A change in the weather (report)

[cactuswatcher]

I think I mentioned last year, that the weather people are changing the way our summer monsoon is defined. A monsoon (for the really bored) is a shift in the prevailing wind direction. So naturally it used to be determined not by the wind, but by measuring the average dew point (the max temp at which water will naturally come out of the atmosphere at a given humidity and barometric pressure) every day till we got at least a certain high number for three days straight. It almost never rains here in May through mid June so the most relentless, though not the hottest part of the summer is just before the monsoon starts. So people want to know when then monsoon will start, and we'll get a little relief every few days with afternoon thunderstorms. Real human beings never cared about the dew point like the weather bots. But just about everyone here looks forward to storms. The official end of the season was never really explained to us, but since the worst of the summer heat is over about that time, no one really cares.

Anyway, today the weather bureau is going to announce the official new arbitrary dates which like Hurricane season in the Gulf and Atlantic will confuse people into thinking the storms will all fall within those dates. Hurricanes are hurricanes whenever they happen. But, until now if a monsoon storm hit before the official criteria were met it wasn't 'officially' a monsoon storm though a storm couldn't happen here that time of year without the wind shift that defines a monsoon in general! So we'll wait with bated breath till we learn if monsoon storms that fall outside of the dates to be announced today will be monsoon storms or not.

Comments

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

Last summer, the flash-rains (5-10 minutes, tops, *pouring rain* in huge droplets) were made of awesome. You don't want to be stuck on the freeway when they happen, but standing under a covered patio outside, yees.

[superplin.livejournal.com]

Note to self: avoid freeway driving in August. Seek out patios. Buy umbrella.

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

Always seek out patios. Especially mine with my awesome new patio chairs.

And you're getting here Wednesday. When's lunch?

[superplin.livejournal.com]

Well, my plane gets in at 12:50, and my apartment hunter is going to call me at 1:00 to work out a game plan.

What's your work schedule like? I am not going to be as fancy-free as I'd hoped during this trip, but there is definitely time for lunch and/or a dinner and, if I'm very lucky, even a tiny bit of patio time...

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

My lunch schedule on week days is pretty flexible with prior notice. It'd be better to meet in the East Valley if we did that so I'm not gone a long time. Of course, dinner or the weekend would be more flexible.

[cactuswatcher.livejournal.com]

Forget the umbrella. By the time you find it the rain will be over, guaranteed.

Another odd thing about Phoenix you can stand out in the open when it is sprinkling and not get wet. Which is why it has to rain hard before the plants get any benefit from the rain. In summer huge droplets are the rule.