Counting the cost

Once again the weather service get it monumentally wrong (not that I ever take the weather report seriously mind you). I drove to work yesterday morning listening to the chaos that the wind and rain had caused across Gauteng the previous afternoon - low lying bridges flooded, taxi's and buses having to be evacuated due to fear of being washed away, trees being blown over, a blue gum tree being uprooted and crushing 3 cars, 2 people killed by lightening - the list goes on.
So when the weather bureau spokesman puts out a message that the storms have cleared, and that there is less than 30% chance of more rain this weekend, you think they know what they are talking about right? Oh boy, how wrong could they have been.
Traveling home last night from a year end function, I stopped in at Eastgate at around 9:15pm to collect the pizza that K had ordered. I parked in the rooftop parking area, and when I came out, was intrigued by the odd 'popping' noise as I made my way back to the car. Then it dawned on me - I looked up at the skies, and knew exactly what was coming. Quickly slid into my car, threw the pizza on the passenger seat and jumped on the accelerator. I must have broken at least 7 cardinal traffic rules in my quest to get my car under cover before the hail heavens opened up. Bear in mind that we stay within 1 km of Eastgate - I drove like a raving mad banshee to get home in time. Well, I was caught about 50 meters from the front gate in what can only be described as the-mother-of-all-storms-that-I-have-witnessed. I managed to maneuver my wheel-spinning car up the slippery driveway of our complex and into its covered parking spot, but not before being mortar bombed by cricket-ball-sized pieces of ice. Luckily for me, most of the impact was absorbed by my soft-top roof - although at times, it felt like the ice bombs were about to rip through the material. I then stepped out of my car, under the carport and waited for the storm to pass. Bad move. By that stage, I was caught in a river of water at my feet - water torrenting over my shoes, and pieces of ice shrapnel flying all around me as the ice bombs battered the ground.
It lasted all of about 6 minutes, and this morning we're counting the damage:
- 1 x smashed tail light on my car
- 2 x dents on K's bonnet (even though it was covered, lateral bombs found her car's bonnet)
- 1 x broken bathroom window
- 1 x cracked loft window
- 1 x louvre roof, riddled with hail damage
- 1 x louvre roof side cladding, blown off
- 2 x shredded rose bushes on the patio

As for the rest of the complex, well, I counted at least 7 other broken windows, 2 smashed windscreens, and the remains of countless plants, trees and leaves strewn across the road.

All of that, from a 30% chance of rain this weekend.

Update: its raining at the moment, and looks like it will be for the rest of the weekend. Well done weather boys!