Monday, December 3, 2007

Rain, Wind, Mud Slides, Flooding & 58 degrees !

What a nightmare !   It rained heavy all night. The animals were starting to line up two by two.... They just said on the evening news that we've received 4 inches of rain since midnight.  I'd heard on the news this morning that there were 100 mile an hour wind gusts on the Washington coast. So,  I called my friends who live at Ocean Shores, WA. Finally got them on their cell phone. They moved into their brand new house last May...last night a tree fell on it...they weren't hurt, but it was right next to the master bedroom window and scared them  (and their 2 cats) to death.  They'd had no power since midnight, their chief of police came on the emergency radio system and advised everyone to stay home if they could as there were trees and/or power lines down over every  road in their little town. And 40 foot waves had come over the seawall and flooded the sewage treatment plant in their town. There are other entire communities under water. Some are completely isolated due to mud slides over roadways.  I'm just hearing on the news that highway I-5, 60 miles south of me is completely shut down in both directions.  The highway is under 3-4 feet of water near Chehalis, WA   It will not be easy to get to Portland tonight.   You can find pictures and weather related  videos at KOMO TV's web site.  They say 5.8 billion gallons of rain water has fallen on our area since Saturday. There's another high wind warning for my area tonight.  BIG FUN !

Almost every river in western Washington is flooding or near flood stage.  Roads are washed out, houses and condos are sliding down hills, roads and houses are flooded, parking lots are flooded...it's a mess!  My heart goes out to those who have been driven from their homes and places of business.  I'm so thankful my house is located where it's safe, oh there's some puddles in my driveway, but no water coming into my house or storage sheds. My roof doesn't leak (yet) and the power is on.   Thank you Lord !

To top all this off, the temperature sat at 58-59 degrees today....Saturday it was snowing.  Only in the Pacific Northwest. ?!?

I spent the afternoon at the home of a friend's sister and brother in law.  My friend Nancy, from grade school & high school is in town from Tempe, Arizona.  If you've been reading my journal for awhile, you'll remember we went to her surprise 65th birthday party in AZ in April.  She and her husband flew up for a long weekend and myself and another former classmate were invited over for lunch today.  We had so much fun.  I was able to show Nancy the pictures I took at her b'day party and other get together's I've attended with former class mates since April. They fly home to sunny Arizona on Tuesday.

I understand the east coast is having horrible weather too....I think of our journal friends in all areas of the northeast and hope they are ok. 

Until next time.......Linda  

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Glad you had a good time with Nancy, hope you told her Hi! for me.  I know we are very very lucky compared to a lot of people around here, my Dad sump pump would have been going 100 miles an hour, if it rained like this when I was a kid.  Well I guess we'll just sit back and see what in store for us next.  Good nite, Joni

Anonymous said...

I was reading the newspaper from back home yesterday and read that the east coast was taking a real hammering from a winter storm.  It's supposed to get really storm here today as well.  I hate bad weather.  It really gets one down and it so destructive.
Marie
http://journals.aol.co.uk/mariealicejoan/MariesMuses/

Anonymous said...

Crazy weather down your way, Linda, but I'm glad you appear to have escaped without damage to self and property.

Anonymous said...

((((((((((LINDA)))))))))))))))))))))))))I am glad you had a nice time with your friends.Have a good day.

Anonymous said...

Linda
What horrible weather!  I'm glad you guys are safe where you are.  How fun to have your friend for a visit.  
Sam

Anonymous said...

hi linda, so glad you are safe. What awful weather.Hope all stays well with you. take care mrs t xx

Anonymous said...

Wow, 3-4 feet of water on the highway, that is some serious flooding.  You guys did get pounded with all kinds of weather.  Here in PA it is bitter cold and very, very windy!  Thank goodness your friends came out of the tree falling unhurt, I cannot imagine how scary that would be.  I'm glad you had such a wonderful visit with your friends!
Lisa

Anonymous said...

Gosh Linda thats alot of rain,it would be awful to get flooded ,as many people  were here this summer, and many arent back into their homes yet ...love Jan xx

Anonymous said...

Glad you are keeping safe..... and still able to get out and about visiting... My brother is in Spokane, I need to call him....
Linda :)