Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with rain

Rainy Saturday in LA

forallmankind — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 08:46:49 -0800

I'm entertaining guests from India in LA tomorrow for the whole day, and all my plans are being scuppered by a forecast of rain. What can we do in the LA area (don't mind driving pretty much anywhere) that won't be compromised by grey clouds and rain? The guys (3, mid 20s) have been here for a few weeks now and have so far been to Manhattan/ Venice/ Santa Monica and Hollywood, and they're going to Little India on Sun. Usually when I have folks in town we go up to the Hollywood sign, hike in the mountains, drive up the PCH etc and obviously all these activities presuppose good weather. I'm kinda stumped when it comes to bad weather - even the Getty doesn't seem such a good idea since the main attraction for folks from out of town is the grounds and the views.

Help!

Impervius!

Salvor Hardin — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:33:14 -0800

Underground in a secret lab, the hive mind works feverishly and with a single purpose: to create...the perfect Boston bicyclist! Impermeable to wind, water, ice, slush, and mud, there's nothing Boston can throw at him that he can't handle! We had our first really miserable, blinding drenching ice/slush/rain-pelting-down days in Boston. My SO and I have decided that we're going to make ourselves waterproof.

We'd like suggestions for picking out some waterproof bad-weather bicycling gear. I imagine we'll need:

jacket, pants, shoes, eyewear, headwear, handwear, etc (anything else that you've found helpful?)

to combat the nasty winter weather that Boston can dish out. Specifically I want something that can keep me some close approximation of dry during a 4 mile bicycle commute. Let's say we each have up to $200 to throw at this (hopefully it won't take that much).

I'm a 6'2" male, she's a 5'2" female.

Here are my priorities (in approximately descending order):

1. Keeps me DRY! I'm talking hermetically-sealed/space-worthy.
2. Flexible (i.e. suitable for bicycling-type movements)
3. Stops the wind
4. Simple/fast to remove (I'm usually behind schedule, so speed of operation is desirable)
5. Not too many pieces (I'm terrible about losing accessories)
6. Not too much $$
7. Doesn't accumulate too much sweat

Any ideas are welcome! My SO already has a normal set of rain gear, and she still ends up completely drenched by the end of the ride, so I think we need something a bit extraordinary.

I've seen this question, but brands and products change a lot, and I didn't see the fervent testimonial I was hoping for. My favorite from that was the deep-sea fishing gear, but I'm not sure if it'll be flexible enough for biking, or if it'll interfere with the chain.

Thanks!

Keep me feets dry and warm!

handabear — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:05:11 -0800

I've read this, and this but I'm looking for something more casual and maybe a low top shoe that I can wear to/from and at work or school. My work dress code is casual but I don't think that walking around in colorful wellies would be appropriate. My go to shoe has always been the Adidas Samba or Dansko professional clog, but I don't think that either can make it through the fall and winter in New England. I saw some waterproof sneakers at LL Bean that were acceptable, but they are discontinued and didn't have my size in stock.

I want:

waterproof
stylish
suitable for everyday wear - indoors for hours on my feet
≤$125
can fit insoles
insulated (not essential)
flat heel

I don't want:

giant man boots
clunky/chunky/some other variation of this word
dress shoes
hiking boots
trail shoes

Does my ideal shoe exist? Suggestions?

Last thing I need is more car trouble...

special-k — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:21:37 -0800

Why did my Subaru outback lose power steering on this rainy night? My car is a Subaru Outback, 2000.

I drove to work in torrential rain on a flooded, hilly highway (Hwy 17 in N. California). The car handled perfectly fine both ways but something weird happened on the way home. Right after I came down the hill, both my brake system warning light and my charge warning light came on. It also became very difficult to steer. Luckily, I was close to a left lane exit and I pulled off safely and parked.

Turned off the engine, waited and turned it back on but both lights were still on and it was still impossible to steer. I had to wait 45 minutes for a ride and the situation did not improve over that time. The car starts just fine, and I am able to move forward and backward, just can't steer.

What happened? Two things to consider:

a) I had my car last checked by a Subaru specialist in June. I had my head gaskets replaced and had him look over everything. Nothing obvious was wrong at that time.

b) My car has been fine since then.

c) I also drove through several deep puddles today (much of the hwy was flooded).

