Huff 'n Puff and BLOW Your House Down!

Last night the wind blew so fiercely that I literally could not go outside. Yes, I actively practice hyperbole, but this is for reals, as my kids used to say, not just an excuse not to scoop poop after Thor's contribution to the dog run. A specific weather condition created the potential for a wind event that features sustained winds in excess of 55 mph (yesterday) and higher (today), predicted as high as the 70s mph range. Sporadic power outages are a by-product of high winds, so I've had several of the short outages, while some communities have gone hours without electricity. The huge tree at the back of my property, originating in the yard next door, is entwined with the power lines, so I expect either to lose power or have the tree uprooted during one of these high-wind events.

The winds originate along the coast, associated with the dense fog layer crashing into our incredibly high temps and low humidity. Once the winds crest the surrounding mountains, they blast into the desert, especially at the west end of PS and heading northerly toward DHS, MV, YV, JT and across the marine corps base outside of Twenty-nine Palms.

According to the weather service, the winds will sustain high velocity until early Friday; meanwhile, a huge military maneuver is planned involving a higher than usual number of aircraft. It becomes immediately apparent to the novice (that would be me) that aircraft will have difficulty flying during the predicted weather conditions. Interestingly enough, those exact conditions occur in the Middle East, blowing sands obscuring visibility, where current military operations occur 24/7 for reals. Thus, it is valuable training for the troops, as well as the sky crews, to practice in conditions similar to what they face during deployment, but I'm thinking that isn't going to happen.

War doesn't wait for favorable weather conditions, but practice can be canceled. The high winds blowing across the military base make it hazardous for the boots on the ground, as well as the eyes in the sky that fly over civilian communities. The loss of military personnel and aircraft during war is inevitable, but that kind of loss during maneuvers becomes a tragedy no one wants to occur on US soil.

Meanwhile, I've battened down the hatches, taking down my outdoor chimes and closing all the windows, so I'll stay inside today.