Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Thunderstorm

Last night we got our first big summer storm. I knew we had a chance of showers and isolated T-storms but I wish I had been able to see the swell on the news. I was told it looked something fierce on the doppler radar. The timing could not have been more perfect though. I had just gotten home and changed out of my work clothes, I brought the trash cans in, collected the mail and let the chickens out for some "yard time". I had just finished opening up all the windows in the house to get some fresh air when I heard the first drops. Then the wind picked up tossing chair cushions across the porch and I realized I needed to lock up the chickens before they found themselves strewn across the yard. . . or the neighbors yard.

I put my house coat on and ventured out to corral the chickens. It was like something out of the Wizard of Oz. The sky beyond the mountains towards the coast was still filled with sun but huge black clouds were swirling in from the east, the wind was causing the house to creak and the rain drops were falling huge and heavy. It was still incredibly hot out, it could not have been less than 85 degrees. I got back in the house and a huge gust took out the front window screen. So I started closing up all the windows realizing the wind was blowing so voraciously that the rain had become horizontal and was pouring through the open windows. Within minutes the temperature dropped significantly as if dementors had ridden along with the storm. I snapped a few pics of the front yard from inside the house:
Don't shake that tree down onto the Mini!!

This tree has been dead for a while and the limbs were looking a lot less steady in those winds!
The road was being completely flooded and then the thunder started. I've been in thunderstorms before but I'd never heard them this loud before. It was like someone was shooting off a rifle right next to your ear. Incredibly loud even through the closed windows that rattled every time the noise exploded in the air above the house. I never saw the lightning touch down but the sky filled with bright flashes and the sky would rumble on a drum beat. Then within an hour it was gone, just as quickly as it had appeared and the spellbinding show was a deep reminder of the awesome power of nature.

I think the weather is a lot more extreme up here. the house is fine but we are slated to have another round tonight, here's hoping I'll have equally good timing when I get back tonight!

In case you were wondering: The chickens were okay, they hid in their kennel and were not too keen that their yard time was cut short and they got wet!!

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