Winter just arrived at my front door. It’s coming from the southwest (Kona weather). At 6 PM last night in Kahului, rain started pouring out of thick, dark clouds, and I raced ahead of the strong winds to get home–to get my laundry off the line and bring the dogs in. But it didn’t hit. The sky was a little drizzly, but mostly calm and quiet. We all slept peacefully. I was thinking the storm might have weakened enough as it snaked around Haleakala to miss us altogether.

But now rain is streaming in sideways through the front porch screens. The winds are strong, having already knocked out the local NPR affiliate. Looking out through the front screens back toward Kahului from the cozy of my office chair, sipping hot tea, I am watching a dazzling display of lightning punctuated by the dramatic rumbles of thunder–neither of which are very common here. It’s not like Texas, where lightning and thunder are as common as our tradewinds.

I can barely hear my own thoughts as the downpour of water cascades onto the metal roof. It’s time to put on socks and a jacket, curl up with the doggies and wait it out. Before NPR went off the air, they announced that winter could last up to 5 days! Summer is forecast to return by this weekend.

Official updates from Maui County are available at www.mauicounty.gov .