My car is fine overnight but I will have to get it towed first thing tomorrow. Did I snap something simple like a belt, in which case I can just tow it somewhere local and get it replaced right away. OR Is this something more complicated that I should just get it towed to my Subaru guy (25 miles away, harder to retrieve car etc)?

I appreciate any advice to minimize the inconvenience.

Biking in the rain

rabbitrabbit — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:19:51 -0800

Questions about bike gear for the rainy season. I live in the Portland, OR area and I've been biking to work since April. So, I'm about to hit my first rainy season and I would like to arm myself to successfully continue biking at least into the fall and hopefully through winter, too.

SHOES: My main question is about shoes that make biking in the rain not a chore. I have been using toe clips and Converse all-stars this summer, but that will absolutely not work with the rain, so I'm going to need to either get waterproof shoe covers, or buy waterproof shoes. And if I buy waterproof shoes, maybe I ought to just upgrade to clipless pedals and shoes? Also, I think I like the velcro straps so I don't have to deal with laces, but I'm not entirely sure what the pros/cons are there.

JACKET: I have a chartreuse bike jacket that has been good for cooler mornings, and it dries fast so it will be good for early on in the fall, but I am going to eventually need some kind of heavier jacket, I think. But I'm afraid that anything heavier will = more sweat, which I don't want (no shower at work). Is there something warm, waterproof, breathable, AND visible that I can get?

FENDERS: I ride a Specialized Crossroads, so it has the overlap. I kicked out my front fender early on in the summer and haven't yet replaced it because it's been unnecessary so far, but I'm going to need a new front fender or maybe one of those things that attaches to the front tube (not sure what it's called exactly) to deflect water. If I get a new fender, I guess it will need to be super-tough since I don't 100% trust myself not to kick it by accident again. Do those things that attach to the bike instead of the wheel work well, would that be a good option?

What other things do I need to bike in the rain? Waterproof gloves? A helmet liner? Goggles which don't let rain bead up on them? Etc.

I've seen this and I've seen this, and both were helpful though they're a bit old now; is there new stuff out there that is awesome?

Also, any recommendations for a bike shop to buy this stuff at? I've heard River City is good. I would love to be able to try out the clipless pedals before I buy, is there any shop which would let me do that?

Sorry, I can't come into work today, it's drizzling and my car is stuck...

firei — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 10:48:51 -0800

Possibly going to move and work as a caretaker of a small farm-sanctuary in upstate NY. The problem? It's on a windy, steep dirt road and my car is less than good. Help! I'm considering taking a caretaker's position in upstate NY (and by upstate, I mean near Beekman, between Poughkeepsie and Pawling). Everything sounds great - a house, utilities, stipend, and I'll be able to get another job for additional income. I'm supposed to go interview next weekend.

However, I took a drive up to the area earlier this week with a friend. All was going well until we got about a mile or half a mile away - when the road suddenly turned to dirt and began to climb. The dirt seemed pretty well packed, but we haven't had rain in a few days and there were lots of rocks scattered on the road.

I drive a 1992 Volvo 240 (that has been in several accidents and isn't super reliable anyway). I believe that it will be able to make it up the road in decent weather, but things like rain and snow on a windy, hilly dirt road frighten me. (Do they even plow dirt roads?)

I want to take this position, but not if I will be stranded up on the hill when it's raining or snowing. Plus, it's a good four or five miles to the closest store or main-ish road.

I will need to drive for:
-errands
-social outings
-a job! (unless i can find a reliable "work at home" job, but I'm not counting on it - though suggestions are always welcome!)

I've thought about getting an ATV, but I don't think you can drive them on the road. I've also considered trying to park down before the road changes to dirt and walking/biking up, but that would not be so appetizing in driving rain or snow. Would new tires help? A different car? A motorcycle?

$700 is my limit, but obviously spending less in preferable.

Any and all suggestions are welcome!

Email me about my lawn!

underwater — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 09:27:22 -0800

Can I get notification of amount of rainfall? I am an absent-minded gardener and I would like to get email notification when the rainfall for my area has been below a certain amount so I know when to water my lawn.

