Category Archives: Weather

The Aftermath of Irene

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Hurricaine Irene hit New England pretty hard this past weekend. I’m sure we’ve all seen the pictures and video’s online and on the news. Central and Southern Vermont seem to have been especially hard, taking out roads, bridges (even the iconic covered bridges), homes, businesses and towns. Thousands are out of power. It’s heart wrenching having to see such a beautiful place under complete destruction.The next three pictures are from Wilmington, VT.
For more from this album.

The next day:

For an aerial view: WCAX News
This has been pretty popular on the Weather Channel. The bridge now lies 1/4 mile downstream, upside down – still in tact. (By the way, Marvie from the Weather Channel, who lives next to this bridge, my boyfriend saw you and he now wants to drive down there and give you a giant hug for your loss of the bridge.)
I remember in 1997, Montgomery, Vermont was hit pretty hard by a flash flood. The entire town was under water. Buildings and roads were destroyed and it took the town some time to rebuild. Driving thru the town after the water had receeded, I’m sure I didn’t understand completely the tole it takes on a town but the images are still in my mind today. Now I say I will try not to live next to a river without being on a hill.
Now, Vermont has been hit again, only worse and more widespread. Even though it may not have been my hometown that was hit the hardest, Vermont as a whole is a community and this has effected everyone. Some have lost their lives, some have lost their homes and/or businesses. Some towns are even completely cut off due to road closures. The Burlington Intervale has been completely flooded and crops have been destoyed. The Alchemist, a local brewery in Waterbury, has been destroyed. Homes have been seen floating down rivers.  but along with others in the state, and as true Vermonters, they are not dwelling on the bad. If one thing is for certain, Vermonters are some of the strongest people – they are already ready to pick up and come back from this better than ever.
Winooski Falls
The heart of the matter is, it’s going to take some time to clean up the mess in New England. Some say it’s still not even over as the water needs to come off the mountains and head towards the coast where they anticipant more flooding along the way. FEMA trucks have already arrived in Vermont and are ready to begin the process. If you would like to help out, please reach out to the Red Cross, Vermont Food Bank, assist in local emergency shelters. If you live close enough – reach out to a neighbor or the elderly who need help picking up.
More ways to help and volunteers needed.
Photos taken from the Burlington Free Press and Facebook photos.

Heat Wave

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My mama called me last night to check up on me and see how my Yankee blood was dealing with the heat. Everyday I’m becoming more and more convinced that this is Mother Nature’s way to keep the North out of the South. I don’t think dealing is exactly the right word to use, coping perhaps… maybe even suffering would be more appropriate.

Here is an update: We are on day 30+ of triple digit temperatures. Did I mention consecutive? The record for Texas sits at 43 consecutitve days. They say we’re going to hit it and surpass as there is no end in sight. Lucky us.

One way I’m dealing with the heat is I’ve started taking a water aerobics class because when you think about it, what else can you really do? I call it my Old Ladies Class, no offense anyone. On a side note, John Jones – this class really does kick your butt, I don’t care what you say, haha 🙂 It’s an “easier” way to deal with the scholding temperatures even though they do ask us to bring a bag of ice every once in a while to throw in teh pool to cool it off.

Needless to say, I think I have it pretty easy compared to some other people.

Entire lakes are drying up. I mean they even found a piece of the space shuttle that desinigrated in 2003 in a lake in Nacogdoches. NASA confirmed, so it must be true (now if they would just admit that there are aliens). Water resources no longer exist in some Texas and Oklahoma towns. Farmers have had to sell their entire livestock because they have no water to give to the cows. Poor, poor cows. I even heard about how in one Western Oklahoma town, the farmers congregate in the town hall every day to pray for rain because they have no idea what else to do. School is starting soon, which means high school football practice is in full swing. Seems like every year there is a catastrophe when a student is brought into the hospital for dehydration or heat stroke. One coach died the other day after practice. I hate to see what happens this year.

On Tuesday, Texas Motor Speedway’s racetrack was sitting at 145 degrees. The newstation decided to try to cook bacon and a pizza on the track and they even went for cookin’ cookies in a car. The sad part is, it worked.

