Rain is coming to Southern California. I think I can speak for all SoCAL folk by saying, “Hallelujah.”
The newspapers are calling the upcoming precipitation, “the longest rain event in three years.” This brings some hope since we are in a drought emergency after one of the driest years to date.
Of course, rain doesn’t come without anxiety here in Southern California. Sand bags are being distributed in some communities in anticipation of flooding, and because there have been so many wild fires this past year because of dry conditions, the news commentators are warning about mud slides. These are realistic fears given that we are expecting 2 – 4 inches of rain depending on whether it’s the flats, foothills or mountain areas.
As transplanted North Texans, my husband and I always laugh when Southern Californians get so worked up over rain. Two inches of rain where we grew up in Texas is welcome, but not noteworthy. Four inches would be a lot, of course, but the newscasters there probably wouldn’t call it, “Storm Watch, 2014,” like they do here. The minute rain comes into the forecast here, the weather people out in the field all put on their yellow slickers and rain boots. Sometimes, they are the only people the camera captures who are actually dressed for rain. Everybody else is running through the mist in their shirts and tee shirts and they don’t look very wet as they run.
The storm that’s on its way, however, promises to bring some real rain. I am looking forward to seeing, hearing and smelling precipitation and Ray is already planning on having a fire in the fireplace all day Friday.
I am certain all of SoCal is ready for this rain. We need it so badly. The fields are brown and parched. Maybe they won’t be next week after all that rain!
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