The howling, an update
On second look, yesterday's winds impressive, and beneficial.
During yesterday's leaf blizzard, a gust of 45 m.p.h. was recorded at Philadelphia International Airport. That's hardly a record, but worth noting.
That topped the peak 44 m.p.h. gust measured on Sept. 30 during the soaking coastal storm that got extra juice from the remains of Tropical Storm Nicole.
We realize that more than 30,000 folks lost power, and it certainly was not a good hair day, but they weren't entirely ill winds for those of us who are connoisseurs of bare trees.
Aesthetically, this is an immensely underrated time of year. The trees get to show off their architecture, their bare branches like so many nerve-endings against the sky.
The oblique angles of the rising and setting sun animate the tree-tops, and the fewer the leaves, the less light they block during the day.
And the next few nights should be worth savoring with the full moon approaching, making dramatic shadows and beaming its silvery light on the wind-defying foliage.