Mistral (wind) of mistral is weaker in the east of Provence and the Côte d'Azur. The mistral is not always synonymous with clear skies. When a low pressure front over the Mediterranean approaches the coast from the southeast, the weather can change quickly for the worse, and the mistral and its clear sky changes rapidly to an east wind bringing humid air and threatening clouds. The position of the low-pressure front creates a flow of air from the northwest or the northeast, channeled through the Rhône Valley. If this low-pressure area moves back toward the southeast, the mistral will quickly clear the
Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg a few hundred feet from this train's route. The morning westbound/evening eastbound schedule complements the opposite schedule of the "Illinois Zephyr". During 2010, Amtrak contacted officials from communities in northeastern Missouri and western Illinois regarding the feasibility of extending the "Illinois Zephyr", plus "Carl Sandburg", southwards to Hannibal, Missouri and St. Louis. While a study for the expansion was not conducted, the project could be funded with a mix of both federal and state money. Today, a normal Amtrak "Illinois Zephyr" or "Carl Sandburg" consists of: Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg The Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg are a pair