Freak Storm
When I left work yesterday, the Emergency Broadcasting System was bleeping on the radio. The warning was for a fast moving thunder storm and high winds.
Indeed, the sky to the southwest was ominous. This is not unusual when a May day becomes a blistering 91 degrees, and a cold front moves in from the Pacific Coast.
It reminded me of a year ago when I accompanied my cousin on an unscheduled trip to Portland. We encountered one of those storm cells that makes you think you are in Kansas. The horizontal hail and the dirt falling out of the sky was a new experience for us, but we recognized the danger. Traffic pulled over to the side of the road for lack of visibility.
Although we didn't see it on that day , a twister preceded us across Interstate 84 and the Columbia River. The funnel was confirmed by numerous people. It cut a path through a B**se C*sc*de tree farm and a huge apple orchard. Thank Goodness the damage was only in agriculture dollars and not in lives.
Needless to say, I was unusually apprehensive yesterday when I walked to my car and headed home. The skies in the north were clear and full of sunshine. Dark clouds pushed against the Blue Mountains to the immediate south and I could see the curtains of rain streaking the hills.
A swirling mass of dust and debris hit the car about 4 blocks from home.
I arrived home to a street scattered with blossoms, leaves, and small limbs . The power was off. The hubby was in the back yard where he had been rudely interrupted while cleaning the little pond. (Too bad he didn't know what was coming,)
The neighbors directly behind us are remodeling. We share a fence with them and another neighbor who lives in a turn of the century homestead with the beautiful old trees.
The wind blew the flower pots and metal artwork off the farmhouse porch. Then it sheared the top off one of the 100 year old trees and sent it through the roof of the other neighbor's new addition.
After inspecting the mess with the gathering neighborhood gawkers, we barbecued dinner. (No electricity.)
We picked up the mess in the yard the remainder of the evening. (The hubby has to clean the pond a.g.a.i.n!)
The power of such a small storm gave me pause to stop and think about the horrible destruction and wrath of this past weekend in tornado alley. God Bless all those families and comfort them in their great loss.
Indeed, the sky to the southwest was ominous. This is not unusual when a May day becomes a blistering 91 degrees, and a cold front moves in from the Pacific Coast.
It reminded me of a year ago when I accompanied my cousin on an unscheduled trip to Portland. We encountered one of those storm cells that makes you think you are in Kansas. The horizontal hail and the dirt falling out of the sky was a new experience for us, but we recognized the danger. Traffic pulled over to the side of the road for lack of visibility.
Although we didn't see it on that day , a twister preceded us across Interstate 84 and the Columbia River. The funnel was confirmed by numerous people. It cut a path through a B**se C*sc*de tree farm and a huge apple orchard. Thank Goodness the damage was only in agriculture dollars and not in lives.
Needless to say, I was unusually apprehensive yesterday when I walked to my car and headed home. The skies in the north were clear and full of sunshine. Dark clouds pushed against the Blue Mountains to the immediate south and I could see the curtains of rain streaking the hills.
A swirling mass of dust and debris hit the car about 4 blocks from home.
I arrived home to a street scattered with blossoms, leaves, and small limbs . The power was off. The hubby was in the back yard where he had been rudely interrupted while cleaning the little pond. (Too bad he didn't know what was coming,)
The neighbors directly behind us are remodeling. We share a fence with them and another neighbor who lives in a turn of the century homestead with the beautiful old trees.
The wind blew the flower pots and metal artwork off the farmhouse porch. Then it sheared the top off one of the 100 year old trees and sent it through the roof of the other neighbor's new addition.
After inspecting the mess with the gathering neighborhood gawkers, we barbecued dinner. (No electricity.)
We picked up the mess in the yard the remainder of the evening. (The hubby has to clean the pond a.g.a.i.n!)
The power of such a small storm gave me pause to stop and think about the horrible destruction and wrath of this past weekend in tornado alley. God Bless all those families and comfort them in their great loss.
Comments
Once I watched a Tornado pass by in the next caynon over from us. I stood outside in the rain with a raincoat on and muck boots and prayed it away. I stood there praying while my family watched me from the window. I had a slight case of insanity brought on by a huge dose of Faith. God heard me, the Tornado sucked right back up into the sky and moved along.
take care ok.
Take care
That tree looks like how I feel (was fine at 2pm - sick at 2:30pm and still am - icky)
Stay safe!!
Hugs,
Sue
Elizabeth Joy
I have to confess when we have tornado warnings, I grab the camera and look outside in hope of catching a picture. Luckily, we have only had low intensity tornadoes here.
And you know, in spite of the fact that we rarely see them up here, for decades I have had "tornado dreams" where I'm just barely escaping. Maybe too many showings of the OZ growing up...but seriously, my heart breaks for those that do go through a devastating storm!
Glad your family was OK!
I have a friend who lost a family member in the latest Kansas tornado.
Glad everyone is okay up there!
Storms fascinate me and Rob and I are going to go on one of those storm-chaser trips when the kids are grown.
But, I've always felt safe with my basement nearby. I don't know how I'd feel in a truck in the middle of a field with a tornado coming at me!
take care.
I was riding with someone, so I don't have directions in my head. I was talking too much. It takes some walking once you get there to reach the dunes. You walk through some gates, and such. But it is fun. I'm sure the grandchildren will love it.
Here is a couple websites that have directions.
http://www.spokaneoutdoors.com/Juniper.htm
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/getaways/032097/hike20.html
It's scary. My mom said she could see the smoke from the fire at Griffith Park in Los Angeles.
A trunk is a torso without head, legs and arms so if you talk about a trunk in your car, it's a corpse ! And cookies you delete in a computer and pay attention when you eat biscuits, lol !
The past 2 yrs the lightening storms here in NJ have turned vicious with many strikes/ downed electricty and such. we had some huge branches come down and destroy part of our fence.. I really do believe the global warming has changed weather conditions all over. The past 3 yrs have shown more disasters from weather then I can ever remember in any given year..and it doesn't seem to be letting up any.