Winter in the Desert

I'm on my annual winter migration to the Arizona desert.  Enroute, the Algodones Dunes in SE California under a threatening sky; rain just to the west.

 

Towering CU over Sun City West...half an inch of rain the night before.

 

Cool clouds in AZ.  We had a thunderstorm a few hours later.

 

Fine sunset in AZ.

 

Cristate saguaro in White Tank Mountains Regional Park.  This mutation only occurs in one of several thousand saguaros.  Blow the pic up for better detail.

 

Fishhook barrel spines.  Two good rains in two weeks have left the cactus looking fat and robust.

 

Teddy bear chollas and saguaros backlit by the lowering sun.  The lower winter sun eases the usual starkness of the desert.

 

Always a good shot...teddy bear chollas looking into the sun.

 

Nice late afternoon shot in the White Tank mountains.  Nights have been cool but not frosty...down to around 40 degrees.  Highs 60-65.

 

The rains have caused some brittlebushes to bloom early.  Same thing happened last year.