PHOTOS: Weekend temperature inversion triggers high-elevation ice show

Last Friday, PentictonNow learned all about a phenomenon called temperature inversion.

Our curiosity piqued when we woke up Friday morning and saw a ground-hugging blanket of cloud hovering directly over Penticton, we put a call in to Environment Canada.

Responding was meteorologist Bobby Sekhon, who filled us in on current conditions, which saw a ridge of high pressure moving into southern BC.

"And with that," said Sekhon, "is a lot of warm air aloft. The warm air acts as a cap on anything beneath it.

"So in the valleys, any moisture that’s already there (from previous days), with the cool temperatures in the valley, will be trapped. And that's where we see the fog."

At the time, Sekhon forecasted the ridge of high pressure will hold in place over the weekend, as will the trapped cool air in the valley. And that's what's happened, only Saturday the fog bank wasn't quite so compact or nearly as picturesque.

But that didn't mean there wasn't a little overnight excitement. As readers at higher elevations will verify, a good chunk of that trapped moisture froze on the spot Friday night/Saturday morning.

While that meant another day of treacherously icy road conditions, it also meant a frosty wonderland for those who took the time to seek it out.

We drove up out of the city to the Naramata Bench as the sun rose Saturday, and were rewarded with sights you'll find only when the conditions are right.

We scouted the quiet secondary streets, hiked a few hills and walked parts of the KVR, retreating to our car only when the numb-ish ends of our fingers let us know it was time to go.