Let's Talk Weather

Trafton B.

April 4, 2010 - 6:44 PM

Remember a few weeks back when I wrote that post on the "Awakening of Spring?" The cherry tree outside our kitchen window was blossoming and the sunshine was piercing through old winter clouds. Well, forgot about that irreverent hoopla because we're back to the regular Eugene weather patterns, or lack thereof.

While applying to Oregon, I was warned about the weather. Most people would say something like, "Get used to the rain" or "I hope you have a good rain coat." And I wasn't really phased any of it. I love the rain! But it's not really the rain that gets to you in Eugene; it's the sporadic nature of the rain that really tests your psyche. Today is a classic example.

Starting at 9AM, the weather has changed thirteen times! (Yes, my roommate and I actually kept a tally.) It went from cloudy in the morning, to drizzling, to sunny, to pouring rain, back to sunny, back to dumping rain and finally we were bombarded with hail pellets on our way to the movie theater. My roommates and I headed to the $1.50 theater in Springfield's Gateway Mall to get away from the elements as much as to see the movie. On a side note, though, we watched The Book of Eli, and it is a quality movie.

At first the weather was just annoying, but then I actually started fearing for my life. I was afraid to see which of the ten plagues was coming next. Locusts?

It was as if there was a grand crusade being raged between titans in the sky trying to reclaim the atmosphere for their own climate-ological virtue. The sun god would strike down the rain for an hour until the water god retaliated with hail. Back and forth it went all day. We stopped keeping track during the movie; who knows what went on during those two hours.

I really don't mean to scare people away from Eugene. The weather really isn't terrible at all. I'm just a little bitter and slightly homesick after spending the week in the California sunshine.

They say 'April showers bring May flowers.' I just hope they know what they're talking about.