Wild November

During the last week in October, the creek was at just about its lowest level since I've lived here, and autumn was in full "drop".  My cottage sits in the bend of the creek, where it turns to head south after running in a westerly direction down the watershed from the Cascade foothills.

Around Halloween, a tropical weather front moved across the Pacific Northwest and produced torrential rains for days. The normal rainfall in Portland for the month of November is around 5 inches; this year, the total was 11.68 inches.

During the normal winter rainy season, the creek level averages 6 to 8 feet at the gauge a few miles downstream from my house, with a flow volume of approximately 300 to 400 cubic feet per second. On November 7, the creek crested at almost 13 feet, handling a flow of 3,200 cfs.

As the rest of the US was going to the polls and anticipating the election returns, I was sitting in a motel room with my cats, waiting (and hoping) for the water to recede. Here's what it looked like around 4 PM:

Now that it's the end of November, the precipitation is frozen. We've been having record low temperatures the last few nights, with freezing rain predicted for tonight. Snow pics tomorrow.

Comments

[Michael]

It's great to see you back, Kitty!
Personally, I find this abnormal weather quite frightening. Today is the last day of November. Here in the New York area, the high temperature for today is forecast to be near 70.

Mother Nature always gets her last licks. Only that son of a Bush in the White House doesn't seem to understand that.

[Michael]

Hugs sent your way Kitty and to your kitty cats.

Michael from NY said it best.....Global warming run wild!! I am in NJ and facing the same freaky weather that Michael is...we have had from floods to weather near 70 degrees....too crazy for words.

Sending you good Karma and good thoughts for you and the kitty cats to be safe and then some and in good health and spiritually well:)

Michael

[Kitty]

Thanks for the welcome, guys. It's great to be back. :)

[Lewis King]

I've missed you, too. I'm really glad you're writing again. Your photos are also much appreciated. You seem to be in a very good place on all levels of your being. To say you've made giant strides in the past year is a huge understatement. You're doing great! Congratulations!!!