Comments on: Rain, Rain, and More Rain http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/01/02/rain-rain-and-more-rain/ Random samplings from a universe of ideas. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:29:57 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: GideonS http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/01/02/rain-rain-and-more-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-9245 GideonS Tue, 03 Jan 2006 22:09:55 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/01/02/rain-rain-and-more-rain/#comment-9245 Ok, I just moved to SoCal (LA area) last year. I moved here from Oregon. SoCal is in a massive state of denial about the situation. Everyone babbles on about how it never rains forgetting the 2 months of monsoon weather. Oregon and Washington get 9 months of continual drizzle. LA gets all it's water in about 3 weeks over 2 months. Of course its going to flood. Of course erosion is going to happen. For some dump reason the regional and state government hasn't worked the two most significant events in SoCal (wild fires and rain) in to there plans. The earth quakes happen every 10-15 years, the rains and fires happen every year. It should be absolutely no surprise. But I definitely sympathize. Another lovely aspect of the wilful ignorance is that the houses are built like shit. So at the moment the windows and light fixtures in the house I rent are leaking water. And the lovely french doors are rotting. I also almost ended up trapped in Eureka this weekend. Finally making over 299 before the next storm shut down every road in NW California. Anyway, good luck. g Ok, I just moved to SoCal (LA area) last year. I moved here from Oregon. SoCal is in a massive state of denial about the situation. Everyone babbles on about how it never rains forgetting the 2 months of monsoon weather. Oregon and Washington get 9 months of continual drizzle. LA gets all it’s water in about 3 weeks over 2 months. Of course its going to flood. Of course erosion is going to happen. For some dump reason the regional and state government hasn’t worked the two most significant events in SoCal (wild fires and rain) in to there plans. The earth quakes happen every 10-15 years, the rains and fires happen every year. It should be absolutely no surprise.

But I definitely sympathize. Another lovely aspect of the wilful ignorance is that the houses are built like shit. So at the moment the windows and light fixtures in the house I rent are leaking water. And the lovely french doors are rotting. I also almost ended up trapped in Eureka this weekend. Finally making over 299 before the next storm shut down every road in NW California.

Anyway, good luck. g

]]> By: Elliot http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/01/02/rain-rain-and-more-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-9244 Elliot Tue, 03 Jan 2006 20:29:15 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/01/02/rain-rain-and-more-rain/#comment-9244 Apparently the first rainy Rose Bowl parade in half a century. Clifford take your raincoat to the game tomorrow. Elliot Apparently the first rainy Rose Bowl parade in half a century.

Clifford take your raincoat to the game tomorrow.

Elliot

]]> By: JoAnne http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/01/02/rain-rain-and-more-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-9243 JoAnne Tue, 03 Jan 2006 19:06:31 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/01/02/rain-rain-and-more-rain/#comment-9243 Science: Heavy snow and ice are unpleasant and inconvenient. I know, I've lived most of my life in such climates. However, due to the geology, geography, and construction techniques, heavy rain (a few inches) in California causes serious damage. For a majority of the population. Hard to believe until you've seen it, I guess. Science: Heavy snow and ice are unpleasant and inconvenient. I know, I’ve lived most of my life in such climates. However, due to the geology, geography, and construction techniques, heavy rain (a few inches) in California causes serious damage. For a majority of the population. Hard to believe until you’ve seen it, I guess.

]]> By: Science http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/01/02/rain-rain-and-more-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-9242 Science Tue, 03 Jan 2006 17:29:07 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/01/02/rain-rain-and-more-rain/#comment-9242 Cheer up, it's better than heavy snow and ice! Cheer up, it’s better than heavy snow and ice!

]]> By: serial catowner http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/01/02/rain-rain-and-more-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-9241 serial catowner Mon, 02 Jan 2006 23:32:54 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/01/02/rain-rain-and-more-rain/#comment-9241 If the models are accurate, you're not going to like what happens next.... If the models are accurate, you’re not going to like what happens next….

]]> By: Amara http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/01/02/rain-rain-and-more-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-9240 Amara Mon, 02 Jan 2006 23:11:36 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/01/02/rain-rain-and-more-rain/#comment-9240 I'm sorry about your circumstances JoAnne. I do remember well those difficult rainy times. The winter of 97-98 in the S.F. Bay area (http://www.amara.com/aboutme/SF_Rain.jpg ) was one of the rainiest on record. It happened to be during the time when I was preparing for my move to Europe and my little town in the Santa Cruz mountains lost power a couple of weekends and the main access highway was blocked by mudslides. Any time that one needed to travel in and out for normal activities, one needed to drive a few hours up the Pacific coast to San Francisco and go around. At the time I needed to prepare and send my library in US Postal M-bag (carrying 50 book boxes by multiple car trips) and multivisits to California government offices to fullfill German visa requirements in addition to packing up 38 years of my life and wrapping up my fulltime job. I don't think I slept much those weeks in 1998... You have my deepest sympathies on your current rainy situation! P.S. Venice, Italy floods about 60 times a year.. strangely, the people there are used to it! I’m sorry about your circumstances JoAnne. I do remember well those difficult rainy times. The winter of 97-98 in the S.F. Bay area (http://www.amara.com/aboutme/SF_Rain.jpg ) was one of the rainiest on record. It happened to be during the time when I was preparing for my move to Europe and my little town in the Santa Cruz mountains lost power a couple of weekends and the main access highway was blocked by mudslides. Any time that one needed to travel in and out for normal activities, one needed to drive a few hours up the Pacific coast to San Francisco and go around. At the time I needed to prepare and send my library in US Postal M-bag (carrying 50 book boxes by multiple car trips) and multivisits to California government offices to fullfill German visa requirements in addition to packing up 38 years of my life and wrapping up my fulltime job. I don’t think I slept much those weeks in 1998… You have my deepest sympathies on your current rainy situation!

