Oh, the weather outside is...

Valka D'Ur

Hosting Iron Pen in A&E
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Mar 3, 2005
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Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
...something we all talk about, right? I've noticed a lot of posts here and there in other threads, with people mentioning that it's too hot, too cold, too dry, too wet... Let's bring it all into the same thread and talk about the weather.

I don't intend this to be a thread to argue climate change/global warming. There's already a thread for that. This is meant to talk about the smaller, more local things that happen to folks here.

My city just had one heckuva wind storm tonight. It came on very suddenly, and at first I assumed it was just another squall or maybe a hailstorm. But when I looked out the window, there was no rain or hail (could have been; there were hail clouds in the sky), just a tremendous wind, blowing dust and debris around... extremely fast, and it crossed my mind that it could be a tornado (we do get them here, although I've never personally been caught in one). Maddy was freaking out, not knowing what that extremely noisy wind was about.

And then the power went out. It came back on briefly after maybe half an hour, and then it went out and stayed out for several hours (thank goodness this time I had flashlights). This building has emergency power for the exits and the doors (they're electronic, operated by keycards), but the hallways were dark and so were the suites.

Nothing was damaged here, that I know of; when there was no longer enough sunlight to read by, I just went to bed. The power came back about half an hour ago, and when I got back online, the CBC news site had this to say:

Windstorm causes serious damage, power outages in Red Deer

As you can see from the photos, part of the roof blew off a bank, and numerous trees were ripped out of the ground along one of the local hiking trails. The article mentions damage at Parkland Mall, which is nearby (I'd actually been thinking of going there this afternoon; good thing I didn't).

I found a couple of YT videos. The first is taken on the highway not far from town:



The second was taken by someone in one of the older neighborhoods (not sure exactly where that is, somewhere on one of the hills, in a community of rowhouses). Warning: Language NSFW.

 
That is quite the wind. How unusual are such wind storms in Alberta ?

We're expected to hit 37 degrees today in Paris after a few days above 30, which is unbearable. But you asked this not to be about global warming so I'll stop there.
 
Too hot for me. Actually, it starts getting "too hot for me" (a refrain round these parts) around about 23C, which is when Australians start shivering.

Also, "the gardens could do with some rain" is frequently heard, anytime from March onwards.

But hey! Portugal caught light! (Nowt to do with global warming, I hasten to add.)
 
That is quite the wind. How unusual are such wind storms in Alberta ?

We're expected to hit 37 degrees today in Paris after a few days above 30, which is unbearable. But you asked this not to be about global warming so I'll stop there.
I just don't want to get into an argument that turns into left/right, this politician vs. that politician, believers vs. deniers, etc. I've heard about some of the killer heat waves in Europe, and that it's especially hard on elderly people and those who are already compromised with other health problems. I hope you have access to lots of water and shade and air conditioning.

The storm we had tonight is unusual enough that it's something people will talk about for awhile (and curse about for awhile, as they try to deal with insurance companies and repair/replace what was damaged). As can be seen in the second video, some neighborhoods suffered a fair bit of damage. It's the trees falling over that cause a lot of damage, of course, and damage to roofs when shingles or signs blow off. It could have been much worse, since we didn't get the hail that Environment Canada was warning about. We did have a hailstorm not too long ago, though.

@Borachio: Forest fires aren't something to joke about. The photos remind me of the ones of the Fort McMurray fire a year ago - I wasn't there, but the smoke caused breathing problems even this far south. :(


We've already had several wind storms this year, and one storm that caused a power outage. This one was worse than that one. So in general, such storms aren't unusual in Central Alberta - they're going to happen somewhere each year. But of course everyone just hopes that it happens somewhere else and that we don't get the really bad ones that result in people getting killed.
 
Okay. It just seemed that it was said in a joking manner. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
 
I do often say things in a joking manner, it's true. Doesn't mean I don't mean them seriously.

Often it applies to the things I take most seriously. It's like a disease, I know it.
 
I've heard about some of the killer heat waves in Europe, and that it's especially hard on elderly people and those who are already compromised with other health problems. I hope you have access to lots of water and shade and air conditioning.

Unfortunately Ramadan only ends saturday, so the muslim community is going to have difficulty handling the heat. For the others, litres of water will be needed. Speaking of which, I'm off to buy a pack of bottles
 
A week over 40°c here in southern Spain and it is not even summer yet, (well today is the first day). Never have seen this before. :old: Thank you, president Trump.

In other news, Portugal continues burning. (And it is not joke as Valka said, apart of the devastation, there were +60 deads on a road)
 
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The clue seems to be in the name.

Remind me not to go there, will you please?
 
+60 deads
I know this is talking about a tragedy, but I can't read this phrase with a straight face.

Anyway, having some cooler days in Toronto now after some ridiculously hot and humid days. Pleasant.
 
There'll probably be thunderstorms tonight.

Hmmm, second night in a row: howling winds and pouring rains.

Wow one of the boats just let out two LOUD blasts of its horn. I wonder if it's in trouble?

Edit; Later:It's 20;30 here. I think the blasts were from one of the tugs, meaning "All hands on deck." The first tug soon steamed off in the direction of Jagna, which has a far better harbor than we have. Then the second tug began blasting its horn. It's engine is LOUD.

Now, it's gone too. That was quick.

Lightning is flashing on the horizon. A big storm must be coming.
 
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It's been about 32-37 °C these past two weeks. As someone who dislike anything above 25°C and hate anything above 30, you can imagine just how I *enjoy* this heat wave.
On top of that, I'm used to the fresher, moderately moist air close to the ocean, when even in very warm days the air moves and you can breathe. I'm now in a region much more continental, and the air tends to be dry and stagnant. I often feels like breathing is suffocating.
I can't wait for november.

Only good thing : the residential building I'm living in at the moment has a swimming pool. It's small and shallow, but it's still heaven after being cooked alive during the day.
 
I don't much care for stagnant air either. A nice breeze helps with the bugs. Hope it's at least a little windy in a week or so when the blackberries get ripe. If it's calm I'm going to have to soak in insect repellent or become one with the West Nile.
 
There has been an awful lot of wind lately. My family in Trinidad was telling me they got smashed a few nights ago. This past Saturday there was a tornado warning in Toronto and much of southern Ontario. Reading lots about storms in the States too.
 
Warm weather and blue skies for the past several days in the UK, it's perverse. Whenever blue skies and warm weather come along I get confused and start boorishly trying to order dos cervezas por favor in a loud and patronisingly slow voice from anyone I see sporting a tan.
 
Rain. I need rain.

Look. It's supposed to rain here. Why doesn't it?
 
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