2008 Starts With A Roar

Sunset Before The Storm

Despite what everyone might think, California's winter weather can get quite nasty. Although where we live snow is rare (though not unheard of) wind and rain can be served up in abundance. Last year was relatively quiet; 2008 looks like it may break some records.

Here's a look at what's being forecasted for the end of the week. This is an extract from a special bulletin issued by the National Weather Service describing the second of a series of three storms slated to hit us between Thursday and Sunday next (their caps, not mine):

A SECOND AND VERY POWERFUL STORM SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO BRING HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS TO MUCH OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL CALIFORNIA FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT. DAMAGING WINDS GUSTING TO AS HIGH AS 60 MPH ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE COAST AND IN THE MOUNTAINS. DUE TO THE STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST LOW LEVEL FLOW WITH THIS SECOND SYSTEM...THERE WILL LIKELY BE SIGNIFICANT OROGRAPHIC ENHANCEMENT OF RAINFALL ACROSS SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST FACING MOUNTAIN AND FOOTHILL LOCATIONS. THE POTENTIAL FOR VERY HIGH RAINFALL RATES IN THE MOUNTAINS AND HILLS WILL BRING THE POSSIBILITY OF FLOODING OR FLASH FLOODING.

Yes, we face directly southwest and yes, we live in the coastal mountain ranges. This could get ugly ...