Rain in Phoenix

         It’s a beautiful, sunny day here in Phoenix. White puffy clouds are building in the horizon over the mountains, looking like so many balls of cotton floating in an azure sky. Didn’t quite look like this earlier in the week (twice!).

         Now, I like rain. I do. I prefer a gentle, steady shower that makes you want to stay in bed and listen to it patter on the roof and windows, watch old movies or read a book safe in the cocoon of your bedding or curled up in a favorite chair, a cup of tea or coffee at beside you. That’s not what we normally get here at this time of year. We get monsoons, micro-bursts and macro-bursts. Nothing gentle about that. We’re not talking small drops that ping against your window or the ground.  We’re talking big, fat drops that make a definite loud, hard plop. We get…thunder, lightening, wind gusts that make you feel like you’re flying off to Oz (I’ve never been in a tornado or hurricane and I really don’t want to…I would imagine our monsoons are smaller, though no less destructive, versions of those horrendous forces of nature) and downpours that can dump two inches of water in thirty minutes or less.

         It’s amazing to watch from the comfort of your home. Downright scary if you’re out in it (I’ve seen the rain come down sideways, pushed by the wind!) This happened both Tuesday and Friday in the Valley of the Sun (fortunately, on both occasions I was not in my car because you just can’t see!). The sky darkens to an almost purple as those storm clouds roll in and then, they kinda just stall there, right above you and drop tons of water. What’s most amazing about this is that it can rain in one part of the valley but not another and the distance might only be a mile. I’ve seen it rain on only one side of the street, too. Everything is drenched within moments and then….the streets begin to flood (because, you know, it never rains in Phoenix and our drainage system is quickly overwhelmed), the gullies and drainage ditches fill up and well, it’s a mess!

         Then, as quickly as it starts, it’s over. The clouds break up or move away to another part of the valley and the sun shines and for a while, the earth is fresh and clean. Renewed. And you end up with a day like today. Beautiful.

         Now, if you were going to put a monsoon storm in a story, how would you write it? And do you think my description above does it any justice?

As always, happy reading (and staying dry!)

Marie