Yesterday we had some bands of strong storms that visited us day and night.
On the radar they were narrow bands running from the SW → NE, maybe 10-15 miles wide and 75 miles (16 x 120km) or more long, moving about 30 mph/48kmh to the NE. Usually these bands are also slowly drifting eastward but yesterday and last night there was little/no easterly drift and they just kept peeing more rain on Topeka ("il pleut comme une vache pisse"
). We were under a tornado watch until midnight, I think.
Last night there were reports of local intersections flooded and one had police rescuing people from a floating car.
I think we got over 4"/10 cm of rain in a few hours.
This morning, Puff and I went out for our usual walk in the nearby nature preserve. So many trails were covered with standing water -- as much as 10"/25 cm. (& often more) deep -- that besides much wading, I had to scout out new paths. My LL Bean boots (rubber bottoms, zip leather uppers) are only 12" high so discretion was advisable.
It was a great morning.
I had the camera along and we saw a group of 4 deer and also some rabbits which I snapped (have to see if they came out recognizable or too small). The Shunga-Nunga creek looked like a mighty river -- probably 5X wider and 15 ft/4.5m. higher than normal. A pedestrian steel bridge that spans the creek and connects one sidewalk to another had at least 2 ft/0.6m water roiling over its walkway; at that point, it's usually 12'/3.6m. above the creek's normal, relaxed surface.
The standing water diverted us to take a new path I'd never before noticed in 7 years walking the trails. It took us down close to the new, raised edge of the muddy, roaring Shunga. Saw fascinating, sometimes grotesque twisted tree trunks (which I snapped). It was dark enough that the flash usually went off when I snapped a picture so it's ??? how many will come out.
On the return, Puff and I passed by a shelter under which our friend, Ron Trussheim, the homeless vet, sleeps when its stormy. (When there's no precip Ron usually sleeps on a park bench under a grove of trees.) I asked him could I take his picture with Puff and, after a little hesitation, he said yes. Hope those come out. If so, I'll put them with the others this morning on photobucket or shutterfly and post a link.
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On the radar they were narrow bands running from the SW → NE, maybe 10-15 miles wide and 75 miles (16 x 120km) or more long, moving about 30 mph/48kmh to the NE. Usually these bands are also slowly drifting eastward but yesterday and last night there was little/no easterly drift and they just kept peeing more rain on Topeka ("il pleut comme une vache pisse"
). We were under a tornado watch until midnight, I think.Last night there were reports of local intersections flooded and one had police rescuing people from a floating car.
I think we got over 4"/10 cm of rain in a few hours.
This morning, Puff and I went out for our usual walk in the nearby nature preserve. So many trails were covered with standing water -- as much as 10"/25 cm. (& often more) deep -- that besides much wading, I had to scout out new paths. My LL Bean boots (rubber bottoms, zip leather uppers) are only 12" high so discretion was advisable.
It was a great morning.
I had the camera along and we saw a group of 4 deer and also some rabbits which I snapped (have to see if they came out recognizable or too small). The Shunga-Nunga creek looked like a mighty river -- probably 5X wider and 15 ft/4.5m. higher than normal. A pedestrian steel bridge that spans the creek and connects one sidewalk to another had at least 2 ft/0.6m water roiling over its walkway; at that point, it's usually 12'/3.6m. above the creek's normal, relaxed surface.
The standing water diverted us to take a new path I'd never before noticed in 7 years walking the trails. It took us down close to the new, raised edge of the muddy, roaring Shunga. Saw fascinating, sometimes grotesque twisted tree trunks (which I snapped). It was dark enough that the flash usually went off when I snapped a picture so it's ??? how many will come out.
On the return, Puff and I passed by a shelter under which our friend, Ron Trussheim, the homeless vet, sleeps when its stormy. (When there's no precip Ron usually sleeps on a park bench under a grove of trees.) I asked him could I take his picture with Puff and, after a little hesitation, he said yes. Hope those come out. If so, I'll put them with the others this morning on photobucket or shutterfly and post a link.
