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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsWhew! Dodged a weather bullet. But still concerned about regions near me (western NY, southeastern Ontario, Canada)
After 3 days of high 80s F with high humidity, thunderstorms were predicted today.
Clear skies turned gray around 10 am. Just before noon the wind kicked up to 35mph with gusts to 50 mph. Ember (cat) went behind the couch, which she usually does only when she hears rain on the windows. I closed the bedroom door to keep her from hiding under the bed in case the weather got worse and we had to take shelter.
The winds lasted about half an hour, then died down as a light rain started. No thunder, no lightning.
But Buffalo's NPR station announced severe thunderstorm warnings with 60 mph winds, hail, and possible structural damage for areas north and northeast of me. Then a tornado warning and heavy hail for southeastern Ontario, Canada (also northeast of me).
The tornado warning was discontinued while I typed, but severe thunderstorms are still going on to the north and east of here. Guess they blew over my area.
The good news is that I was able to coax Ember out from behind the couch while the strong winds were still ongoing. I put her into her carrier and put the carrier next to me, away from windows and the sound of wind. When the wind and rain cleared up, I opened the carrier door. She stepped out cautiously, peeked around a corner at a window, saw gray skies, and went back inside the carrier.
That's good news because I've been trying to teach her that the carrier is safe shelter from rainstorms and fire alarms so that I can grab her and run if necessary. She's catching on.
AllaN01Bear
(22,427 posts)wnylib
(23,669 posts)EDIT TO ADD:
Tornadoes in western NY are not frequent, but they do happen often enough to pay attention to warnings.
AllaN01Bear
(22,427 posts)also western pa. these charts flux quite a bit.
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/national_forecast/natfcst.php?day=3
wnylib
(23,669 posts)North of me, according to local radio, the thunderstorms are over but there are several flooded areas from heavy downpours.
My cat is blissfully curled up in a sun patch on my living room floor. She's my forecaster. When the weather looks bad, in her opinion, she instinctively looks for shelter although she's been an indoor cat her whole life.
AllaN01Bear
(22,427 posts)right now , warm sunny and clear for the next 7 days . cool at nite and i keep open the window then.