What do we mean when we say Monsoons?

Richard Charpentier Arizona, Notes from Rich, Prescott 4 Comments

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The river you see is the sidewalk in front of the Ian Russell Gallery

I’ve been in downpours.  Lived in Florida for quite a while you know.  Jr. High, High School, and under graduate.  So, plenty of time to live in 1,000,000% humidity, and with that humidity comes thunder storms.

So, living in a “dry” state I figured monsoons wouldn’t be anything compared to Florida thunder storms.

Of course, this is the moment where I say, “Boy, was I wrong about that.”

This is my third summer in Prescott.  And monsoons have started up……finally.  We need the rain!  But wow, when it comes down it comes down fast, in some areas while other areas are dry, and then it moves out as quickly as it popped in.

I snapped these photos several days ago during one of the monsoonal downpours.  A sidewalk that becomes a river.  Seriously, I think any kayaker worth their salt could navigate the Goodwin Street river during a downpour!

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Shot through my neighbor's shop window as the rain came down!

But, as fast as the water dumps on to our streets it disappears.  Hit and run storms, that’s what we’ve got here.  And I’m waiting for the next one!  They’re fun to watch, and someday I’m going to get “that” lightening shot!

Comments 4

  1. It’s always confusing to me how areas that can easily be classified as “deserts” could get this amount of rain – and that they even have a “monsoon” season. A stereotypically dry climate with a monsoon season is akin to the Pope celebrating Hanukkah – just sounds off a little.

  2. It’s easy – what little rain we get comes all at once.
    The word “monsoon” means seasonal wind. In summer, when the winds come from the south or east they bring our monsoon storms.

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