derecho

Straight-line storm through Dallas produces 80 mph winds. We know how that is, a straight-line storm came through here one late-night/early-morning about, what? ten or twelve years ago. I woke up to the sound of high wind and continuous, unending violent lightning and deafening thunder. Thinking “tornado” I grabbed Kristen out of the next bed, woke Linda shouting, “tornado, get downstairs.” My mother was already awake and we took shelter in an interior closet in her bedroom. 

The storm swept through in only a few minutes. Next morning, Channel 13 weather reported that it had not been a tornado but a straight-line storm on a path less than a mile wide, moving west to east. I don’t recall whether there was rain with it or not, but the wind, lightning and thunder were frightening.

That morning we learned the word “derecho” from Channel 13. Look it up, "derecho" means “straight” and its winds can be hurricane or tornado force. 

Whoever keeps writing about global warming changing things has it right. Heavier rainstorms, hotter summers, more violent weather. The map I saw this week showed our particular area of south Alabama and the Florida panhandle to actually be a slightly cooling spot.

Some people think it’s global warming. But the problem is the weather forecasters on TV. When pointing to a weather map, one of those great big radar or satellite maps that takes up their whole set and my whole television screen, they put their hand on the storm and move the hand in a counterclockwise circular motion, causing the storm to go violent. Those are interactive maps.

There’s a plank for somebody’s political platform, legislation outlawing interactive weather maps. Legislation, or better yet, an amendment to the Florida state constitution. Right after the classroom size amendment and the no-fast-train amendment, and the gill net amendment, and the marriage amendment. 

W