This evening’s tempest has been foretold days in advance. All sorts of advice went along with dire weather forecasts. The flood is coming! Fix your roof! Protect your cellar with sandbags! And it was quite impressive when it came. High winds, ample lightning, gnarled clouds, and a drenching shower. But the tumult passed over Motovun surprisingly fast. Pitifully fast, in fact. All that remained even a few minutes later was a light drizzle. And the disappointment set in at once. The tempest was a flop. Although it may keep drizzling through most of the night, everyone feels let down. Cheated, in fact. A tempest foretold ought to be much more impressive. Dazzling. Blood-curdling. As well as memorable for many years to come.

Addendum (September 19, 2011)

After yet another storm, the rain came early this morning. It has been raining quite heavily ever since. If it continues like this, flooding will become a real problem along the western coast of Istria, which is quite flat. This is where high waters struck last year in this very period of the year. All in all, the weather forecasts were right on the money. The weather is dire enough. It was only the opening salvo that struck me as not exactly up to scratch.