California's drought is not over, but one could be forgiven for thinking it was. It is now 1 p.m. PST Sunday afternoon and it has been raining steadily, and heavily, since about 11 p.m. Thursday night - a solid 62 hours. (That's about 61 hours more rain than I would have liked to have fall on me this weekend.) And the rain didn't come in showers, no, it fell hard, unabated and relentless. It's still falling now; it's blowing in sheets and visibility is quite poor, (I can't see the range of hills opposite Vinoland). Yesterday, the news reports were of wind and flood warnings for the entire Bay Area, along with a treacherous-driving condition alert and the possibility of mudslides in hilly areas. A small creek flood advisory was also issued and, right on cue, Vinoland's small creek breached it's banks...we now have our own rapids. Lovely.
The photograph shows where the creek passes under the deer fence on the northern end of Vinoland. The water is only about 24-30 inches deep there, but it is moving quickly and a little further on has flooded a 10' wide flat area - another 7-8 feet and the creek will have reached the Pinot grigio vines. And to think I was going to start pruning the white grapes this weekend. The best made plans...
8 comments:
Vinogirl, by Tuesday you'll be basking in the sun!
Here's a song from England to help you forget the "blues" ;-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEMuAnFH_lM
NHW: Official rainfall for Napa, as of 6 o'clock evening news, 11.3 inches...and counting. Roll on Tuesday!
Oh boy. Worse thing after a drought is a massive downpour. With the ground so dry, most of the water hits it and rolls off...hence the floods.
You are correct: the drought is not over, not until you get 11 inches of rain over about a week of constant but easy, soaking drops.
On the other hand, we have been snowing and snowing and snowing over here. What started as the warmest December on record has turned into the most persistent winter (arctic) weather I can remember since my Air Force days at Thule Greenland.
I do hope someone makes an offer on this property this spring, although i wonder if I am helping my cause talking about arctic weather ;)
Glorified drizzle my dear.
Thud, your comparison isn't wasted on Rod Steiger's character in The illustrated Man (movie version of Ray Bradbury's book), where in one vignette he's on a planet where it never ceases to rain: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064473/?ref_=nv_sr_3
Is the name of that planet Portland, Oregon!
Thomas: Ha!
Tomasso: Yes, everywhere was super dry so a lot of the rain ran off. But as of this afternoon, standing water could still be seen in the low areas of some vineyards.
Thud: I know, it's nothing compared to what Blighty is facing in the way of storms right now.
Post a Comment