Well, that was a welcome fizzle

This did not happen in my neighborhood.

Nor this.

Both did happen in yesterday’s predicted monster storm. But such damage was sporadic, not widespread. I’m still hoping to hear good news from blog readers to the north of Seattle, especially from the couple I know of who enjoy waterfront living. Which may not have been all that enjoyable yesterday.

But for a lot of us the storm was … meh. And that’s a good thing.

Where I am, it arrived about four hours later than forecast. Unusual, because whatever else does or doesn’t happen, you can often set your watch by the timing of high-wind warnings. Having arrived, the pre-named Ides of October Storm tossed tree limbs back and forth in a desultory manner for about an hour and a half, poured water over the edges of my newly cleaned front gutters (must eventually replace those creaky old things), and spitefully kicked over the garbage can on its way out. That was it aside from a generally rainy day. Didn’t even break any good-sized branches. All in all, Friday’s “lesser” storm was far nastier.

Apparently Saturday’s storm stayed offshore — much like Hurricane Matthew did earlier this month — and spent most of its slightly weakened furies over the ocean.

As a commentor from Kitsap County (a mostly rural Washington outpost) noted, this was a good exercise in checking and buffing up the preps. I’m glad it wasn’t too much more than that for most of us. Even the family in the crushed house above got out okay, according to the news. Zero deaths. Better to over-forecast and over-prep than to be caught unawares.

Alas, as often happens with these pineapple express events, there’s another coming right up behind. Not looking like anything fearful, though. Sigh. Just autumn in the good old NorthWET.