scared of the spring storms..... (Fort Worth, Denton: transplants, 2009, house)

[Dsmall]

Hey there...we are about 2 months in of our transfer here to TX specifically Joshua (south of Fort Worth by Burleson and Cleburne). We have had a few crazy thunder and lightening storms in the last couple months....but, I am really worried about what to expect for the spring! I am a west coast girl who rarely sees severe weather.....Help! Feeling like I can't even really settle in making this "home" as I have this crazy looming fear of how scary they are going to be...

[catman]

One can never be sure of how stormy a season will be. This fall has been unusually stormy. Really, it isn't typically like this! October 2009 was the cloudiest on record, the 6th coolest and also the 6th wettest. Spring is always an unknown quantity. Sometimes there is a lot of severe weather, but other times there isn't much.

All I can say is: Park your car in a garage or at least under a big tree or something if hail is on the way! You're much more likely to be directly affected by hail than a tornado, since the latter are so small in areal coverage.

[scyogi]

IMO I think fall is giving you a good taste of what spring storms are like. I was really stressed when we moved here 2 years ago, but since then I am almost tough enough to sleep through an entire thunder/lighting storm. My inlaws gave me a weather radio that is always on, I guess that is my security blanket. Wait until your first big hail storm! Those are always fun....... ;-)

[Guingirl]

We also bought a storm radio when we moved her two years ago and that really helps you become prepared. Watch the news reports during storms and check out some of the weather radars. Then honestly, just enjoy the storm . These storms are similar to the ones in Spring.

Make sure you have a safe place to go in your house if you need to (interior spot with no windows, internal bathroom without windows in the tub) and make sure you have extra water, food and also have a good understanding where all your important things are and make sure they are available in case you need to quickly evacuate.

Think of it this way, most times, you will be more prepared than any earthquake.

[Dsmall]

thanks guys! I did hear that these storms are much stronger than usual for this time of year and that if I can handle these....then there is a good chance I will be fine this spring! I hope so....I am feeling that "really blue" feeling and I don't like it! Neither does my darling husband and i am trying to stay positive and support him in this job transfer...it is go for his career!

Thanks again....D

[Guingirl]

Congratulations on your move and while Texas is like no other place around, I hope that you will be able to find some really good things about the state. I know for us moving from Northern California, we really love our home here in Texas. We have made some great new friends and just gotten more involved than we ever did in our only home that we had ever known. The good thing is that most people are really welcoming here. You will find a lot of transplants. Hope things go well for you!

[Dsmall]

Thanks Guingirl! I am from No. Califronia...I grew up in Fremont/Newark. I am a California girl at heart but am excited about all the quality of life aspects that Texas has to offer... Realestate, strong economy etc. We love our new church and yes, the people are wonderful! Very friendly...we have made some wonderful friends already...

[Guingirl]

Sacramento here. We have family all throughout the Bay area and SoCal. The thing we miss the most here are the Sierra Nevadas, authentic Mexican food, and real Mongolian BBQs. Other than that, you just can't beat it here. We figure anytime we really want to, we can take a vacation back there. The schools and general way of life is just so much better here.

[grhtex]

I think the storms are awesome and enjoy mother natures show. When we can we go to the top of a local hill where we can see about 270 degrees field of view for 30 miles. We can see the TWU dorms in Denton from this hill about 25 miles away and beyond. I've watched storms at sunset when half the sky was a beautiful orange sunset and the other half was a furious storm moving in with big gray wall clouds and lightning strikes. Very cool. This is my silver lining for not having as many big trees as we did in the midwest where I moved from - views of spectacular storms. Perhaps you'll come to embrace them as well once you get used to them. I'd definitely get a weather radio plus the town we live in has a phone system that delivers emergency weather alerts which is nice because the satellite always goes out in these storms. Good luck!

[Nor Cal Wahine]

Originally Posted by Guingirl

Congratulations on your move and while Texas is like no other place around, I hope that you will be able to find some really good things about the state. I know for us moving from Northern California, we really love our home here in Texas. We have made some great new friends and just gotten more involved than we ever did in our only home that we had ever known. The good thing is that most people are really welcoming here. You will find a lot of transplants. Hope things go well for you!

Great post! Another transplant here and I wouldn't move back to CA for all the tea in China. Texas is wonderful. The storms don't frighten me too much at all, being from SF (home of beautiful but dull weather) I actually like them ... but there have been a couple encounters with really close lightning that made me yelp like a wimp.

Hope you come to find yourself as happy here as most of our fellow transplants!