T
I love a
good thunderstorm, the kind that rattles the
windows, flickers the lights when raindrops sound like marbles on the roof. There’s
typically a radical wind ahead of any storm system that sweeps the desert sand
into funnels, whipped into sinewy strands of erratic motion. You never know
which way it will go, and it’s not always safe to be still. But, we don’t call
them Twisters. Here, they are Dust Devils.
Twenty-seven
million years ago, a massive volcano eruption shook the Chiricahua Mountains,
laying down two thousand feet of siliceous ash and pumice, which eventually fused
into rock that, over time, eroded into spires and unusual stone formations in
the area of Turkey Creek. We’d been kicking
around up near Cochise Stronghold, taking in a few trailheads
when we noticed thunderheads rapidly
building above. Rain had just begun to fall at Turkey Creek as we hightailed it
out of the mountains, headed for
blacktop. For a time, we drove against strong winds that threatened to rip the
canvas top right off the little vehicle I call the Jeepy-thing. It’s actually a
Tracker, first built by Chevrolet in 1988 or
1989. Ours was likely the first one to roll off the assembly line, but I digress.
I had just remarked how like a kamikaze bug
looking for a windshield, it felt to be racing down that backroad when Hubs
said: “Look!” Barreling straight toward
us was the biggest tumbleweed I’d ever seen
in my life! It was every bit as big as the Jeepy-thing and solid enough to do
some damage if we hit head-on. With
oncoming traffic on the left, and boulders on the right, we braced ourselves for
impact as a sudden violent gust yanked the terrifying jumble of shrub bones
sideways so that it exploded off the right front fender. The rest of the drive
was pleasantly uneventful ;-)
∞
No, we don’t
usually have much more than dust devils here, but for the folks in the Midwest on
a Wednesday in March of 1925, a terrifying tragedy took place in the form of The Tri-State Tornado. Documented as the deadliest
tornado in United States history, and longest ever recorded, what was likely a
combination of several tornados rolled into one, ripped across three states,
including Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana that afternoon. Nearly 700 people were
killed, thousands more injured, and over a billion (today’s dollars) in damages
was caused. “To this day, there is no single meteorological factor that can explain
the exceptional path length or duration of the Tri-State Tornado.” FactsforKids
There is no
specific timezone at the South Pole.
There is a
hedgehog café in Tokyo.
Just so ya
know ;- )
Hi, diedre!
ReplyDeleteI too am fascinated by meteorological phenomena including thunderstorms. Since 1984 I have been living in the Tampa Bay area, Lightning Capital of the World. As a boy I wished I could fly. Whenever I spotted a dirt devil at the park or on the school playground, I ran toward it, not away. I chased the mini tornadoes hoping to be swept up into the air and enjoy the sensation of flying a few feet off the ground. Perhaps my inspiration came from the twister in The Wizard of Oz.
By chance there is also a Turkey Creek near me and, by chance, my dad also owned a Tracker. He bought it in the mid 90s after my mother died so that he could go camping in it or load up his bicycle and head out to the biking trails. What a great story about the monster tumbleweed coming toward you in the windstorm! I wish I could have seen that thing. I suppose I have always been fascinated by the incredible power of wind and water. I never read about the terrifying Tri-State Tornado. I wouldn't want to live in tornado alley, and I recently read that it is actually shifting to the east as the climate changes, bringing the southeastern states into the danger zone more so than they were in the past.
I don't know if I would care to live at the South Pole either. I can't imagine spending my life upside down. :) You aroused my curiosity when you tagged-out with a mention of a hedgehog cafe in Tokyo. I was wondering if they also serve humans there. :) I looked it up and, sure enough, there is such an eatery in Shibuya where customers can handle the adorable critters. I would think hand washing is an essential part of the dining experience.
Have a great day, dear friend diedre!
Hi Shady!
DeleteThe thing about Dust Devils vs twisters is that you don't have the dark clouds. It's usually clear as a bell.
It's my humble opinion that there are Turkey Creeks anywhere there are turkeys ;-)
"if they also serve humans," Haha! You are on a roll today, my friend.
Thanks for visiting!