These Early Wake-up Calls Are Getting Annoying

Friday morning I awoke abruptly at 3:16 am. I rolled over, looked at the clock while wondering why I was up so early, when suddenly the room became incandescent white and was accompanied by a terrifying sound. That wasn't a trumpet I was hearing, so I quickly ruled out The Rapture.

What had actually happened was a transformer on a power line near our house decided to blow and the effect in the darkness is pretty amazing. I went outside to make sure nothing was on fire, and although there was no wind, the 3 power lines near the house were vibrating as though someone was on the other end shaking the line. There was no fire and I hurried back in the house before something else blew up.

This morning I awoke early again, this time at 1:41 am and once again, just a few seconds after waking, the room when incandescent white again, though this time it was accompanied a second or so later by the boom of thunder. We rarely get thunderstorms in Southern California, but we had a doozy this moring. The light and sound show went on for about 40 minutes as the rare summer storm moved over the area.

Every year around this time of the summer the conditions set-up to allow moisture from Mexico to cross the border into Southern California (we call it "undocumented moisture"). Add a little sun, and boom, summer storms.

I enjoy severe weather, but I sure wish it would do this over the weekend when I don't have to get up for work.