Thursday, June 17, 2010

They tell us it is Monsoon time

"They" tell us that the Arizona Monsoon is upon us. 

It used to be our Monsoon started after
3 consecutive summer days 
with the dew point of 55 degrees or more. 

In 2008, the National Weather Service redefined
when the Arizona's Monsoon started.

 Now, Monsoon starts on June 15. 
An absolute value - June 15.
Now, Monsoon is a true "season".

Just like Spring or Winter, Monsoon here has
a start day and an end date.

Monsoon season has its own loveliness.
Sometimes it is rain.
Sometimes just blowing mud dust.
Sometimes it is dancing, wicked lightning storms.

It is nothing more than a wind shift
- a reversal of the wind flow. 
 And now we are waiting for those hot, humid winds.
The garden will be thirsty for the rain.


12 comments:

Diane AZ said...

Where did you find all those beautiful flowers, at the botanical gardens? Pretty butterfly and puppy sculptures too. Monsoon season is my favorite season. :)

Banjo52 said...

"BUT IT'S A DRRRRYYYYY HEAT!"

Sorry. Nice pics and interesting info. I enjoy definitions of things that can only be described. That's where we humans repeatedly get ourselves in trouble.

Cyndi and Stumpy said...

Monsoon season arrived here with 67mph gusts of winds, coming from all directions.

Your garden is lovely. Are you sure you're in Arizona?

The Retired One said...

Loved all of these lovely photos, and the last one has me smiling!!!

Tracy said...

Oh, I love that chair!

Dog Trot Farm said...

Your flower photos are so lovely. I'm not so sure I could survive without a lovely southerly ocean breeze blowing my way.

Anonymous said...

That's right; you get something called rain in the summer. Are some or all of those gorgeous flowers wild?

How Sam Sees It said...

After living here for so long, I can't get used to the monsoons having a start date! Well, they are just one more step we need to clear to get back to winter!

Sam

Brenda's Arizona said...

Karin, must of the flowers are tree blooms, none are wild ones. Like the jacaranda and the Chinese lilac, most of our these are imports that we have taken to fostering in our backyards. The photo of the chair? An idea stolen from our nursery. I hate those webbed chairs, but this one with the rust just fits. We have about 15 aspargus ferns growing in our garden/gazebo, and they suffer summer thru winter without deadly stress.

Banjomyn, if only it were a dry heat! But the rain is lovely, when it comes. And as Sam says, monsoon is just one step closer to a cooler weather season!

Kathy said...

I am usually ready for monsoon when the temp has been 112-117 for the last 20 days. At that point I say enough is enough ~ a little humidity to cool the temps down would be welcome! So right now it's not quite hot enough for me yet.

Unknown said...

today i am only visiting because it seems i barely have time to do so anymore...this was a lovely place to visit!

MadSnapper said...

here in florida we would kill for a dew point of 58. ours hovers at 78 this time of year. i had to smile at your MONSOON. your garden is wonderful and I love that rocking chair photo.