Bomb Cyclone and Scorpion’s Tail

Category 3 hurricane winds hit close to home

A few days ago, our region of Portugal was hit by a Bomb Cyclone ¹  (explosive cyclogenesis) that was accompanied by a Scorpion’s Tail .²  This extreme weather event brought winds up to 202 km/h (120 mph) in the early morning hours of January 29,  leaving a trail of destruction and heartache.

Hurricane-force winds ripped off roofs, destroyed aircraft, downed power lines, ruined homes and cars, and ended lives. This video shows some scenes of the first day.

The magestic trees behind our house pose the greatest threat to our safety. The green door on the left is a storage room. The window opens to our bedroom -- in the path of falling trees in high winds. The living and kitchen areas are behind the curved wall on the right, which is a giant cistern holding rooftop water runoff. Cisterns are common in rural areas.

We live 18 miles from the hardest-hit area, Leiria (see video above). Our greatest danger at home was the threat of 3 enormous eucalyptus trees falling on our house.  After three weeks of daily rain, the ground was saturated and soft, resulting in many trees uprooted in the forceful winds. Fortunately, those beautiful eucalyptus trees stayed upright. Next big windstorm, I might sleep in the car! 

We had closed the exterior blinds to prevent flying debris from breaking our windows. With manual controls, we could raise them after the storm to let in daylight. Friends with electric controls for blinds, were stuck in dark homes for days because the power was out. People with electric gates and electric garage doors were trapped at home. Sometimes low-tech is the best tech.

Depression Kristen left over 800,000 people without power for the last few days. Rural areas like ours are still without power 4 days later. Yearning for a hot shower, a bit of warmth, and lines of communication, we found a hotel with all utilities intact, where I now sit in comfort as I write this blog.

A friend of ours described how she ran outside during the storm to move her car away from the rickety garage. She tripped over a downed wire just before the garage collapsed onto her car. She and the car were unharmed, but she has her muddy humiliation as a humorous story of survival.

After two days, the roads in our area were cleared, and I ventured out to buy food. Checkout lines were long and verrrry slow because bank cards took ages to process -- or didn’t process at all. Nevertheless, in typical Portuguese style, people were patient and polite, sometimes chatting calmly about the storm. Although everyone needed water, there was no “run” on supplies. No one took more than two days’ supply of anything. Imagine.

Cars were lined up for hours to get gas at the few stations that had power. Calm and courtesy prevailed there, too.

We worried about our neighbor whose workplace lost walls and the roof. Today he assured us he will return to work on Monday, which means once again they will have income to buy groceries.  

The Portuguese people can be counted on to organize their communities in the face of need. By the second day, 36,000 people and 13,326 vehicles had already been mobilized to help with the following events due to the Bomb Cyclone:

Water rescues:  17 Ground rescues: 34 Tree felling:  5800 Structures collapse:  2206 Flood events:  1166 Land slips:  758 Road clearings:  721

The restoration of power can include heroic efforts in terrible weather conditons. When we finally get electricty, I will send heartfelt gratitude to all the linemen swinging in the winds and pounded by rain.

This morning, we learned how communities are collecting food and supplies for displaced families. We shopped the list and drove to a donation center about 25 minutes away. Cars were lined up down the block for the privilege of donating for the common good.

Bags of food, hygeine items, and water await pickup by displaced families.

Volunteers did quick intakes, after which applicants selected what they needed from  enormous quantities of donated food, hygiene items, clothing, bedding, and water – all thoughtfully organized. To me, the applicants appeared somber and still in shock, maybe waiting to wake up from the nightmare of losing their homes.

We were told it will take 2 years to fully repair and rebuild. Meanwhile, two more storms are approaching from across the Atlantic. We will have water and food on hand and cars will be filled with fuel.  We will check in with each other. We will hold together in our communities.

Because we are all better together.  

Imagine all the people...

Love,

Penelope and Tim

¹ A bomb cyclone, also known as explosive cyclogenesis or bombogenesis, is a cool weather storm that quickly gains strength caused by a rapid drop in atmospheric pressure of at least 15-24 millibars.

² A scorpion’s tail, or wing jet, is a rate and highly destructive meteorological phenomenon that appears as a hook-shaped cloud on satellite imagery. It is a narrow corridor of intense, damaging winds often exceeding 100 mph or 160 km/h that descends from a low-pressure system causing severe damage over 3 to 4 hours.

Thanks to Melissa Larsen and the internet for several photos.