It's Here

While yesterday was the official first day of spring, nobody told the storm. It was characteristically wintry, with its relentlessly gray sky and mostly steady rain. But today's storm was decidedly springlike: mercurial, irregular, given to turbid outbursts, then sombre moods, then boring monotony, then sudden cheerfulness. Some of the downpours were quite spectacular, flooding the back yard within a couple of minutes, but they never lasted for long. The sudden appearance of bright sunlight contrasted sharply with the dimness before and after the sun's exposure by the rushing clouds. For long periods there was nothing but intermittent drizzle,like a quiet weeping. It was, in short, an adolescent storm. That's spring for you.

In late afternoon and early evening, there was even some thunder and lightning, but that didn't last long either. It is quiet now, but there could be a bit more rain later tonight. Sadly, we didn't get the visible sunset I'd hoped for. Now there is no more rain in the long range forecast, and after the next couple of days there won't even be any clouds. It's going to get warmer but, thankfully, not hot. The battered plants will be able to resume their growth, and will probably recover from the beating they took today. But this is March, and the forecast could change quickly. We might get another such storm soon enough. In fact I hope we do. It was very entertaining.