This morning a so-called "Bomb Cyclone" (AKA "Winter Hurricane") slammed into Washington State. I'm across the mountains from the coast so it wasn't anything I needed to worry much about, but it did give us the first serious snowfall of the season. Things Seattle-side were a bit more dire as high winds, heavy rains, and power outages (600,000 people without electricity) were the order of the day. Then tomorrow night the forecast says we get to do it all over again, this time with blizzard conditions in the mountains.

As I'm typing this the snow has turned to rain, which is strange this late into November. I remember when our first serious snow used to happen late October and run through March. Now it's more late November through February or early March. Climate change is a heck of a drug.

In non-Judgement-Day-related weather news...

1. I managed to get all my Fall yard prep completed except cutting down my big hydrangeo bush. If I'm lucky, there'll be a break in the weather for the weekend to make things easier on me.
2. Remember how I was chuffed to bits that I managed to get everything in my garage put away so I have a dry place to park this Winter? Today I realized that I forgot to leave room for my garbage can. In the Spring and Summer months I keep it outside because the heat makes it smell and I don't have to worry about trudging through snow to get to it. But now is when it's far smarter to have it inside, so I had to spend an hour rearranging all my junk so it would fit.
3. I am seriously considering building a larger/warmer cat shelter when I build my new pergola/catio on my back porch. Something that can integrate outdoor-rated heating and be easy to hose-out and keep clean. The shelter would be a part of the design, but separated physically and visually so my cats and any neighborhood cats staying there wouldn't be bothering each other. I do love a project, and this sounds like a fun one.

And now back to hoping that my gutter drainpipes are clear and the drainage pads are directing water away from my foundation properly. I gave them a quick look-over, but if the rain really does end up being problematic tomorrow night, that's probably not good enough.

Story of my life.