The Very Windy Night

jyl · jyl's Garage

Wow, we just had a wind gust here that shook the whole house. Felt like a small quake - say a 3.5 quake 20 miles away.

The house has been here for nearly 100 years so I guess I am not too worried about it.

We have some large, old trees that we spent good money to have trimmed back last summer, though, and I'm glad we did. During major windstorms, the wind through those branches sounds like a vibrating thrumming roar - kind of scary.

Family is gathered up in the attic, nesting on this windy night. I was happily machine-gunning Germans on the beach courtesy of Wii, then the kids showed up and I had to switch to G-rated fare. Bummer.

Anyone else having interesting weather right now? How are you guys in SoCal doing?

Hugh R · 01-04-2008, 07:31 PM

Spent several thou. on trimming lots of trees last summer (for fire danger), but glad I did, its very windy here. I'm at the end of a box canyon and the wind just funnels right up it. The patches I put on the terra cotta tile roof seem to be holding from before the last storm. The drains are running clear too, so I'm good.

pwd72s · 01-04-2008, 07:54 PM

Merely a "big blow"...we'll make it...hang in there.

jyl · jyl's Garage

More house swaying. I keep repeating to myself - this house has been here since 1911 - don't worry -

Hey, my house was built in 1911, I have a 1911 in the gunbox, and a 911 in the driveway - cool. Too bad I'm not 19 anymore.

pwd72s · 01-04-2008, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyl

More house swaying. I keep repeating to myself - this house has been here since 1911 - don't worry -

Hey, my house was built in 1911, I have a 1911 in the gunbox, and a 911 in the driveway - cool. Too bad I'm not 19 anymore.

Like I said, merely a big blow. You shoulda been here in '62...then you'd know what a REALLY big blow (in Oregon) is...

Moneyguy1 · 01-04-2008, 07:57 PM

Good luck, guys......All we are expecting is a bit of onn/off rain.

ZOA NOM · ZOA NOM's Garage

Whatever you do, don't fly anywhere this weekend. All of our Northern California FAA facilities are on emergency generator power.

Hugh R · 01-04-2008, 08:13 PM

My daughter decided to come visit for the weekend, and she said she was driving up Wilshire Blvd. in LA doing about 35 mph and a plastic bucket passed her.

jyl · jyl's Garage

I'm . . . scared. I'm . . . scared. I need some . . . Cabernet. It never blew like this in California. Brrr. What is this place? Why does it rain so much? There are guns everywhere. And people have bad teeth. Mommy!

Actually, there is some truth to the above. My dentist, on my first visit, looked at my dental xrays and said I clearly hadn't been raised in Oregon. I guess they still think fluoride is a Commie plot here?

legion · 08:28 PM

Man, you west coast guys can't handle a little weather?

tabs · 01-04-2008, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Like I said, merely a big blow. You shoulda been here in '62...then you'd know what a REALLY big blow (in Oregon) is...

Yep that really big blow in 62 was PWD down on his knees.

jyl · jyl's Garage

legion, we'll send you a nice 7 quake and see what you can handle . . .

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyl

More house swaying. I keep repeating to myself - this house has been here since 1911 - don't worry -

Hey, my house was built in 1911, I have a 1911 in the gunbox, and a 911 in the driveway - cool. Too bad I'm not 19 anymore.

at least you're not 91. Yet.

Not much wind here, but we had some solid rain for a few hours. Let up now but forecast is for a good hammering around midnight.

jyl · jyl's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by tabs

Yep that really big blow in 62 was PWD down on his knees.

My God, is that what goes on in the wilds of Oregon? I'm never leaving Portland.

masraum · 01-04-2008, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyl

Anyone else having interesting weather right now? How are you guys in SoCal doing?

Well, it almost got down to freezing two nights ago and tomorrow and Sun it should be 80*.

legion · 01-04-2008, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyl

legion, we'll send you a nice 7 quake and see what you can handle . . .

Lived in SoCal for ten years. I've been through a few.

vash · vash's Garage

i just crept back from medocino. i thought the windows of our B&B were going to break last night. the power went down, and trees were down everywhere. the building was getting rocked! driving home, was a nightmare. we had to dodge downed trees and powerlines. i would have felt better driving a big 4x4, with a chainsaw in back. oh well we got home safe. better.

on a side note, i took a small surefire flashlight with me. i had it in my pocket 100% of the time. during the darkness last night, it was like the Sun, when i flipped that thing on. i escorted a lady to the bathroom, and walked home in the dark. my SO thought i was the perfect boyscout.

tabs · 01-04-2008, 08:43 PM

Way back inthe early 80s went through a big blow in Upland, CA that snapped 20 power poles in a row like matchsticks.

Moneyguy1 · 01-04-2008, 08:59 PM

I have a relic from my past, a t-shirt from upstate New York that says:

"I survived the ice storm of 1991".

Shut down upstate NY (Buffalo/Rochester/Syracuse corridor) for days.

I am sure some in the midwest can relate.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

Anyone remember the Blizzard of '78 in the northeast? I was only a wee lad of 7 back then living in Massachusetts, but I still remember it. Crazy. It shut down EVERYTHING (and I mean "everything" - schools, jobs, etc.) for the better part of a week. No electricity for I think 3 days. I remember going out the front door (and there was a wall of snow about 5' tall most of the way up the door opening. Crazy stuff.

A little wind and water here in CA doesn't really impress me too much.