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Monsoon madness under a hidden falling sky



O rhys, this is to appease the gecko in you.


Of the Sonoran Desert, the monsoon - the period of
needed rain after a hundred some days of arid 110
tempered sunlight - is here.  It's humid in the days
while the horizon in all directions show brewing
thunder-heads, stronger and larger by the afternoon.

And today was a prime example.  By five in the
afternoon, the setting sun morph-ed the approaching
storm in colors that drenched from menacing purple to
an off white-orange and the winds gushed with the
scent of cooler temperatures.

I love the sun, that is why I moved here seven years
ago this very week.  Then, this time of year was no
big deal (more like May in Ohio), only these storms
sometimes consist of sand rather than rain.  But now
that I'm acclimated as a native - this is a
spectacular time for the desert.  It is the only true
time rain could really happen - though no promise is
given, just strange demonstrations of heat lightening
and unexpected hurricane-like winds.  And since the
humidity, something that only visits for two months
out of the year, is so high, the atmospheric
differences between my work office and to the parking
garage is the kind of sauna like conditions I don't
enjoy.  I prefer more of the arid, dry air than the
crushing, boa-constricting humid air.

Though, like the animals of nature here, I am mysticly
disturbed and aware of this time - when water suddenly
appears in old riverbeds from a torrential rain
hundreds of miles away, a death ticket for the unaware
individual who might be caught in it's path.  It's the
time, here in the city of Phoenix, when such road
signs like "Do not enter when flooded" are taken very
seriously.  As for Nature, the cicada sing every time
the winds start, between 4-5 pm, like a warning.  The
gecko's enjoy a sudden population burst; only since I
notice more of them during this time of year - which
makes them a tempting bite for the crows and stray
cats.

Though the natural cycle of life becomes a visible
sight during these long afternoon hours here in
August, I pray for rain - if not just for an hour. 
Just a chance for the cement sidewalks to cool down
from the pounding sun.

But then for this request, we lose to see a natural
wonder.


I may have embellished a little but I primarily wanted
to let you all who aren't plagued by cloudy night
skies to have a chance to see something wondrous.

As a child of Ohio (actually, I grew up in Wellsville,
Ohio, second city along the Ohio River - know for it's
pottery), I was greatly in love with the night sky and
all of the wonders it holds, partly of the winter
night sky that held Orion.  Of some of the things I
loved of the night sky were meteor showers - and
August has the best and largest - The Perseid's, in
the Perseus Constellation.  Generally, Arizona skies
are clear year around, except during the Monsoon
season.  Because of the weather, it's rare to catch a
glimpse of the meteors falling to earth.

The occurrance happens around August 10-13, with a
rough average of 120 meteors an hour - that's two a
minute!  The peak time is normally around 3-5 a.m.
with the focal point centered in the northeast part of
the sky, where Perseus will rise.

I forget which comet leaves it's debris for our planet
to cross into this meteor shower - if anyone has any
ideas, please respond.

Though, from what I can say - the target time is for
this coming weekend - considered it a warning.

And, as a critic of night sky views (the recent
Hale-Bopp, in March of 1997, was sheerly crystal clear
here), during a past Perseid meteor shower, I once saw
a chunk of space dust streak across the sky so bright,
that it left hazy trails of orange and green; it even
sizzled!  (or is that just my imagination?)


Anyway, the point is I can't see this year's Biggest
Meteor Shower this coming Friday, Saturday, Sunday,
night because the Monsoon is actually on time this
year - You can!


So Prepare and Enjoy.


Chris Cataldo
Half Italian, Half Native American.
Living on the land I stole from myself.


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