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So, if you don’t live in California, chances are you haven’t heard about the “storm of the decade.” This storm — let’s call her Gertrude (because every great storm deserves a great name) — is scheduled to bombard the Bay Area on Thursday. So, what is Gertrude, this woolly mammoth, great white of a storm?

The cool way to describe Gertrude is “flash flood.” But as my friend Michael said, the accurate way of describing Gertrude is “rainier than usual.”

And boy, does Gertrude have Californians running for shelter. Gertrude currently has so many people worried that many San Francisco schools are shutting it down for the day. No school. #rainday

Calvin_Crabby Guy Like Him

Now, with people like me giving Californians a whole bunch of shit for their attitude towards water falling from the sky, they’ve now gotten feisty about the people giving them shit for their lack of rain tolerance.

(Side note: I am from Seattle.)

Look I get it. Rain can cause flooding and flooding can cause injuries, damage, etc. It also happens all over the world every day. In every other place, it’s called rain. In California, it’s called “freak out, cancel school, run for cover, winter is coming,” you get the point.

(Side note: Seung is my friend. Hi Seung!)

Not to bring up Seattle again, but Washington governor Jay Inslee just declared a “state of emergency” in five separate counties due to storms. Three schools lost power. And guess what… They stayed in school.

rain

Anyways, stay safe Bay Area. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

(Side note: I live in Berkeley. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers.)

UPDATE: And so it begins…

About Sean Wagner-McGough