6/12/10

Ha! I knew I wasn't crazy!

We were in bed pretty early Thursday night, but despite new super sealed windows I couldn't help notice the wind had come up. The chimes on the porch were going nuts, our tin US flag appeared to be trying to break in and the roof kept creaking.

I was lying there thinking "bloody hell it's windy out there", then the gusts started making the whole damn house creak and you could even hear it forcefully hitting the window. So I whispered to the Hubster, who was admittedly trying to sleep, "wow the winds really got up!" - absolutely no response.

More howling wind, creaking and loud noises from the porch ensue. So I nudge him and mutter "can you hear that wind, it's really bad!" He was not impressed and let me know it in his inimitable way, so I shut-up and after awhile fell asleep.

The next morning I go out in the garden and there are small branches and bits of Cottonwood tree all over the place, enough to justify me picking them all up. But Hubster was having a bad day at work so I kept stum.

But next night I am watching the state news and we got a mention!

Apparently north west Okieland had a very rare weather event overnight - a Heat Burst! Here is what Wikipedia has to say about it:

A heat burst is a rare atmospheric phenomenon characterised by gusty winds and a rapid increase in temperature and decrease in dew point (moisture). Heat bursts typically occur during night-time and are associated with decaying thunderstorms.


Although this phenomenon is not fully understood, it is theorized that the event is caused when rain evaporates (virga) into a parcel of cold dry air high in the atmosphere making the air denser than its surroundings. The parcel descends rapidly, warming due to compression, overshoots its equilibrium level and reaches the surface, similar to a downburst.

Recorded temperatures during heat bursts have reached well above 90 °F (32 °C), sometimes rising by 20 °F (11 °C) or more within only a few minutes. More extreme events have also been documented, where temperatures have been reported to exceed 130 °F (54 °C), although such extreme events have never been officially verified. Heat bursts are also characterised by extremely dry air and are sometimes associated with very strong, even damaging, winds.

Apparently the temperature here went up 10 degrees after dark, reaching 93 degrees and the wind gusts were over 60mph. And I believe it, I'm telling you that wind was crazy!

7 comments:

Linda said...

I lived most of my life in Texas and thought I'd seen it all for weird weather but 'heat burst' is a new one on me. Doesn't sound like you'd want those happening too often.

Kay said...

I remember having these extreme weather patterns in Chicago but have never heard of a 'heat burst.' Thanks goodness nothing broke. I hope the ol' hubster is feeling cheerier.

Heeeey... you're safe, it was a tie so your loyalties won't have to be divided.

Gaelyn said...

That's a new one for me. But I think we had a "cold burst" today with hail, sleet, snow and rain along with a very quick Drop in temperature. Maybe next time hubster will pay more attention.

Stella Jones said...

We haven't had that phenomenon here in Tennessee but what we have had is a serious of thunderstorms every day. Yesterday, for example, the temp. went up rapidly to 92 deg. then storm, rain and then dropped to 76 deg. all within an hour. It may have been the day before, yeh, it was football yesterday, right? tee hee. We seem to be set into a weather pattern of storms at the moment.

Sweet Virginia Breeze said...

Wow, that's interesting! I never heard of a heat burst - we probably don't have them here.

Sherri said...

Wow that is really weird weather Sarah! I'm glad there were just branches on the ground and no trees!

me said...

I don't envy you this terrible weather even though I love a good storm, what you are having is just too much.