Life of Wry

So, yesterday?  I needed to go to Elk Grove for an eye exam (there is just no end to the to-do list when preparing to be gone for a month).  As I came out of my appointment and headed toward my car, I noticed the sky was a serious shade of black.  As I began to drive home, it started to rain.

This spring has seen a lot of rain.  Really a lot.  And I’ve been out in it.. also a lot.  But I’ve seen nothing like this.  This big black cloud unloaded drops the size of marbles that splatted so hard on my windshield I worried for the glass.  Really, I’ve never experienced such big water falling from the sky with such violent force.  These drops bombarded my car so relentlessly I started to laugh nervously.  I’d look into the windows of other cars and the reaction was the same.. we were all kind of hysterical.  Nobody could see very well–the lane lines were buried under water–so we all either stopped or drove on very, very slowly.  You could see it’d end, because there was light to the west (see photo), but it was also clear we were caught in the middle of a ferocious storm cell.

Just then my radio program was interrupted by that emergency broadcast signal we’ve all become so familiar with, but I had a sinking feeling this one was not “only a test.”  No, it wasn’t.  A guy came on and warned of isolated storm cells and severe thunderstorms, and essentially said, GET OUTA DODGE!  Then he issued an additional warning to people in Yuba County that funnel clouds were forming and a tornado was possible, and that people were advised to get to safety immediately, meaning a basement or some other safe, secure structure.  Which made me kind of look around and think… uh… basement anyone?  Please? Yuba County’s well to the north, but, you know, what do you do?!

My five minute story ends here, because I then drove right out from under that nasty cloud and was suddenly surrounded by a whole bunch of sunshine and a radiantly clear, blue sky.  Huh.

So.. this shot was taken as I’m driving north on I-5, just minutes later: sun (glorious sun) to the west of me, storm cell (thankfully) to the east.

Plus, a cheery, happy rainbow–most of which I missed, fumbling for my camera.

Anyway, a welcome sight.