My first storm...on the ground

I love tropical weather!

I miss flying in hurricanes, but I sure don't miss the other 9 months of the year where the squadron is spinning out of control...you know, the ARTs bitching about the Reservists and vice-versa. The 3-ish months of storm season were always my favorite.

I've been watching Gustav the past few days, The Weather Channel on in the background at my house all weekend. It hit the coast on Monday morning and by the evening, the first few bands of the cirrus sheild from the storm was evident here in the Dallas area. It was beautiful.

All day Tuesday, I flipped between the radar and satellite images of the remnants of Gustav as it approached. By the time I left SWA that afternoon, I was in heaven. The clouds were in a banded pattern with a distinct arc. There were showers peppering the view towards the east. And the wind really picked up. I could see and feel the wind gusts hitting me.

All I could do was grin.

Can you believe that after 11 years and flying through close to 50 named storms, this is the first tropical storm I've been in on the ground? Amazing!