Airborne

Last night, from the good folks at Howard County Recycles:

Residents please secure trash cans, recycling carts, bins and any loose lids before tomorrow. We are expecting very high winds along with the heavy rain, so items will go airborne tomorrow.

Airborne. When we think about heavy rains we probably have a good mental picture of what that looks like, and the possibility of flooded roads, overflowing streams, and so on. When we think of high winds we may think mostly of damage to trees, trees coming down on houses, broken windows…

But what happens when objects become airborne in high winds? 

Keep outdoor items from becoming projectile weapons:

High winds, tornadoes, and hurricanes can make something as simple as a trashcan or child’s toy into an airborne missile!  When you hear of wind and storm warnings, make sure to bring in anything that could be picked up and blown into vulnerable areas of your home or business like windows or doors.  Outdoor buildings such as storage sheds should also be anchored properly to the ground. Prepare for damages caused by winds, Jenkins Restoration 

Bicycles, lawn furniture, bird feeders, sports equipment…projectile weapons. Yikes. It’s amusing when someone’s inflated pool toy shows up miles away. 

An Unexpected Guest

It’s not one bit funny if you or your kid gets hit in the head by a projectile which has been weaponized by high winds. 

In my neighborhood I have seen empty trash bins rolled into the street by high winds. Having to track down one’s errant bin is an annoyance. Driving down the road and being ambushed by a moving wheely bin is a hazard. Those recycling folks probably have that in mind. 

Something else I learned while looking up storms and high winds is that they are especially damaging to mobile homes. A quick Google search for mobile home parks in Howard County came up with 12. Is that correct? How would I confirm that number? I would have guessed three or four at the most. I wonder if Howard County has any programs targeted at helping mobile home residents storm proof their homes, or to assist with repairs after storms do damage? 

I’m glad that schools are closing early to avoid the heaviest part of today’s storm. Invariably this will mean that the storm is nowhere near as bad as predicted. That’s life. Carry an umbrella  - - it won’t rain. Parents will complain either way.

We love to laugh at video clips like this but nobody wants their children (or teachers, bus drivers, etc) to be put in harm’s way.  Weather events are more severe now. Outcomes are unpredictable. Batten down the hatches, folks.