Today I took out my trash at 3:30. At 3:45 there was a heavy downpour that continued for about an hour. I turned off my computer until now - about 7:00. Does anyone else turn off their computer in case of thunder/lightening?
Turning it off won't protect against a power surge so unless you have it plugged into a walloping big surge protector, you need to unplug. Same goes for your TV, DVD player, DVR, etc.
And it would need to be a really, really, big walloping surge protector if it's a direct lightning strike. http://stormhighway.com/surge_protectors_ups_lightning_protection_myth.php That being said, no, I never did unplug the electronics during storms with lightning. Thunder and lightning are so rare where I currently live (and I miss a good storm) I have a small surge protector on all the work machines, but that's it. 14 years in our current home and the power has never gone out.
I was passing through the living room this morning in time to catch some interesting weather video from the Phoenix area. Looked like some high winds, heavy rain and what looked like downed parking structures all of which reminds me of Midwest weather. So this must be the monsoon season I've been reading about. How bad did it get there in Sun City today?
Yes this is the ' New ' version It used to be three or four day's in a row of dew points of 55 degrees or more. I believe the reason for the change was to keep everyone aware as Mr. Monsson and cousin Haboob can drop in at a moments notice !
So looking forward to a good old Arizona monsoon. Looks like one or both of these may go north of us enough to avoid major damage, fingers crossed!
Then it will be a long grey winter. I lived in Oregon in the 70s. I had planned to retire there, bought a house and kept it for 10 years. Then I decided I would rather live in a retirement community. I looked around Oregon but couldn't find a retirement community near the area I wanted to live. Maybe you'll find something you like. Oregon is the opposite of course from AZ. Its not so much the rain, that's often misty, but the prolonged lack of sun. I rather like grey skies but it does tend to get old after 9 months of it, year after year. I miss rain when I don't have it but I also miss sun. Eastern Oregon has much more sun, but it's colder. It's all a trade off.
I moved from the State of Washington to Arizona and have not been sorry it at all. It's nice to wake up to sunshine. Please check out Sun City The Original.
I took these pics last evening as the sun was setting and one storm was off to the east of us with another to the south. WOW it was something! Only got a bit of wind with no rain.
sure wish I had seen it. Consider sending it to the local newspaper that prints pictures people submit. They have printed several of my pictures.
As much as I would have liked to have had rain last night, we sure didn't need the wind, hail and deluge that was just east of Sun City on through Glendale and Phoenix. This morning was the coolest in a long time but still a bit muggy. It was quite a lightning show as it passed by.
Had to laugh at the news folks last night as they stumbled through trying to explain missing the big one that hit the night before. These guys go into a full court press the minute a rain drop hits their windows; yet they were clueless about the storm that knocked out a good part of the East valley. Guess the weather isn't a perfect science eh?
