Friday, January 22, 2010

On Wind

And not the winds of change. See that grey sky up there? It almost looks like rain is coming doesn't it? Well that in fact is dust. And that is what we get out here in West Texas when the wind gusts to 60 mph. The dust gets everywhere. The dogs become covered in it then carry it into the house. All over the house. It takes your breath away. It is nasty. Am I whinging? Well yes, as a matter of fact I am. This weather makes it darned hard to enjoy a 72F day.

We are under a red flag weather alert. Which according to the weather service means that a combination of strong winds, low humidity, and warm temperatures creates explosive fire growth potential. Well, I was planning on firing a kiln tonight but somehow firing to 2300F in explosive fire growth potential conditions seems unwise.

The good news is that we may get rain tonight. In West Texas rain is generally a cause for rejoicing. When it comes in a dust storm like now there is another peculiar phenomenon that happens. It rains mud. I am not joking. This is a very interesting effect. Unless of course you are out in the rain as the mud comes plopping out of the sky. I have never lived anywhere in my entire life where it can rain mud. So I will be looking forward to this potential novelty. Kind of makes putting up with the dust worthwhile.

To my knowledge it has never rained frogs here.

Enjoy your weekend!

13 comments:

Vintajia Adornments said...

With conditions like that you could almost be back in Oz but the temperature would more likely be over 40C. Stay cool

SummersStudio said...

Greer, the dust storm reminds very much of my first year in Adelaide. Only, in Adelaide the dust was red and here it is brown. Who would ever think that you might make comparisons of the colour of dust?

sasha + max studio said...

Raining mud - that is really bizarre but I guess dust + water = mud! Let's hope it all passes safely.
The mercury has hit 39.5C in Sydney today - The dust storms hit NSW and QLD late last year and it was very eerie.

The Joy of Nesting said...

Gee LeAnn,

I was just telling LW that the weather is so boring here, I mean what can compare to raining mud balls?? :) Hmmmmmm on second thought I think I'll stick to boring thank you :)

Stay safe Dorothy!!
Pattie ;)
Mazatlan Mx.

TesoriTrovati said...

What is is with the wacky weather? Here in central WI it is pretty typical... cold and more cold. 72F sounds divine. And raining mud would be an interesting novelty! Enjoy the day! Erin

Leslie @ Bei Mondi said...

The 72 weather sounds great minus the dust storm and mud rain. That almost sounds like a scary movie. I could trade you dust for snow if you like. :)

sharon said...

Please, no mud for me, but I would like to see it happen! Hope you are doing okay in all of the bizarreness.
It may have not rained frogs, but don't you have those horned toads their in Texas. I met a lady from Texas here who told me how she used to play with them when she was small, but now they are endangered?!! Am I in the right state?

Cindy said...

I hope you're staying safe and keeping your kiln off...just never know. May the weather be kind to you over the weekend! What a great picture too...the houses are wonderful where you live!
Cindy

stregata said...

Well, raining mud! Actually, I think that could be pretty awful - thinking mud on the window panes, the car, the roof... on the umbrella... Hope your weather gets back to "normal" soon! But it is an interesting phenomena to read about.

Sharon said...

Geez, I never heard of raining mud, and poor you in the thick of things! Stay safe!

BTW, I lived in Southern Georgia and it DID rain frogs! There were hundreds of the brightest green miniature frogs with their little suction cup feet clinging to the windows after a tornado and wicked T-storm passed through!

mairedodd said...

or even cats and dogs?
while this may sound voyeuristic, if it does rain mud, can you take a picture? the weather has been strange... and the dust storms must be nothing short of oppressive... my brother lives in san diego where they just had big storms that caused flooding... he almost never gets rain.. be well...

Barbara Lewis said...

Wow! How weird ... raining mud! The size of our great country provides us with so many different weather phenomena. Thanks for sharing ... I would never have thunk it. I hope you get some bright, sunny Texas skies soon!

donna said...

I have seen this! Not in TX, even though I have been there about 40 times (east usually, west twice, like two different worlds). This same thing happens in the southern California desert but not very often. The wind is every day almost, the rain is less than 10 days a year. It is like living in a blow dryer, reminds me of west TX. lol