P.S. Venice, Italy floods about 60 times a year.. strangely, the people there are used to it!

]]> By: spyder http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/01/02/rain-rain-and-more-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-9239 spyder Mon, 02 Jan 2006 23:00:19 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/01/02/rain-rain-and-more-rain/#comment-9239 "I understand that rain is serious business. I can honestly say that I have never seen a place more affected by, well, weather." This is a simple, yet incredibly powerful, honest assessment of California. When i retired and moved to the Northwest, a distinctly rainy world, i was surprised by the disdain that were presented when one mentioned CA rains. It is hard to comprehend the geology and geography that is so easily carved and changed by a few inches of rain, a place that also becomes ever more beautiful and amazing from that process. Huge waves change coastlines, reprocessing silts and granitic materials and literally hurling rocks (or pieces of seawalls) into structures that dare to be built in their paths (i grew up on the beaches of SoCal). Unless you have lived in the middle foothills of the Gold Country Sierra (i spent the 80's in Tahoe region and 90's-into 2000's-in Nevada County), you can't begin to appreciate how a few feet of snow can so quickly be converted into raging torrents of water in a sudden January thaw--all of which begins to move house sized boulders along the bottoms of those foothill rivers. The sound produced is something so unlike anything else in nature. The flashflooding that occurs over more than half the state, turning every depression in the landscape into lakes, that then connect into cataracts of moving water headed to what is now a landscape scarred by flood control system channels. And yet 35+million people live there, in a beauty, that while hiding more and more under and around expanding housing tracts, still reflects the direct immediate impact of all that water. “I understand that rain is serious business. I can honestly say that I have never seen a place more affected by, well, weather.”

This is a simple, yet incredibly powerful, honest assessment of California. When i retired and moved to the Northwest, a distinctly rainy world, i was surprised by the disdain that were presented when one mentioned CA rains. It is hard to comprehend the geology and geography that is so easily carved and changed by a few inches of rain, a place that also becomes ever more beautiful and amazing from that process. Huge waves change coastlines, reprocessing silts and granitic materials and literally hurling rocks (or pieces of seawalls) into structures that dare to be built in their paths (i grew up on the beaches of SoCal). Unless you have lived in the middle foothills of the Gold Country Sierra (i spent the 80’s in Tahoe region and 90’s-into 2000’s-in Nevada County), you can’t begin to appreciate how a few feet of snow can so quickly be converted into raging torrents of water in a sudden January thaw–all of which begins to move house sized boulders along the bottoms of those foothill rivers. The sound produced is something so unlike anything else in nature. The flashflooding that occurs over more than half the state, turning every depression in the landscape into lakes, that then connect into cataracts of moving water headed to what is now a landscape scarred by flood control system channels. And yet 35+million people live there, in a beauty, that while hiding more and more under and around expanding housing tracts, still reflects the direct immediate impact of all that water.

]]> By: Tom Renbarger http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/01/02/rain-rain-and-more-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-9238 Tom Renbarger Mon, 02 Jan 2006 22:36:30 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/01/02/rain-rain-and-more-rain/#comment-9238 Count another Midwestern transplant who learned about rainy season in CA. Last winter was my first in CA, and right around New Year's 2005 the carpet in my first-floor apartment flooded along one wall up to about 3-4 feet away from that wall. As far as I could tell it was some sort of wicking effect drawing moisture from below, as I didn't have any leaky roof or windows. My carpet is starting to get damp again... :-( Count another Midwestern transplant who learned about rainy season in CA. Last winter was my first in CA, and right around New Year’s 2005 the carpet in my first-floor apartment flooded along one wall up to about 3-4 feet away from that wall. As far as I could tell it was some sort of wicking effect drawing moisture from below, as I didn’t have any leaky roof or windows. My carpet is starting to get damp again… :-(

]]> By: Count Iblis http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/01/02/rain-rain-and-more-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-9237 Count Iblis Mon, 02 Jan 2006 22:03:39 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/01/02/rain-rain-and-more-rain/#comment-9237 2005 was the second hottest year ever recorded. That means more evaporation and what goes up must come down. 2005 was the second hottest year ever recorded. That means more evaporation and what goes up must come down.

]]> By: steve http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/01/02/rain-rain-and-more-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-9236 steve Mon, 02 Jan 2006 21:57:51 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/01/02/rain-rain-and-more-rain/#comment-9236 aren't the four seasons in california" flood draught fire earthquake? aren’t the four seasons in california”

flood
draught
fire
earthquake?

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