Pancho's revenge

I'm a bit daft about what's 'normal' here in southeastern Australia. (Many would say I'm daft, full-stop.) Throughout yesterday's extreme weather conditions, I kept imagining how the NY media would have been shrieking with catastrophic giddiness over the storm's effects: hurricane-force winds downing trees, businesses shutting early, bridges closing ... even a dust storm airbrushing the city's skyline a piquant orange before a holy rain re-christened the day with an uplifting sunset. Is Melbourne so accustomed to schizophrenic weather that it would pass without fanfare?

Um ... no.

Silly men and women risked life, limb, comb-overs and eye shadow on the TV news last night and today's papers are post-hysterical. Turns out the storm originated in West Australia as cyclone Pancho (Pancho?), claimed at least 2 lives, created public transport chaos and tossed boats at Mornington Peninsula like corks in a blender (above).