stormy weather

one of the main features of peñasco, and specifically, this part of the sonoran desert, is that this is the hottest and driest area. we average (here at CEDO, measured by our own handy-dandy weather system) about two inches of rain per year.

but a few weeks ago, we were hit by a major, major storm here. for four days, we have about 40 knot winds (i was terrified the windows up here in the tower were going to blast in) and two whole days of rain. i hear we have 5 inches! the sea out front here is normally very flat - practically like glass.

this is what it looked like those days:


[those are 20-ish foot waves]


so. given the fact that peñasco is not built for such weather, you can just imagine the flooding and leaking the occurred. i came up to my room one afternoon after work and found ivan in here trying to sop up the waterfalls of rain pouring in through the windows. let's just say they aren't sealed. my instinct, of course, is to call my parents ... what else am i supposed to do? i have never been faced with rain coming in through the closed windows and walls and ceilings, but ivan is remarkably calm and level-headed. so we went on a search for silicon and attempted to seal the windows shut (yes, we knew that it wouldn't work well since it was wet, but what else is one to do???):



[it doesn't look like it, but it's actually soaking wet]


and it sort of worked ... it slowed down the inflow of rain at least. we moved my bed into the center of the room and just prayed that the ceiling wouldn't leak (it did, but briefly).

and then two days later, the sea was back to glass again and now i can't open my windows.

(thankfully, no huge disasters here in town ... lots of flooding and signs down, but it could have been worse)