I know I can look it up manually on a regular basis, either online or with a raingauge, but I know I'll forget without an email. (No suggestions for improving my memory or using a calendar, please)

I'm concerned about wasting water or watering too much, so that's why I don't just schedule it for every Sat or whatever.

Are there any services (preferably free) that would email me to let me know that I should water my lawn? I live in north Texas, BTW.

Food for a rainy barbecue?

emilyw — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 05:19:37 -0800

What should I cook in my small kitchen for a rainy barbecue? I'm planning a BBQ at the weekend for 15-20 people, but it looks like it may rain heavily, in which case we will all be indoors. (Just to make vocabulary clear to Americans: the original plans involved cooking mainly meat products outside over charcoal embers).

I am pre-preparing some salads and sides, and marinating some veg and tofu for the vegetarians, then I had planned to go shopping on the morning of the BBQ to stock up on meat. However, if the forecast is rainy I can alter my shopping list to suit.

What can I buy/make to minimise cooking and serving effort in my small kitchen during the event? I don't have a very big grill, but I do have an oven. I can spend some of the earlier part of the day on kitchen prep, but don't want to spend the whole party holed up in there.

"eVent" is a terrible name to Google

2bucksplus — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:56:00 -0800

Ok I'm convinced, I want an "eVent" waterproof jacket. The problem is I want to try it on (hopefully in New York City or surrounding area) and eVent is a terrible name to Google. I went hiking in New York state for a week in one of the wettest Junes in recent memory, and my "weatherproof" jacket left me soaked. "eVent" is supposed to be the best, right? Should I just get something with Gore-tex as that is everywhere? I would buy just the shell and would wear it primarily for hiking.

Celebrating the Red, White, and... grey in New England

zachxman — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:55:56 -0800

Looking for alternative Independence Day activities in New England... So, it's a bit soggy for our original aspirations to go camping this weekend, and we're a bit wary of the crowds and congestion that accompany the large Fourth-of-July celebrations in Boston, Providence, etc. Where might one find small-ish community-oriented festivities within a couple hours' drive of Central Massachusetts?

Rainy everyday but one...what's this movie?

heather-b — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:07:39 -0800

Challenge: find me that movie/tv movie for children. I remember this one from my childhood, but don't remember the title. Can you help? It rains every day except once a year. All of these children are in school and looking forward to the sun coming out. One little girl is locked in a closet by some mean bullies and misses the sun coming out. She misses the grass growing, the flowers blooming, and all the frolicking. The end is her running through the flowers/rain after she got out somehow. Anyone remember this? Probably late 70s or early 80s.

Keep my feet dry and my look intact

kevin-o — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 06:37:13 -0800

What boots can I wear that will keep my feet dry and look good with business clothes? I have a job that requires me to wander between different schools throughout New York City. Some days I wear a suit, and some days I wear pants, shirt, and tie. What waterproof boots can work with my work wardrobe?

Perfect disc break rainy-day single speed commuter frame.

wcfields — Sun, 31 May 2009 20:53:26 -0800

Bike Filter: I'm looking for a cro-moly steel frame and fork that can handle disc breaks and enough clearance for fenders and has track drop outs with a road bike geometry. The closest I've seen so far is the Surly 1x1 but I'd rather have something a little more speedy (road geometry), larger (they only make them to 55cm sized and I'm looking for something around 60-62cm).

Ideally I'm going to put 700x28 tires on it and built for year round riding in Portland,OR.

Is it really the rain that makes me so sad?

Lutoslawski — Sat, 09 May 2009 12:24:11 -0800

How do fellow Pacific Northwesters deal with rain-induced depression? I live in Portland and I suffer from terrible, sometimes debilitating depression. I've tried to manage it a number of ways - I currently take zoloft, am vegan, I bike. But still I can't kick it. I end up drinking a lot and often.

Something I've noticed is that when I go visit my SO's family in Miami I become instantly happier. I know part of this is because I'm on vacation and I like her family, but I also know a huge part of it is simply the sunlight. I notice it so instantly. The bright, beautiful sun.

