Weather Report - High Wind Warning

Statement as of 3:51 PM AKST on January 11, 2010

The High Wind Warning is now in effect until midnight AKST
tonight.

A cold airmass over the southern Alaska interior coupled with an
area of low pressure over the Gulf of Alaska is producing a
strong pressure gradient across the Matanuska Valley. Northeast
winds of 40 to 55 mph with gusts to 70 to 80 mph will continue
through the evening hours. The gradient will weaken later tonight
helping winds to subside.

*****

The wind has been blowing since last night and causing all sorts of damage. Power is out in many places due to trees falling on the lines and debris taking out other lines. Luckily our power only went out for a bit at 1 am. My sweety was watching a movie though and really wanted to see the end so we drug out the generator and the extension cords. Just before he pulled the cord to start it the power came back on.

These high winds create hard packed snow drifts in any bottle neck. So far we have plowed our driveway five times, the neighbor's twice and the drivethru lane at Wendy's constantly. I really wonder about the people who do the site planning for some of these stores. They must not think about the wind and where it blows things. When we put in a driveway in the summer as part of our landscaping business the first question I ask is where are you going to put the snow when you plow? People don't even think of the simplest things.

At least one semi tractor and trailer blew over today. That usually makes the news.

My horses have opted to stay out of the barn. They are standing together with their tails to the wind. The goats are bedded down in their barn. The sheep are bunched up, laying down and chewing their cud. The dogs are sleeping on the couch in the house in front of the wood stove.

I have pictures and video but no time now to post.