Weather Watches and Warnings

This morning when I turned on my computer I discovered the weather service had posted a tornado watch up through 5.00pm. Mindful of how I had a big ceramic pot blown over and broken on a similar day I thought I better go outside and ready things for high winds. The weather gurus are always very conservative and do not want weather (any weather it seems!) to happen without them first having told us "it might".

Not knowing how much wind there might be I started to take photos:

 A big maple tree across the road has started to change colors despite the two 90 degree days we had over the weekend.

My front garden has a Fall look to it with the coneflower seed heads, the big yellow dill seedheads and more although the smaller of the two butternut vines is still hanging in there.

 The big butternut vine has rambled all the way around to the driveway and is still producing flowers. I know I really should cut it back but it is entertaining me with it's prodigious growth and is always a guaranteed conversation starter with anyone who comes to my front door.

Looking up the hill you can see the sky is starting to look like a weather event might be going to happen. Closer to the camera the bigger butternut vine rambles on and off the front walk.

 In the foreground the chrysanthemums are beginning to bloom and some self seeded ageratum are having a big show despite their late appearance (h'mm, there's also a big weed there that I must pull out.) Keep your eye on the sky.

 The viburnum is also beginning to change into it's fall wardrobe.

Are you still watching the sky with me?

 Oh my, this event might almost be here, I better head back inside.

Look at the leaves swirl off that tree previously seen in the first photo.

And down comes the rain! It almost looks as though the house on the right is being toppled in the wind and rain but I guess it was me standing unevenly in my mad dash to get in out of the rain.

They did take down the tornado watch by midday. Heavy rain did not last more than about thirty minutes and has continued on lightly until now.  But it was exciting to watch this storm come in.