I love Portland, but I really think the weather is a major contributor to my depression (there are many other factors, I realize). I'm wondering how other Oregonians/Washingtonians deal with the effects of the constant rain on their mood.

(I've lived here for two years after having grown up in the midwest and college in NYC. I'm 24).

Thank you in advance everyone.

Laptop rain jacket?

asterisk — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:37:30 -0800

Laptop rain cover/bag... does such a thing exist? I'm going to be covering (live streaming in this case) some events outside, one or more of which could take place in light rain or during passing showers. I have a cover for the camera and can bring a small TV tray to elevate the laptop but I'm not sure how to waterproof it.

The only option I've come up with are the XXL Ziploc bags (2ft x 2.7ft) but would condensation be an issue? Would it impede my aircard signal?

Googling only turned up rainproof bags for transport, I'll need to at least be able to use the trackpad, ideally the keyboard as well. I'll be using a 15" MacBook Pro fwiw.

Simple solutions include parking in a garage, having a doorman hold it.

subbes — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 02:06:04 -0800

Please teach me how to get into a car, in the rain, with an umbrella, without soaking myself. I can't seem to manage to get both myself and the umbrella into the car without all the water running down the umbrella onto my arm as I'm closing it, which nullifies the whole point of having an umbrella. Unless I close the umbrella before I get in the car, which means I still get rained on. This is more of a problem with larger umbrellas but still an issue even with the compact/tiny models.

Is there some magic trick? Other people don't seem to have this problem, according to Google and informal observation.

Detailed step-by-step solutions preferred, because obviously if I haven't worked this out by now I need a lot of help.

Make My Garden Grow ... in a drought year!

SpecialK — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:25:27 -0800

Rainwater collection, on the cheap, in a rental? I live in a rental house without gutters. I would love to collect rainwater this summer (what little rainwater is expected) to water my garden, but I can't put up permanent structures nor can I attach anything to the house.

Given that we've had pretty much no rain so far this year, I'm guessing that we'll be on watering restrictions in summertime. Anyone with a big bushy produce-forest in the backyard will be suspect and subject to being ticketed. I'm already planning to conserve gray-water wherever possible, and I've planted drought resistant plants, but I still would like to gain some fruits for all my labor. That means I'll need more water than I may able to reasonably supply from the usual sources.

Has anyone seen any good ideas for portable, collapsible rainwater collection? Bonus points if I can make them for free or cheap; double bonus points for ideas that don't require a huge cash outlay.

venturing into Big Sur

yeoja — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:24:23 -0800

Tomorrow afternoon, I'm driving south on Hwy 1/Big Sur Coast Highway from Monterey to Lucia. I've never driven this road before, and I'll be alone. Thing is, it's supposed to rain hard tomorrow and apparently Big Sur Highway + lotsa rain = rock & mud slides. Unfortunately, dodging mudslides while driving along rainy cliffs aren't exactly skills I've developed living in pancake-flat Houston. Does it really get that treacherous? Should I postpone this trip for a less rainy season? If not, what are you supposed to do if you see a bunch of mud and rocks tumbling towards you and your rental car? I've been needing to take a personal break, so I booked a room at the New Camaldoli Hermitage for a few days of reflection and solitude and scenic views. I'm flying into Monterey Airport, renting a car then driving 55 miles south to Lucia. In normal conditions, I'd look forward to the drive, but the idea of sliding rocks and mud has me pretty worried. It also seems the California fires have increased the risk of these mudslides.

(It's supposed to be sunny on my drive north back to Monterey, so I'm only worried about the drive south).

My questions:
1. How likely is it that I'd actually encounter serious problems with a rock or mud slide?

2. Plenty of websites and some blogs warn about the rock/mudslides, but none explain exactly what to do if you run into one (or it runs into you...). Any advice?

3. Is there an alternate route I could take? According to this map on the Camaldoli website, it looks like I could take 101 to King City, then cut across to Lucia on Jolon Road....but I can't find that route on Google or Yahoo Maps.

4. I'm considering cancelling or postponing this trip - but is that overreacting? I'd lose some money, but not too much.

Thanks!!

