homebound –
weather advisory
plus a few flurries
Tag: weather
Fiction: Corpses
First, Stephanie killed Grant, which he hadn’t been expecting. Then Loren killed Stephanie, which she hadn’t been expecting.
Now Loren had two dead bodies on his hands, which he had been expecting, but he still had no idea how to proceed. That part of the plan had never coalesced in Loren’s mind.
All the shooting had taken place in Loren’s cabin in the woods, so there were no witnesses and no concerned neighbors to call the police. There was simply the matter of the two corpses bleeding on the thick rug that protected the hardwood floor.
Spring had loosened winter’s grip on the soil, but Loren’s back began to ache as he thought of all the trouble it would be to dig graves, or even a grave. That sort of manual labor just wasn’t normal. Nor did he know how to use a backhoe even if he had had access to one.
He also lacked a vat of acid in which to dissolve his victims. The nearest river was miles away over rough terrain, and drought had turned it into more of a creek than an actual hide-the-body-in-the-depths river.
haiku 261
warmer days –
pretty young women
shed winter cocoons
haiku 95
arctic weather —
warm milk
for the dog
Tornado watches and warnings
There are a couple of weather terms that too many people confuse. Let’s take a little time* to set the record straight.
TORNADO WATCH: This means conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes (as NOAA** puts it). The atmosphere is acting in ways that tend to produce tornadoes. Not a single one has been seen yet.
TORNADO WARNING: This means one of two things: 1) National Weather Service radar has detected rotation in a severe thunderstorm that has either produced a tornado or could at any moment, or 2) someone has seen a tornado and reported it.
When a tornado watch is announced, that’s the time to begin preparing for the worst. Know where you would go, quickly, for shelter if a warning were to be given. Listen to NOAA weather radio or your local news outlets or Internet sources for further updates (again, borrowing directly from NOAA’s own language). Keep an eye on the skies and an ear on the weather radio. Be aware.
When a tornado warning is announced, go immediately to your shelter. Do not pass Go, do not collect your favorite things other than the kids and pets.
Tornado watch means, “Hey, keep watch; there could be a tornado today.”
Tornado warning means, “Holy Mother of God! Here comes one now!”
This is a case when confusing the terms could lead to injury or death. Remember the difference so you can act accordingly.
* I wonder if anyone has ever made a tornado watch; i.e., a timepiece with a tornado motif. Could be extremely popular among the chaser crowd. I claim 10% of the profits.
** NOAA: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This federal agency operates the National Weather Service.
Fiction: Separation
A quiet rumble of thunder floated across the blue sky.
“That’s all this day needs,” Marla said to herself. “A little melodrama.”
The door flew open and the knob banged against the wall for the nth time that day as Lance came in for the final box.
“Make that ‘a little more melodrama,'” she corrected.