West Coast Storms

[analogpackrat]

I see I have a couple of "neighbors" here. I'm in the Santa Cruz Mountains at 2200' elevation. Right in the middle of the "soggy triangle" as Kira put it. I'm also a weather nut and am glued to the NOAA site when it gets nasty. Been here 10+ years now and have seen quite a few nasty storms. Bighouse--I have the same problem--lots of Douglas Fir in striking distance. When they're 150-200' tall they don't have to be very close to make you nervous! I hate watching the wind gust come in--I can see the Redwoods and Firs to the south start to sway and bend and I know it's coming. It is very unnerving to see a huge tree bend so far in a big wind. The sickening cracking sound followed by the crash when one falls is something you never forget.

We had some pretty wicked gusts the last two mornings, but I've seen worse--remember the big storm in Jan 2008? We had 85-100mph gusts up here for hours and hours. The storm just stalled off the coast and spun rain and wind right into us all day. Power was out for a week afterwards. Not fun.

Some one asked about rain amounts--here we've had over 9 inches since Sunday when the front edge of the first storm hit us. I also woke up the last two mornings between 3:30 and 4am with howling wind, small hail pelting the windows, thunder. One strike about 1/2 mile away really rattled the house on Tuesday morning. Lots of small slides and trees down on my commute this morning. Had to take an alternate route because of road closures. Could have just as easily kayaked down to the valley. But as wet as it was this morning it was nothing like the 11+ inches in one 24 hour period we got just this past October. That's the most rain in that short a period that I've ever seen. I grew up in South Carolina and have seen some heavy rain from summer storms, but that October storm was something else.

Anyway, glad everyone is OK and that RIC dodged the floods down there in SoCal. Hope we catch a break from the windy stuff for a while. Knock wood.

A P

[wmthor]

This is a co-worker's car, yesterday outside his home in Long Beach, CA.

Looks like Houston after a hurricane.

[kiramdear]

Wow, Doug, you're right in the thick of it. That's a beautiful area but every year you get so much rainfall. I'm also a NOAA site junkie every Winter. Strangely, I feel less anxious about a rough storm when I can monitor it in detail. Stay safe and dry up there!

[kiramdear]

Right now we have a nasty little front over us that doesn't seem to be moving along at all. Just hovering and swirling for hours now ...

[jingle_jangle]

I have a grove of 100+-foot tall redwoods right in back of the house, growing on a 45 degree slope, along with some widely-spread and very old live oak. I took one oak out last September because it was half-dead. Got a half-cord of fireplace wood out of it.

I don't think it would've lasted much longer. The winds and ceaseless rain are worrisome, though.

[BuddyDog]

Some funnel clouds here and some water (around 2.5" storm total so far) which is a bunch for Fresno. We really need the water though.

Looks like several FEET of snow up in the Sierras here. I see the Grapevine was closed for snow yesterday, but open today.

Hopefully RIC and Paul W. won't have to be making "Aquaglo" guitars after this passes.

Stay dry and safe, everyone.

[wj350]

Very glad everyone is doing ok, all things considered. Continued prayers and best wishes.

[Scastles]

Paul and Kira I certainly feel your concern, and hope life an limb are spared, but at least you don't have to live on the Plains. Course, who would? We'll have 60 plus mph winds tomorrow and Saturday, and throw in a couple of T-Storms to add to the muck. The usual Spring onslaught is just beginning a little earlier than usual.

[longboard_ric]

Tony,

Four hurricanes in four weeks would be more than enough to test anybody's nerve!!!

New timber floor and carpets is a big job: I hope your insurers fulfilled their obligations.

Collin,

16 foot wouldn't bother me(sure!!!!) but I draw the line at dirty water

Doug,

that's a lot of rain in a short time. We've just managed nine inches in four months!!!!

Hopefully things ease up a bit and you get a chance to dry out.

Stay safe, everyone.

[wmthor]

[cjj]

Well, they're arriving here tonight:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT
339 PM MST FRI JAN 22 2010

...MAJOR WINTER STORM IS EXPECTED TO DUMP SUBSTANTIAL SNOW
AMOUNTS THROUGH THE WEEKEND...WITH BLIZZARD CONDITIONS POSSIBLE
LATE SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY...

.A STRONG WEATHER SYSTEM FROM THE SOUTHWEST STATES WILL BRING
WIDESPREAD HEAVY AMOUNTS OF SNOW AS IT MOVES DIRECTLY THROUGH
NORTHEAST MONTANA TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY. AREAS OF BLOWING AND
DRIFTING OF SNOW IS ALSO EXPECTED TO DEVELOP WITH THIS SYSTEM BY
SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WHICH WILL BECOME VERY SEVERE
WITH BLIZZARD CONDITIONS POSSIBLE BY SUNDAY.

* MAIN IMPACT: HEAVY SNOW...WITH POSSIBLE RECORD STORM TOTAL
ACCUMULATIONS FROM 10 TO 15 INCHES ARE EXPECTED. INCREASING
NORTHWEST WINDS 15 TO 25 MPH WILL START TO PRODUCE AREAS OF
BLOWING AND DRIFTING AND POOR VISIBILITY...ALONG WITH THE
SNOW...SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND SATURDAY NIGHT. THOSE WINDS WILL
CONTINUE TO INCREASE SUNDAY...TO NORTHWEST 25 TO 35...WHICH MAY
PRODUCE ZERO VISIBILITY IN BLIZZARD CONDITIONS.

Oh boy...

[kiramdear]

Looks like our leftovers are heading your way. Take good care, CJ. I hope you have lots of DVDs and chocolates at the ready.

[jps]

...MAJOR WINTER STORM IS EXPECTED TO DUMP SUBSTANTIAL SNOW
AMOUNTS THROUGH THE WEEKEND...WITH BLIZZARD CONDITIONS POSSIBLE
LATE SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY...

.A STRONG WEATHER SYSTEM FROM THE SOUTHWEST STATES WILL BRING
WIDESPREAD HEAVY AMOUNTS OF SNOW AS IT MOVES DIRECTLY THROUGH
NORTHEAST MONTANA TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY. AREAS OF BLOWING AND
DRIFTING OF SNOW IS ALSO EXPECTED TO DEVELOP WITH THIS SYSTEM BY
SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WHICH WILL BECOME VERY SEVERE
WITH BLIZZARD CONDITIONS POSSIBLE BY SUNDAY.

* MAIN IMPACT: HEAVY SNOW...WITH POSSIBLE RECORD STORM TOTAL
ACCUMULATIONS FROM 10 TO 15 INCHES ARE EXPECTED. INCREASING
NORTHWEST WINDS 15 TO 25 MPH WILL START TO PRODUCE AREAS OF
BLOWING AND DRIFTING AND POOR VISIBILITY...ALONG WITH THE
SNOW...SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND SATURDAY NIGHT. THOSE WINDS WILL
CONTINUE TO INCREASE SUNDAY...TO NORTHWEST 25 TO 35...WHICH MAY
PRODUCE ZERO VISIBILITY IN BLIZZARD CONDITIONS.

That sounds like a typical lake effect storm here except for the high winds. Suck it up, CJ!

[johnallg]

Yeah. Try Buffalo - they measure snow in yards, not inches.

[paologregorio]

The worst is over, thank goodness.