1980s TV Movie - Planet w/Non-Stop Rain

DavidNYC — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:58:09 -0800

TV Movie ID: A sci-fi-ish TV movie from the 1980s which mostly featured children living on a planet where it never stopped raining. I don't recall much of the storyline, but I seem to remember that one of the main characters was a girl who I think had grown up on Earth and knew what sunshine was like. (The rest of the kids knew nothing but eternal rain.) She was treated like a pariah and, for a while, locked in some sort of closet or store-room by some of the other kids. Of course, during her confinement, the rain briefly stopped, allowing everyone a short moment to experience the outdoors in the sun. By the time she was let out, the rain naturally had started up again.

Bike protection?

pulled_levers — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 12:02:12 -0800

Protecting your bike from snow and rain? I'm relatively new to having a bike as my main mode of commute and it's currently my only way to get to work (it's not very far away though).

Biking is a lot of fun, however, I live on the East Coast where winter is quickly descending and where I do not have bike storage available at my work. I usually lock my bike outside but there is no overheard awning to protect it from the elements.

I'm worried about leaving my bike in the rain (rust?) and worried about my bum getting really cold after all that snow. I've got fenders, so I'm looking for more information on how you protect your bike. Wrap a plastic bag around the bike seat? Cover it with a rain poncho?

Looking for creative, no-spendy answers. :) Thanks!

St. Lucia Honeymoon - Weather Worries

anomie — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:39:47 -0800

Should we go to St. Lucia for our honeymoon next week, or hold out for better weather? My fiance and I have reservations in St. Lucia for our honeymoon next week. Now, weather.com is saying it's going to rain every day while we're there (Nov. 2nd - 9th). Is this normal for St. Lucia? I've got trip insurance, so if I want I can get a full refund and we can go another time, and do a quick vegas getaway for now.

Obviously, I'd like to keep my reservations in St. Lucia, and we don't mind a little rain, but we'd really like to be outside a lot, and constant rain would really be a drag.

How to keep backpack drive in rain while biking?

amedia — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 22:19:31 -0800

Anyone have any good DYI ideas on how to keep your bag dry in the rain while biking? Some kind of plastic cover with elastic? Not interested in buying a new pack, just want to keep the one i already have dry.

How to avoid the puddle in front of our home?

ranunculus — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:12:34 -0800

My landlord refuses to install rain gutters and so every time it rains we have to jump over a deep puddle that forms by our front steps. What can I put there temporarily that will keep us from stepping into the puddle? I'm thinking bricks of some kind but is there a better solution? The puddle is usually about four to six inches deep and a few feet around.

Staying dry on two wheels.

2or3whiskeysodas — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:10:12 -0800

I need to find the best gear for riding my scooter in the rain. My scooter is my sole form or transportation, and if I have my way I'll never own another 4-wheeled vehicle. But alas, the days of having my girlfriend drop me off at work on the way to hers are over, and my daily commute has just increased significantly (15-20 minutes each way on neighborhood thoroughfares, never above 35mph). And man, has it been raining here recently.

So I need suggestions for remedying the following problems:

• Bad visibility once it's really coming down. Are there specific helmets, visors, goggles you'd recommend? Would applying Rain-X to any of those help?

• General dryness. I'm okay with packing a change of clothes and drying off once I get to work, but I'm also okay with staying as dry as possible. Are there any particularly badass suits or coats you like? Has anyone had experience with one of these silly-looking things? I'm willing to spend some money under the circumstances.

Please help me not be doomed to my city's horrible public transportation system on rainy days! Thanks!

Help us stay dry!

canine epigram — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:21:19 -0800

What's the best way to stay dry while camping? So we're going (car) camping in Acadia National Park in little less than a month, and as I sit here and type, it is pouring outside.

I know about digging a trench around your tent and laying down a tarp, but often that just seems to end up with water pooled in the tarp.

Recommendations for the best camp setup to avoid waking up to floating in our sleeping bags, and general rainy weather gear (including things to look for in tents besides the obvious rain-cover) would be greatly appreciated!

(Especially because my wife is a city girl, and if we end up miserable on her first time out, we may never camp again!)

I've looked at the previous camping threads, but didn't find a lot specific to dealing with inclement whether - but boy did they have a lot of good ideas for updating my years old gear!