Breezy

[rejectomorph]

Though it's still a bit too toasty for my liking, the afternoon is at least visually pleasant. There are patches of ghostly clouds that can't decide whether they want to be cirrus or not, and the bright sunlight glitters on the mulberry leaves as they flutter in the soft breeze. The breeze is the best part. Up to a point, the movement of air is relaxing. That's about as much movement as we're likely to get here today. Autumn is apt to bring more invigorating movements of the air, but nothing truly spectacular. I'm trying to imagine wind blowing at 200 MPH. I really can't. I've seen it on television, but it looks like a special effect, and I can't imagine what it would feel like to be in the middle of something like that.

I think the strongest wind I've ever experienced managed something like 60 or 70 MPH, with gusts up into the 80s. Those would be the Santa Anas that blow through Los Angeles in the fall. Below the canyons of the San Gabriel Mountains, they will often fill the streets with debris, mostly from damaged trees, but sometimes with a bit of roofing material or maybe some glass from a shattered streetlamp, or a stop sign that's been detached from its pole. Downed branches or entire trees will sometimes take out the utility lines, or flatten a car. That's about as bad as it gets. Nope, I can't imagine 200 MPH. I guess I'll go watch the special effect on television again.

Comments

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

I've seen 175 mph winds... it's amazing. Light poles get bent in half, roofs get ripped clean off of cheap buildings.

When I went to homestead after Andrew, it was like a giant walked through, flattening everything it stepped on.

[rejectomorph]

I think I'd be more worried living in the path of a hurricane than I am living in an earthquake zone, even though you get advance warning for hurricanes. I can't believe that so many people in New Orleans have chosen to stay there while this thing bears down on them.