Dry Monsoon

Temperatures have been hovering around 110 degrees in the afternoons.  We are trying to have a monsoon but it has been a dry year.  The clouds rolled in this afternoon.  The sky got darker.  The wind kicked up and was gusting vigorously.  A few drops fell but the wind dried them quickly.  Then the rainbow formed.  For a while, there was a double rainbow, but the outer second rainbow was faint.  I stood out in the gusting wind, and the few sprinkles of rain the wind blew in, to watch the rainbow.  The sky turned red.  It was almost biblical.  The red sky was within the rainbow.  That passed.  The show went on for the better part of an hour. 

The dog was a bit nervous about the wind.  He couldn't understand why I was standing in the rain, what little there was of it.  Rain is so rare here we sometimes stand in the rain just to experience and enjoy it.  The box turtle came out for the rain, as she does.  The gusty wind blew away the monsoon insects.  It was a perfect time, although we could use some more rain.

Hope you see a rainbow.
Sincerely,
Southwest Desert Blogger
C. c(2011)

Got Monsoon?

Yes.  We've got monsoon.  The pattern has started.  Every afternoon the clouds roll in.  The wind picks up.  You may feel a few drops or see a few drops of water on the ground or the windshield.  Then the rain starts falling heavier and very soon thereafter the rain is falling in sheets and buckets.  After a period of time, sometimes a half hour, sometimes an hour or more, the rain tapers off and the storm moves out.  The sun may reappear or the quiet of night replaces the pounding of the monsoon rain.

Last week it was over 110 degrees in the afternoon.  This week it is 100 degrees.  Within a matter of a couple of hours, the monsoon lowers the temperatures thirty degrees to a humid 70 degrees.  The humidity is over 70 percent and it feels hotter because of the humidity.  Remember, we are used to a dry heat here in the Southwest Desert.  Monsoon changes that.  The smell of humidity reminds one of a more tropical climate.  Insects may appear during this season, only to disappear when monsoon is over.  Plants can enjoy the humidity and deep watering.  Enjoy it while you can.  After a while it will be gone and all will be dry again.

The long range forecast calls for chance of rain every day for over a week.  This afternoon the weatherman reported over 40 lightening strikes in a 15 minute period.  The winds did damage to a roof.  We've got monsoon.  What have you got? 

Southwest Desert Blogger
C. (c)2011