Every time I checked the weather between 4:00 p.m. yesterday and 7:00 a.m. today, it said current conditions here were “heavy rain mist.” Um … but that “mist” pounded so hard for all those hours that I couldn’t hear myself think.
Sure enough, woke up this morning overlooking a river. The one house I can see across the former wetland below is in at least a foot of water (if not more) and my neighbors across the street (who are, like me, on a hill) are joking that they’re going to list their place for sale today as “waterfront property.”
I’m good, though my driveway is worse for the wear and the seasonal waterfall on the slope behind it is roaring so vigorously neighbors have walked over to take pictures.
It’s an awful mess down on the flat, where of course the people in the mobile home park and the little low houses are getting it worse than anybody. Not life-threatening bad. But a giant, completely unpredicted mess. We knew a substantial rainstorm was on the way, but all the flooding was supposed to be miles from here. From what I hear, we got about 6-1/2 inches of “heavy rain mist.” (And it sure did sound heavy last night.)
I also hear that we’re completely closed off by landslides and flooded roads.
And yipes! this is low tide. High tide — and a king tide, yet — is supposed to hit in a few hours. The rain has slacked off, though, so that’s to the good and maybe the worst is past.
I’ll try and post some pix later.
Meanwhile, I’ve got the final portion of Vin’s interview pre-scheduled for noonish 11:00-ish PST, so even if the power goes out, you’ll still get your Vin fix.
Yikes!
I’m sitting here very glad you went the extra mile on getting your roof fixed last season.
Stay safe and dry! Second Joel on glad about the nice snug roof.
Amen to that, Joel. 🙂
Yes, I am sooooooo glad for that super-snug roof. Couldn’t have done it without you, as you know. And it’s been a crazy-rainy season!
The waters haven’t gone up any since this morning. Haven’t gone down much, either. I suspect the diminishing rain and the high tide are cancelling each other. I tried to walk down to the post office and the grocery store an hour ago. That was dumb. Some vehicles are getting around now, but without boots or a desire to wade, nobody on foot was getting there. Grocery store was open, but PO is flooded. Roads out of town still closed. Very quiet around here today.
Ah the great NorthWET! Gosh, now you’re bringing back some real memories. I had a paper route once – this was in Clackamas County- which included a trailer park. Pretty big one, and all in a lower-lying area. I delivered papers in a flood up to the axles on my bike in some places.But no tidal effects that far inland.
But yowza, the combo of high stream flows and high tide? Yeah, that’s going to be pushing the flood stages.
This summer I had my garden and shed flooded for the first time in 34 years, and I’m not out in a backwood area. 4 to 5 inches of water on the road (less then that inside the shed, but enough to have to prop up the fridge on stones to keep the electrics dry) so I will not even think about a foot of water… Must be horrible.
Stay safe!
Our road was closed in both directions by downed trees for 5 days after Sandy. Power was out for 14. We were ready, so it was no big deal.
But I still remember the absolute silence in the days after the storm. Noise ceased when motion ended. It was eerie, but beautiful. Enjoy it while it lasts!
It’s been a very long time since I’ve been in the presence of such quietude. Now I’m thinking a day trip to noplace is in order. I wonder how long I’d have to drive.
Glad you’re high and more-or-less dry, Claire! And that the folks in the flat spot are only having to deal with a mess and not worse!
(Floods were one of my dealbreakers when shopping for my land. I turned down some gorgeous properties because they were too flat and too near a river. After watching my grandfather’s farm flood 2 out of every 3 springs, I wanted nothing to do with that! High ground is good ground!)
Floods were one of my dealbreakers when shopping for my land.
Amen. As a kid I sometimes visited my uncle in New Orleans. His was one of the houses where you could stand on the dry side of the levee and look up at ships passing. Even as a high school student I figured out that was a Bad Idea.
The only acceptable answer to, “Where’s the 100-year floodplain?” is “Way over yonder.”