After months of nary a drop of precipitation, Keizer will finally see rain this weekend. According to forecasters, it could be significant rain.
The first reaction is thank, goodness…at last. The second, and more important reaction is more tangible.
After weeks and weeks without rain, every road we travel on will become slick as rain mixes with the build up of oil and other fluids since last spring. Every driver needs to be cognizant of driving condiitons. It is easy to forget what streets are like after a good rain. The simple act of braking could end up with your car in the backside of the vehcile in front of yours.
Be safe and be cautious while driving on city streets and on freeways. Give plenty of space between you and the other vehicles. Slick conditions can challenge the best drivers.
It is not only our roads we need our attention. Street drains and home gutters can fall to victim to overflows brought on by heavy rain. Autumn leaves have begun their change of color and have started falling from trees. Though most leaves will end up in our yards many will find their way where they can cause flow backups on our homes and in our streets.
The best defense is a good offense. Cleaning gutters is not a happ chore, but it needs to be done to protect the investment of our houses.
We will want to cheer when the rain starts falling, yet our state will still be very dry after months of drought conditions. Resevoirs are a fraction of their historical volumes. Cities that rely on those resevoirs for their water may be able to breathe again.
In Keizer we need the rain for our lawns and shrubbery, with the vast aquifer underneath use, our taps will not go dry.
We all look forward to the rain. At the same time we must remain alert to how it affects our roads and drains.
—LAZ