Derecho

Here is the thing.  The majority of my life has been on the East Coast.  This section of the East Coast, where weather is about as mild is comes.  We experience all 4 seasons.  We have thunder storms, snow storms, receive the far reaching winds of a hurricane, and the occasional down pour.  However, on the scale of crazy weather, we rate in the middle.   

For the time when I didn't live on the East Coast, I lived in England, where their weather is as mild as the people, tally ho. 

 So, when crazy weather blows through our little area of mild, we find ourselves rather unprepared.  This was proven last weekend, when a severe wind storm, otherwise known as a derecho, blew through and tipped over our wrought iron patio tables (that seats 8, umbrella, and umbrella stand).  Took our toy box/bench from around the back of the house, tipped out all the toys, blew it to the front of the house, across the street, and through our neighbor's wooded fence. 

And, that does not compare with the damages houses, trees, and power lines received.

Um, weren't they calling for severe thunder storms, with strong winds? Thunder storms, yes, no problem.  Strong winds, well, we always have wind.  Sometimes, it is strong enough to blow our patio chairs over to the edge of our property, and our grill is tied down for a reason.  But, our neighbor's shutter in our back yard, and roof shingles from other houses, no not so much. 

We were lucky, we never lost power for an extended period of time, and any damage we suffered was quickly fixed the next day.  (However, Hubby may never climb back onto our roof.)

Talking with a fellow mom the next morning, she described the wind storms they experienced in Colorado.  Friday night, when the winds began to pick up, she new what was happening, and had the foresight of pulling in her flower pots, and turning over the patio furniture. 

Turning over our patio furniture?  Why don't we ever think of these things?  Suddenly, I am feeling rather dorky about watching the winds come up, and not think of the simple act of turning over our tables? 

Because I have never experienced anything like this before.  Yes, we have wind, but again, I live in a mild weather bubble, with few exceptions. 

Dear weather people, next time, instead of issuing a warning of strong winds (because we have those all the time) how about using the term Derecho.  Then I know how to act. 

Now, I just need to take the tornado warnings more seriously.  Growing up among mountains, it was always said we are safe from tornadoes.  Apparently, not so much.