I’ve come to terms that this triple digit heat isn’t going away anytime soon so it’s great timing that I’m heading North in a week or so from today. Weather.com said when I leave DFW it will be 103, when I get to the Green Mountain state the high will be 78. I keep joking about how I’ll be home, walking around in pants and a hoodie because I’ll be cold.

Maybe if we all just stop talking about it and pretend that it’s not that hot (either that or our bodies just get so use to it, it will seem “normal) maybe it will just go away. That’s probably just high hopes. In actuality someone seriously pissed Mother Nature off and I think they should put their pride aside and say “I’m sorry” pretty soon. 

My First Encounter With A Tornado, 2011-05-24

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I’ve wanted to see a tornado for a while now… let me clarify. I’ve wanted to see one from a far, with it being in the middle of a field not harming anything but grass, for a while now. Well wishes. I suppose this all started when I saw the movie “Twister”, years ago and I’m sure this movie gave others the same type of feeling.
Since I’ve moved to Texas, I’ve pretty much said I’ve experienced all the natural disasters I care to see, except a tornado. I’ve experienced earthquakes, ice storms, massive snow storms and a hurricane… the legendary tornado was still on my list…. Again – from a far. What better place to see one than north Texas, right? My point exactly. To be able to see a cloud come down from the sky, hold so much power, force and destruction but be gone just as quickly as it appeared, leaves something to be explored. Explored in a sense of how it happens, why it happens, and why there is such a small time frame to grab for cover if you are in it’s path. It’s a force of mother nature, something completely out of power. I find it so amazing.
Well, I’ve been here for three years now, and seeing how I live in the middle of the DFW metroplex, they haven’t typically come near me (which isn’t a bad thing). Always outside of DFW, south or north, hardly ever thru. And hearing of golf ball, baseball size hail is something I’ve only heard about, until May 24, 2011.
While at work, I received a text message saying “Tornado Warnings until 10 pm”. Now you have my attention. I’m intrigued. Mostly everyone who knows me, if there are tornado’s nearby, some are likely to get a call if they are available to go “chase”. I have never “chased” and have been considerably disappointed at the end of every tornado season. On this particular day, I get home from work around 5 pm, turn on the news and see a tornado touching down just south of Norman, Oklahoma. Very far away, I text a friend, Michael, (the first in line to chase with and since he is a fire fighter I see this as protection as well, haha), inform him, response is “too far”. Well this was no surprise…it was pretty far. I didn’t really have the intention of wanting to go up there, it was sent for basic informational purposes.
During this time, I’m on the phone with my mom, who is in Vermont. Who I don’t think as ever really been keen on the whole tornado thing. Our conversation went something like this:
Mom: “Do you have a plan if a tornado comes near you?”
Me: “Oh, they don’t come within the metroplex, we’ll be fine.” (Completely not worried about the whole ordeal.)
Mom: “No, what’s your plan if one comes near you, where are you going to go?”
Me: “I’ll jump in the bathtub with a mattress over me or go downstairs to the neighbor’s apartment. But really, I’ll be fine.” (I live on the second floor, but completely unphased.)
Soon enough, another alert comes on the TV, Saginaw, Texas. Ok, this is a little closer. Just north of the DFW metroplex. I send another informational text message, still too far and too late. By the time we would arrive, it would be long gone. There would be no point.
Next alert, touchdown in Azle, Texas, just north of Ft.Worth and west of where I live. Heading to North Richland Hills and then to Westlake. Azle is on the other side of a town called Haslet, a town where a co-worker lives who I unfortunately told a few days ago that he lives in tornado alley, which he didn’t know and wasn’t really happy about. As soon as I hear this on the TV, all that goes thru my mind is, he is going to be so mad at me. I jinx’d him. Sure enough the next morning at work, I received a jinx comment… sorry :/. At the same time, I send Sy a text. He is at work, letting him know this tornado may come his way and to keep an eye on the weather.
I continue to go about cleaning the apartment, as my parents are visiting in a couple days. The TV is on. I get a black screen with a message saying “Tornado Warning”. Well you got my attention but I don’t know where this bad boy is. About the same time, I get a call from Michael.
Michael: “Ah, are you watching the news?”
Me: “Well, it keeps coming on but it’s all west of here and headed towards Westlake.”
Michael: “It’s heading right for you – right down your street. Go look outside.”
