Wild Weather

I never put much stock into the idea that the world would end in 2012 as the Mayans predicted but judging by the weather this Spring in the U.S. and just this week here in Ontario, I may need to rethink things.

This has been the wettest Spring I can remember and although I don't have the evidence to prove it, it could be the wettest in recorded history.

Lots of rain in itself isn't too bad but it has made life miserable for farmers whose fields were too wet for planting. By the time August rolls around, I'll be hankering for some corn on the cob so it better start growing soon.

Flooding has also been a major problem this year both north and south of the border. Quebec and Manitoba have had many damaging and life impacting floods. When you can waterski down your street, that's a problem.

Tornadoes and severe thunderstorms have also been disastrous in many communities with wide spread devastation wiping out entire communities. The twister in Joplin was by far the worst to date. I can't imagine what that must have been like for those who survived.

Just this past Wednesday we had severe thunderstorms go across the province. That was scary enough.

I was golfing that evening when within a matter of minutes a black ominous cloud moved in. I knew it wasn't going to be good. We had just teed off on our 13th hole of the round when the horn went at the clubhouse telling us to get off the course and seek shelter.

Like the idiot I am at times, I decided to go get my ball from the green and grab the balls of the other guys. By the time we reached the green with the cart, the sun was gone and the blackness had arrived. I picked up my ball just as the wind came up and I could see small branches and tree limbs breaking off and blowing towards me.

I ran as fast as I could back to the cart and we started towards the clubhouse dodging downed branches along the way. As we reached the bridge by the 17th hole a down burst of wind blew through the trees behind the green. We sat there and watched as a pine tree snapped off part way up like a toothpick and smashed onto the green below.

Seeing only that brief amount of natures fury reminded me just how helpless you can feel in situations like that. Once we felt a brief lull in the wind we drove as fast as we could among the trees and made it back just as the intense lightning started.

Looking up in the parking lot, several of us noticed the clouds which looked like nothing we'd ever seen before as they rotated much like you'd see prior to a tornado. It was humbling to witness this firsthand. Everyone was fine but a little on edge.

While I'm sure the world will be around for at least a few years yet, experiences like this certainly have left some doubts in my mind.