Storm Ends the Sunny Days

Well, I do have many pictures and some to write about the summer weather we've been having here, but first...yesterday was warm, humid and not so sunny. It was also very quiet and still. It's so weird when it's like that because there are so many people around but it's quiet. All I thought was it is the calm before the storm.

First around 9ish last night a strong wind came through. People in back still had wash out and were scrambling to get it inside, along with other items they may have left on their balconey, before the rain came. That strong wind was pushing these black clouds over. It is so neat to be up high and be in a flat place to see it all happening. The rain started and there was some thunder and lightening. It didn't last long and then really cleared up, including drying up. But that wasn't all...

We went to bed and when I got up to give the cats more food at around 2 (Yes they get me up usually at least 2x at night, I can easily ignore them but Arjan can't thus I have this problem.) I saw plenty of lightening in the distance and heard no thunder. 3:48 a.m. it hit and was one of the worst storms I've seen. I just couldn't believe how much lightening was flashing, over 200,000 flashes in the country, 3-4 flashes at a time, over 75,000 bolts to the ground, the wind was blowing so strong I expected to see trees falling over--which they did in some places, and it was just pouring rain and hail. We had to quick put towels at the front windows because, even though they were replaced and fixed to prevent this and we haven't had a problem since then, this rain and wind was just too hard. The meterologists say this is a once in 5 year occurence.

I was so glad I didn't have to go anywhere today, especially because train and tram service was pretty messed up. It has been windy most of the day and didn't rain here for a good part of the morning and early afternoon. So, I went out to get a couple groceries and the free newspapers and to access the damage. (One storm the first fall I was here broke a tree down on cars a street over.) My camera batteries were gone so I only got the picture of the where the tree broke.

This is some of the damage in my walk today, all just trees.

Lots of big branches all the way down, fortunately in the grass and not on the cars.

Three young trees fell over on this street...crews were already a couple streets over putting the trees that had fallen over on there back up with big poles on each side to hold them in place.

I saw two trees like this with a huge entire limb broken off.

Thankfully, the weather will be getting better, with little rain predicted. It is evidenced again today by the sun making it's appearance this evening, and still setting, yes the sunset is almost 10 p.m. already. This is just one more reason I tell people this is the new San Diego...even if it rains, the sun seems to make an appearance at least once in that day.

Here's the picture from about half an hour ago.