Matthew Osborne
We all have weather apps now that change forecasts seemingly by the minute. Just like when we used to have to use “paper maps” to get around in a place we weren’t familiar with, I don’t know what we did with ourselves before we could check weather on a phone.
But even that has failed lately, as the weather in North Georgia has more resembled the tropical climate I was used to growing up in Florida.
I have always been a “Look out your window” kind of guy when it comes to weather reports. I get more serious about following it when it comes to hurricanes or snowstorms, but for the most part, the weather is the weather.
If you don’t like the weather, wait 10 minutes. Not to get too Zen here, but only the present weather really matters.
My thinking on this started a couple of weekends ago when I drove my wife to a local winery with the intention of sitting outside and enjoying a summer’s evening. But no more than 15 minutes after it was beautiful and calm, a violent storm hit us like a ton of bricks.
It was raining sideways and the wind resembled a storm that would roll in off the beach back in the day. Lightning struck everywhere and it was like someone had flipped a switch.
Once the rain started coming down straight again, it was actually kind of peaceful to sit out on the porch as the rain fell. But it took a little while to calm down.
That was the storm that we later found out broke 50 power poles, and honestly, it seemed like no one saw this coming at all.
Fast forward to Saturday night, when a brewery in White County decided to host a fireworks event. We drove there most of the way in sunshine, only to see the skies open up as we pulled in. The storm was similar to the one six days earlier, but this time included massive hail. We sat in our car for a while as I noticed that the car next to me had cracked its window open to perhaps relieve the heat inside for when they returned. Surely they would not have made the strategic decision if they thought a crazy storm was headed their way.
Even after that storm broke, another one struck right behind it, ending the fireworks plans and leaving the food truck on site without power or the ability to serve any more customers.
Then on July 4, it was a beautiful day – though a hot one, again reminding me of home – for the parade in Demorest. Everything looked marvelous rolling right into the festivities at Demorest Springs Park, where the Fly Betty Band was rocking it out.
Around 8:15 p.m. or so, it got a little too dark, too soon. The wind picked up and the temperature seemed to drop 5-10 degrees in an instant. I looked at my wife and we thought, “Here we go again.” We thought another surprise storm was going to try and ruin everyone’s good time.
But it was a false alarm, and this time we were spared the insta-storms that have plagued us more than once.
No one was going to rain on our Independence Day parade.
I wonder what my weather app has in store for me tomorrow.
Matthew Osborne is the editor of The Northeast Georgian. Reach him at 706-778-4215 or editor@TheNortheastGeorgian.com.