As I drove home from work yesterday, I glanced away from the highway to the north and suddenly realised it looked like there was thick fog over the hills 3 miles away and the visibility was poor! At first I thought there must be a wildfire and it was thick smoke, but then I realised it was a reddish brown, not white as with a grass fire. Suddenly I realised it was dirt/dust blown up into the air by the horrendous winds we have had here for the past 3 days!I called the Hubster and said "I can't see the hills just north because of the dust in the air" and he just laughed and said "yep, but this isn't anything really".Have you noticed the count on my NW Okieland Rain-o-meter top left? Yes, we have now gone 84 days without rain, in other words none since January 1st! But I started that on the first day of this year, we haven't ACTUALLY had any rain here since a week or so before Christmas!The Hubster told me that the 'old timers' are saying the drought is worse now than in the 1930's when this area was part of the infamous 'Dust Bowl'. The only thing that is saving us now from huge rolling clouds of dust, is the CRP (Crop Reduction Program) which pays farmers to grass over former crop land. But it is still a wierd site to think you're seeing smoke/fog/mist, and then realise it's actually dirt filled air!There's still no rain in our forecast, but there is a glimmer of hope on Friday and of course being Oklahoma weather, it's typically crazy!Yes we started this week with 84 degree's on Monday, but on Friday they are predicting this area will have a very significant SNOW STORM!! Now when you live here you soon learn to take any weather predictions with a huge pinch of salt, but it really is looking like we may get dumped on big time. And I think I can guarantee that if NW Okieland is under a foot of snow Saturday morning, you'll not hear one of us bitching about it!Start sending your 'deep snow for NW Okieland' prayers upwards.
3/25/09
Fog? No it's just a mini Dust Bowl!
As I drove home from work yesterday, I glanced away from the highway to the north and suddenly realised it looked like there was thick fog over the hills 3 miles away and the visibility was poor! At first I thought there must be a wildfire and it was thick smoke, but then I realised it was a reddish brown, not white as with a grass fire. Suddenly I realised it was dirt/dust blown up into the air by the horrendous winds we have had here for the past 3 days!I called the Hubster and said "I can't see the hills just north because of the dust in the air" and he just laughed and said "yep, but this isn't anything really".Have you noticed the count on my NW Okieland Rain-o-meter top left? Yes, we have now gone 84 days without rain, in other words none since January 1st! But I started that on the first day of this year, we haven't ACTUALLY had any rain here since a week or so before Christmas!The Hubster told me that the 'old timers' are saying the drought is worse now than in the 1930's when this area was part of the infamous 'Dust Bowl'. The only thing that is saving us now from huge rolling clouds of dust, is the CRP (Crop Reduction Program) which pays farmers to grass over former crop land. But it is still a wierd site to think you're seeing smoke/fog/mist, and then realise it's actually dirt filled air!There's still no rain in our forecast, but there is a glimmer of hope on Friday and of course being Oklahoma weather, it's typically crazy!Yes we started this week with 84 degree's on Monday, but on Friday they are predicting this area will have a very significant SNOW STORM!! Now when you live here you soon learn to take any weather predictions with a huge pinch of salt, but it really is looking like we may get dumped on big time. And I think I can guarantee that if NW Okieland is under a foot of snow Saturday morning, you'll not hear one of us bitching about it!Start sending your 'deep snow for NW Okieland' prayers upwards.
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16 comments:
It's minus 13 C on the first day of spring - so I'm definitely sending you some of our snow!
Interesting blog today and one that made me appreciate the rain we had this week while my British friend from Hemel was visiting.
I cant believe it's been 84 days since rain... even in Oklahoma that's a long time!!!
My Father grew up in South Dakota during the depression and he has some scary tales of dust storms up there, back then.
Sarah, I hope you get that much needed rain. I wish I could send you what we are getting today and for the next few days. Hang in there!
Okay, so no rain, then lets have snow!
Sending you all sorts of rain/snow vibes ...
I'm not emotionally prepared for the snowstorm but the moisture is desperately needed up your way. You just live on the wrong side of that diagonal of I-44. Rains south of it; few rains north of it.
One thing I will never do is complain about English weather again. (Ok, I can complain when it rains every day I'm there in the summer, but you know what I mean.) Yesterday I went out in a light-ish jacket, but had to change back into my long parka later on. Pah!
I've only on rare occasions thought about Oklahoma having such diverse and rapid-changing weather! How exciting and infuriating at the same time!
Hey, I think I will send a little of our rain!
Yup, just a little TOO exciting sometimes!
I've been keeping an eye on that counter and it's hard to believe how long you've gone without rain.
We've had very little for a couple of weeks now and could do with a nice heavy shower. Listen to me wanting a bit of rain!
How amazing... look forward to hearing about the latest bizarre weather behaviour!
Isn't it weird the way the weather can go from one extreme to the other in the matter of a day? You just don't know where you are.
Worse than the dust bowl of the 1930's? I am doing a rain dance right now!!
Love your new piccie!
Sure hope you get some form of percip. Expecting winds here tomorrow.
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