Schizophrenic Coastal Weather

We are having that kind of late Winter Coastal Schizophrenia, not in the clinical term, but in the "she isn't sure if she's Dr. Jekyl or Mr. Hyde" terminology. Yesterday, it we had 10 minute bouts of snow, wind, bright sunshine, and light rain, all day long. Just as it was getting sunny enough to get the kids dressed to walk down to the playground, it would start to rain. Just as we were starting to resign ourselves to playing in the rain, the sun would come out.

And just as I had given up, we had the most beautiful sunset.

There's an old saying out here - if you don't like the weather, wait five minutes... it rang particularly true today!

Weather at the Beach

We have a saying out on the coast: "If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes". I have some great photos from 2 weeks ago with the kids out on the beach in t-shirts, and evidence of patches of snow from an earlier snowfall that depicts this well.

The weather was particluarly playful this past weekend, with 70 degrees and sunshine on Saturday, and then 50's and drizzly on Sunday. Mother nature giveth and then Mother Nature taketh away.

In any case, Spring has sprung, the days are longer, and the path is full of families on bikes and on foot experiencing the splendor. It's nice to get a deep breath of ocean air and look forward to the summer ahead!

Winter Beach Day

After a long hard winter, full of 133 miles per hour winds, weeks on end of overcast weather, and the most rain I have seen since I moved here, we are having a fantastic February. This past week we have been treated to clear skies, a fantastic lunar eclipse, and warm (for winter) weather. The weatherman is forecasting 50's and sunny for the next few days, and we are taking advantage of as much sunshine as we can get our hands on.

As an added bonus, the end of winter and beginning of spring means the start of shorebirding season. I am looking forward to seeing what kinds of birds the recent clearing at the Links site might bring, as well as the changes made a Bottle Beach State Park. Today, we enjoyed the sandpipers on the beach here in Westport.

Sometimes it rains in July...

This weekend we were supposed to be having the annual Hot Rod Show and Shine, which is a very cool car show for pre-1949 cars. Last year, I missed it because I was home with a 3-week old, and I was really looking forward to it this year. However, a major glitch that was ruining weekends from Bellingham to Eugene was ... the rain.

Yes, it does rain in July. Actually, I don't mind the rain so much (I accept the weather patterns I live in, and happily deal with the October through June onslaught of drizzle, clouds, fog, and other weather that makes most tropical folks run and hide), except that when it happens in late July, we all feel a little cheated. This is made a million times worse when it happens in late July on a WEEKEND. I mean, after all, there are five perfectly good work days when the skies could gray over and no one would care.

The good news is the plants get the water they need, the streets get rinsed, and my car (which rarely sees a car wash out here in the sticks) gets a washdown.

AND, interestingly, the surfers were still out in force, despite the weather. When I took a walk by the jetty, there seemed to even be more of them out than normal. I guess the storm that brought the rain must have brought some great swells as well. Seeing this reinforces that voice in the back of my head that wants me to try a surf lesson. Oh well, maybe when the sun comes out again.

What is that! It burns!

This week brought some of those beautiful, sunny, seventy degree, spring days that make all of life's problems just melt away. It was a great opportunity to head down to the beach at Westhaven State Park and let Baby munch on the sand without being bundled up in a million layers.

Despite the perfect weather, the beach was, as usual, completely empty. After being down there for maybe a half hour, I bumped into one of the local real estate agents walking her dog. It still amazes me that this area is so unspoiled and underused. I know come summer I'll be wishing for my solitude, but on days like today, its a little lonely.

Stormwatching

Having lived in Seattle for the past 5 years, rain and stormy weather is not new to me. But I must admit, the word "storm" takes on a whole new meaning when you are living 200 feet from the Pacific Ocean. While the entire Pacific Northwest has been drenched with over 13" of rain this November, the really scary stuff was reserved for those of us at the beach.
It started with torrential downpours early in the month, continued with thunder and lightning rivaling that on Poltergeist, and ended with sustained 40 -60 MPH winds on two occasions over the past week.

Last Saturday evening, the sky was growling, the surf was pounding, and I was ready to take my 5 month old and crawl under the bed. I literally jumped out of my skin at 3:30 AM when I was CERTAIN we were being attacked (by who?) because the thunder sounded like a grenade outside my window. (That is either a testament to the thunder or my sheltered life, so maybe I should just be thankful). That particular storm completely blew out our condo building elevator breaker and fried my television (along with a dozen others in my building), but we survived to tell the tale.

I was lucky enough to witness a truly spectacular sight was last Wednesday, after the strongest winds left Westport without power for over 12 hours, was the evening sky. The closest streetlights were across the bay in Ocean Shores, and in the absense of light, there was the most amazing display of the milky way that I have ever seen. It was a breathtaking view, and was a sharp reminder of the good that sometimes comes with the bad.

When it was all said and done, the tree branches and debris were cleared from the roads and the power was back on, we weren't that worse for the wear despite how scary the howling winds and the complete and utter darkness were at the time.

It made me understand the ads I used to see for "stormwatching" specials and the stream of people that come into town when the sky is particularly foreboding. So for you Seattleites and Portlanders who frown when the skies get gray, take a weekend and visit the beach, bundle up take a walk on the beach in the weather, and experience the splendor.