I Am Officially Intimidated

[kfergos]

So far I've canceled a bike commute for two things: Sub-zero temperatures or heavy snow.

Today has neither, but here's the forecast for the afternoon, listed under SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH:

At 2 PM...mostly cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Some thunderstorms may be severe with damaging winds...large hail...heavy rainfall and frequent lightning. Temperature around 71. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. At 4 PM...numerous showers and thunderstorms. Some thunderstorms may be severe with damaging winds...large hail...heavy rainfall and frequent lightning. Temperature around 69. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. At 6 PM...numerous showers and thunderstorms. Some thunderstorms may be severe with damaging winds...large hail...heavy rainfall and frequent lightning. Temperature around 65. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.

Between the "damaging winds," "large hail," and "frequent lightning," I may have to add this to my list of weather to cancel a commute for.

[Reesha]

When I was a teenager and lived in Belgium, my friends and I got stuck in the midst of riding home during a hail storm! I had welts on my thighs! But it's was a neat one-of-a-kind experience to look back on. I say go for it! (but really, be safe!)

[mudmucker]

Comin' your way...I'm probably 1.75 hours west of you. In the last 15 minutes it turned really dark and there's rumbling all around. Large swath of angry red blobs on the radar just about to hit my area...yeah, strong winds, lightening...bit of a detriment

[Reesha]

Still haven't had my fill of midwestern storms. Send them my way!

[jobob]

Well K, all I can say is, if it's enough to keep you off your bike it's probably going to be pretty darn epic !

[Biciclista]

yikes! anymore whenever thunderstorms are announced HERE (PacNW) I tend to ignore them. But what you are describing would intimidate me too.

[Selkie]

Well K, all I can say is, if it's enough to keep you off your bike it's probably going to be pretty darn epic !

I agree. She's our Iron Woman in terms of enduring the worst of conditions!

Can you wait it out? Those big storms usually pass by fairly quickly.

I've been caught in those types of storms and had to find shelter in underpasses or in park pavilions. A few times I was foolish enough to "ride it out" but there wasn't any hail (just lightning and torrential rain). My shoes were filled with water and I couldn't see. I don't recommend it.

[Blueberry]

Please be careful - lightning is nothing to mess with! I'd pass on that commute, I think.

Love reading all of your ride/commute reports

CA

[kfergos]

I agree. She's our Iron Woman in terms of enduring the worst of conditions!

Can you wait it out? Those big storms usually pass by fairly quickly.

I've been caught in those types of storms and had to find shelter in underpasses or in park pavilions. A few times I was foolish enough to "ride it out" but there wasn't any hail (just lightning and torrential rain). My shoes were filled with water and I couldn't see. I don't recommend it.

I'd normally wait it out as you suggest, but it's supposed to go on until 7:00 this evening! That's a little late for me to wait at work, unfortunately. I'll see how it goes. I've ridden through any number of thunderstorms even this year, but this is like nothing we've had before. After the last thunderstorm I Googled "is titanium conductive?" and sure enough, yes, I'm just as likely to get zapped on a ti bike as steel. Oh well, I guess ti can't be everything. :-D

Re: the water in the shoes - last Thursday I rode in rain so heavy I had to pour water out of my shoes when I too them off before I could put them in front of a fan to dry. I estimate it was a 1/2 gallon or so of water per shoe . I also had to wring out my pants, which created a huge puddle on the floor that remained wet all day, and my "waterproof" jacket had totally failed. It was the kind of soaked where I could've just as well ridden through a pond and ended up no wetter.

On the bright side, riding in the rain leaves me with this clean, thoroughly rinsed feeling that no shower can emulate. I'm sure it's the acid rain that makes me feel so clean, but whatever. I like it.

Edit to add:

Not your usual MA weather radar!

[out_spokin']

Simply awesome.