Man, have we had some windy times in 2025 or what?
Of course, the worst of it took place last Friday when storms brought dangerous tornadoes to the region and places like Rolla got hammered in historical fashion. Having never experienced a tornado firsthand or lost a house or other belongings to a pocket of air moving at 160 miles per hour or so, I can’t really imagine the kind of horror that’s truly involved.
But I know there are a lot of people in Phelps County and elsewhere in South Central Missouri who are currently going through their own personal crisis due to harsh air activity, and I hope they fare as well as possible.
But wind has been so common over the past several weeks in this area that pretty much everyone around here has had a chance to deal with it one way or another.
Remember that windy night and cold windy day that followed? It was Tuesday, March 4, when the wind ramped up, and it didn’t quit until late the next day.
I recall how my wife and I could barely sleep that night due to the howling and roaring sounds outside and the constant pinging of sticks and other debris hitting the bedroom window. It was like we were waiting for something bigger to happen, but thankfully, it never did.
I also recall hearing several other people say the same thing: They hardly slept that night and were concerned that something major could happen at any moment. It’s tough (and exhausting) to be on edge like that for hours on end.
And then the following day, winter reminded us of its existence, as the temperature only reached about 32 degrees with a gale-force wind still blowing. Gosh, remember how cold that was? Ugly wind-chill-factor for sure.
No doubt about it: When wind blows steadily, things are just different – but not all in a bad way.
For example, the sound of wind in the trees is like no other. If you listen closely, you notice how that whooshing noise fast-moving air creates as it makes through the branches and leaves is really beautiful, with so many tones and orchestral qualities. And then when a strong gust comes along, the resulting roar is like when the orchestra cranks things up in a particular passage of a piece, or reaches the crescendo of a symphony.
And have you ever taken notice of how much a shortleaf pine tree can sway? I’ve watched them closely on a few occasions this year, and these native things can swing back and forth a long way when a strong wind comes along. But that stands to reason, because they’re native to the region and built to thrive in the vastly varying conditions they encounter – including big air movement.
Of course, windy circumstances also means you can’t do some stuff, like hang the laundry out, enjoy an outdoor meal or conduct an outdoor burn of any kind.
And the leaves! You rake them up one day and they’re back the next. It’s all in the timing, but that can be pretty annoying, you know?
Anyway, since it’s late March right now, I fully expect more wind to blow before summer’s more stagnant air sets in. Here’s to hoping it’s just the serene and pleasant variety and doesn’t reach a dangerous (or even deadly) level.
Doug Davison is a writer, photographer and newsroom assistant for the Houston Herald. Email: ddavison@houstonherald.com.
