Blow, crash, pour, roll

Between the buckets of water being dumped on us from above and the almost-never-happens-in-San-Francisco thunder and lightning, we're still getting pretty battered here. I haven't heard from Gina today at all, and didn't want to use the phone or computer while it was thundering and lightninging, because I've heard from friends in the Midwest that it can fry your electronics. I don't even know if that's true in this day of surge protectors and uninterruptible power supplies (both of which I have on my computer, although not on my phone), but I'm not taking any chances.



I'll try to track Gina down and report back, but in the meantime I thought you'd be amused to know that Rebel and Kyrie are refusing once more to go out. [UPDATE:] Her power's back and she was posting while I was writing this!



How's everyone else doing on this winter's day?

Comments

[Diana Guerrero]

Winter weather...I am toasty warm and happy we have electricity. Living in the mountains we always have something going on. The main highway is closed due to mud and rockslides and we have warnings related to the slide and flood risk due to the Butler fires late last year.



The storm was delayed but arrived yesterday afternoon after my hike and now it is beginning to snow...which is good. We like to have the ground solidify when there is no ground cover.



We've had some wild animal issues in the area and hopefully this weather will keep people in while they catch up with the wounded mountain lion.

[cheryl]

hmm - sounds like global warming at work - the monsoon has moved from AZ to Northern CA. The weather is wacked out. I was actually out mowing and weeding. Mostly mowing (mulching mower) leaves from the tree that should be bare by now. In a month I would expect it to put out new growth buds. It is just starting to sprinkle so my garden will be happy. One thing to be happy about is that we need the rain and snow we are getting - the lakes and reservoirs desperately need to fill up again.

[Nadine L.]

Somewhat calmer for the morning here on the far north coast of California. Lightening went on all night long. No longer bothering to reset clocks as the electricity flickers periodically. Surf is dangerously high today. Flooding was a concern in town at high tide this morning. People in our town normally can hear the surf a mile away at night. Since we are a block from a rugged portion of the coast, just imagine what the 30+ foot thundering waves sounded like when I opened the back door. Absolutely deafening noise - like the waves were breaking right in our yard. After crossing his legs all night, dog finally HAD to give in at 1 a.m. and venture out. Am certain he thought I was sending him out to walk into a train.

[Andrea]

Christie, if you make sure that the line the internet comes in on (phone line or cable) is plugged through the surge suppressor as well as your power cables, you should be fine.



Most surge suppressor manufacturers (I *highly* recommend APC) will cover your electronics if you get fried through their product. If you have a current backup, then no worries!



You DO have a current backup, right? ;)

[Andrea]

Well, the storm has hit Colorado today, and we already have 6 inches here in SW Colorado. Another foot expected. Yay for precipitation... and yay that I got all my shopping done and can stay inside for the weekend! :)

[glock]

I lived in the Midwest for awhile as a child. Learned about thunderstorms and tornadoes.



When we get severe thunderstorms along the western edge of the Sierra, which we frequently do, I unplug everything connected with the computer.



Then my dog and I hunker down in the middle hallway of the house-away from windows and glass- until the cell(s)have passed. (My family once lived through a series of tornados in Georgia. One of the casualties in our area was a child in a crib in a glassed in porch area. )

[Lynn]

On the subject of lightning and computers:



http://www.technofileonline.com/texts/tec052007.html

[Lynn]

Here in southern CA it wasn't as bad as we thought it would be. There's always the fear of mudslides after a heavy fireseason, though. It poured like the dickens.



A friend had a household accident and I took her to the ER, then brought her home and stayed until her husband got back from his business trip. When we got back to her house her 3 little rescued shih tzus were desperate to go for a walk - they were crossing their legs. So I grabbed their new little raincoats [with hoods!] that I - no, no, SANTA - brought them a week ago and put them on, happy to try out the coats. The eager furballs waddled/ran to the front door and onto the front porch where they came to a screeching halt. Twelve furry legs peeking out of yellow vinyl, slamming on the brakes the minute they saw the rain. Almost sent me toppling over them. No way were they getting THEIR paws wet. No siree. Not a chance. They looked up at me, wondering why I wanted to torture and drown them. So, back into the house and out to the garage [temporary doggie bathroom during the storm]. Those coats never saw a drop of rain. Don't think they ever will.

[Carol PW]

Christie – I offer you a quote from “How stuff works” about the performance of surge protectors: “At one end, you have your basic $5 surge protector power strip, which will offer very little protection. On the other end you have systems costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars, which will protect against pretty much everything short of lightning striking nearby.” And here is something that will describe what can happen from a direct hit: http://searchwincomputing.techtarget.com/tip/0,289483,sid68_gci1264519,00.html



If you get a direct hit on your house, often on a cast-iron vent stack of your plumbing (to which the household electrical system is frequently grounded), lots of things are going to be fried. It’s not just the computer, it will blow up your TV, VCR and microwave too. And because of the connection to the plumbing, washing your hands or taking a wizz can be risky business. We unplug everything, and are happy that our laptop and mobile phone batteries are fully charged. We find that the light show is well worth the inconvenience.

[Christie Keith]

On the subject of lightning and computers



I do have a UPS for my computer... I lived in the country for the last 16 years, blessedly with a backup generator for the last 6, so I know all about constant power outages, flickering power, etc., even though I didn't live in thunderstorm country. Most people in the city don't have them, but I saw no reason to stop using it. And on the rare occasions our power goes out, I have about half an hour of computer time, plenty of time to get emails out to people who need to know, shut down files I'm working on, and in general survive, LOL.



But I do miss my generator!

[Andrea]

Well, that storm finally hit Colorado, and dumped more than a foot of snow on the ground for my boys to play in. :)



http://www.flickr.com/photos/14973359@N00/2173044499/in/set-72157603655780299/

[Gina Spadafori]

It's all over for me except the estimates. 80 feet of fencing down, $900 to fix and my deductible is $1,000. Oh well.



But I feel lucky. Truly. TWO HOUSES on my very street had trees fall into them. Now THAT'S a problem. My mess ... will be fixed by the end of the week. And we are all OK.

[Moira]

Well... I am just reading all these posts as I have been in the dark (and cold) since 7:00 am Friday... that's 72+ hours. I do not live in the boonies... but about 10 miles from Christie. Lots of trees down and debris all over. My neigbhor's fence is flat on my back yard. Of course the power just came on...I made a battery run to Costco. My cat and I have spent most of the time huddled under the down comforters, she thought it was neat to have my undivided attention. I'm with Gina, thank goodness for gas stoves so at least I could heat water for tea and do a little cooking. Sadly, most of the stuff in the fridge is going in the garbage, but the freezer is still below 32.

[Bernard J. (Bernie) Starzewski]

I may have underestimated what all of you out west were saying about the weather.

Until this weekend we were having a relatively normal winter which in the last couple decades was in fact abnormal. We actually had snow in December and were cold while deer hunting in November where in previous years we were walking around in no more than orange sweat shirts.



NOW, we have gotten the weather that you started with and it its all fog and rain and now southeastern Wisconsin has had its first January tornado since 1884. Yes, that eighteen eightyfour!



Scout wants to go out and play but I cant take him to the farm. He would turn into a wet mudball in moments and driving in the heavy fog doesnt appeal to me. A large pile up near Madison killed a couple people the other day too. So, I let him out in the back yard in town and its just raining steadily so he is back at the door in a couple minutes all sopping wet. I have to dry him off with a towel which he likes but in 15 minutes he is back at the door wanting to go out. Im beginning to think he just wants to get rubbed off again.



I can take a cold winter but this sop and thunder and lightening is the kind of thing we get in late March. But what can you do?