Here I go stand outside, the wind is a whippin’. First thought is save the strawberry plant hanging from a hook. That went inside. (I’ve got my priorities in check.) I look south down the highway, it looks pretty clear. I look north up the highway, it’s darker. The wind dies. I can’t see if there is something coming or not. I walk out to the parking lot to try to look west. If I were a giant I would be able to see something, but these short legs of mine have not blessed me with being able to see thing very well – my view is easily obstructed. I walk outside and see nothing but clouds. The sky is a mix in between dark clouds and the sun setting. It’s hard to tell what is what. It crosses my mind that I really need to look into taking one of these weather spotter courses. Obviously, I’m not the only one curious about the weather, and the tornado sirens are not going off. I go back inside, the weather guy has come on the TV. The “hooks” are clearly in sight. Yes, I said “hooks”, there is more than one coming my way, one following the other.
In between watching the weather on TV, responding to text messages from Michael and a co-worker down the road (thinking he would be able to see it before I do – it’s going to hit him first) and walking outside checking it all out, I’m trying to figure out what’s going on. My new neighbor is slightly freaking out, wondering what she’s suppose to do and of all people she is asking me who for one – I kind of want to see it and two – I’m from Vermont… we don’t have these, I’m not the one you should be asking for advice here. I walk back inside and I start to hear these small “pings” on the roof. “What the heck, that can’t be hail.” … wrong. I look out the window. Within a few minutes these small pea sized hail turned to dime, quarter, golf ball and egg size. Granted, I had moved my vehicle under a tree to try to avoid some damage, she was still getting hit. I couldn’t watch. The pinging on the windows sounded like someone was throwing rocks at the glass which they might as well have been. The deck, the ground, covered with golf balls. This went on for about 5-10 minutes. Don’t step outside, you’re gonna get killed.
I send Sy a text message back saying “Just kidding, it’s not near you. It’s right here.” I had company.
At this point I’ll admit. I’m starting to get nervous. Mostly due to the hail and the nervous neighbor. I’m fumbling for my camera, not knowing how to work the video for my new camera. The sirens are going off. I’m by myself in my apartment. I had already told the neighbors downstairs that if it gets bad, I’m coming to them so I hope they answer the door. The hail begins to subside. The wind starts to slow down. I’ve heard stories, “the calm before the storm”. I’m getting my stuff together. I get a call from Sy’s step-mom in Kentucky, “Sweetie, are you in your safe place?” “I’m ok, I’m in our apartment.”, “Sweetie, you need to get in your safe place.”, “I’m going downstairs to the neighbors in a second.”, “No Sweetie, you need to go now.”. I’m stubborn, but I was honestly on my way.
I grab my purse, checkbook, picture of my grandfather, a hoodie, raincoat, keys and both cameras. Lock the door, walk down the stairs to their apartment, “I’m staying with you guys, hope you don’t mind me inviting myself in!”.
At this point, everything is covered with “golf balls”. The clouds are circling above. It’s something to see all those clouds moving around, intermingling. Sure my curiosity gets the best of me but I wasn’t being an idiot when looking at the clouds. I was ready to run for cover at any second. We see the clouds circling around in a couple different spots, some clouds lighter than others. The wind has calmed down, the rain has reduced to a drizzle. I walk over between two buildings to try to get a better view. This was my view.

In total there were four funnel clouds, not touching down, just moving about in the sky. Well, that’s a sight see. My videos are not so great considering I have never seen this before, I was trying to see it for my own eyes.

In the end, everything pretty much slowed down. We were told we may have another storm coming but obviously the worst was behind us. The damage we received were mostly dents to vehicles and lots of fallen leaves. It could’ve been a lot worse.
Unfortunately, not everyone is as lucky as we were on May 24, 2011. Living in such a populated place, a lot of people could have been hurt. Tornado’s don’t show up to be friendly. A few days earlier, the folks in Joplin, MO weren’t as lucky, as some other folks throughout each tornado season. Last night, at least one tornado touched down in Massachusetts. It doesn’t matter where you live anymore. To see a list of people looking for friends and family due to these dangerous forces of mother nature is just heart wrenching. You never know when it could be you.
If possible, please try to reach out and assist those in need. There are a ton of local organizations in areas that work with providing assistance or I would suggest reaching out to the Red Cross for any donations / volunteer work you may provide.