this 1900 hurricane. What awful destruction that coast has seen. Between gliding and flying, your family must spend a lot of time in the air.

    Gary, that's the trouble with us gardeners!

    Merisi, glad it was of interest to you.

    Christine, I'm sorry I missed that North Tonight spot. We don't get it down here, more's the pity.

    Marcheline, you're really selling 'Long Island Grey'...

    Tatjana, thanks for your visit.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Interesting story. I have never known of a certain type of cloud that had a name, so I guess my answer to the question is "no, we have no local cloud name here in Palm Desert, but we certainly do have beautiful sunsets, complete with interesting cloud formations."

    I love to look at clouds and can remember when I was young lying in the grass looking up at the beautiful cloud formations and using my imagination to search out figures, sometimes animals. It is so relaxing. Your cloud is super beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Linda, appreciate your visit to my blog a lot ! thanks for commenting

    ReplyDelete
  16. Well, I've learned something. Never heard of these before and don't know of any other local names for cloud formations. And what a spectacular photo!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts