Snow in July? Oh, Hail.

Isn't that the darndest thing? Enough hail fell on that mountain that it looked like snowfall. The thunderstorm that dropped that hail was one of the most intense on record in Anchorage. Apparently, Anchorage "normally" doesn't get thunderstorms, although they are becoming more frequent each year. 3 or 4 years ago, they were unheard of. It amazes me that the heat in Anchorage (which hardly ever hits 80 degrees), feels almost as stifling as it did in Florida (which rarely went below 95 degrees in the summertime). Given that, it doesn't surprise me that they've got thunderheads developing in the afternoons. Apparently, if the wind blows in from the Cook Inlet (which has very cool, if not cold, water), it pretty much eliminates any energy built up in the storms. There was no wind blowing in off the Inlet yesterday.

It's really quite frustrating. In Florida, I could see a thunderhead and be able to make a pretty good guess as to how long it would be before it hit. Here, the mountains just mess everything up. It is simply impossible to predict mountain weather with any certainty. Many people here criticize the weather people, but I sympathize with them. They've got a tough job, and I certainly wouldn't want it.

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In other news, Karey is doing very, very well. She has pretty much recovered. Every couple of days we talk about what happened. The past couple of months have been very hard for both of us, but the support we have received from family and friends, near and far, has been tremendous. Thank you to each and every one of you.

There's a lot that's been going on, and a lot I've been thinking about. Hopefully, I'll be able to find some time to share it with you.

Blessings,
David