As far as my backyard (and the rest of the Perth metro area) is concerned, it's been a long time between drinks. All that changed today when the rain arrived. As it did, one of my indulgences was sated: meteorological monitoring.
I love rain. Sure for some it takes sunshine on their shoulders to make them happy, but for me it's rain all the way. I'd quite possibly be cured of my infatuation if I lived in a rain-drenched city, but I don't. I live in a city, state and nation that teeters on the brink of drought from season to season. So I'm way more likely to agree with Depeche Mode who just can't get enough either.
I love it pouring down when I'm falling asleep in bed. I love driving through deep puddles on the road and I love running when the heavens open and turn my running shoes into a Slurpex (well, I kind of like it). I also love it when the water tanks out the back of my place are overflowing with the bounty of nature's outpouring and footy players do those long 30m belly slides as the oval turns to mush.
Rain purifies, fuels growth, replenishes, cleanses... it is replete with Biblical and spritual metaphors.
And it feeds statistical curiosity.
I'd love to say that all my reasons for rainfall connection are altruistic. I'd love to tell you that it's all about the farmers and the dams (which incidentally are currently at 21.1% capacity). I'd love to tell you that it's a desire to see the local rainfall exceed 862.7mm each year to allow us not to drain the Yaragadee aquifer. All of those would be telling half-truths. But they wouldn't be absolutely truthful.
Not long after it starts to bucket down, my desire to head to the Bureau of Meteorology website germinates. If there's something that rivals the sound of rain on a corrugated iron roof, it's the minute-by-minute monitoring of a torrential downpour on the BOM wesbite. If there's no rain coming down there's not much excitement (a bit like watching grass grow, but less exciting). But when the rain comes the site becomes a dynamic feast of activity. Enough to inspire Third Day to write songs.
The rain has stopped for the moment, but it's coming back in about 30 minutes...I just checked the radar.
Yep, rain is tops. Noah loved it, I love it.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
You're tops: Rain
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9 comments:
some call it rain, others call it recharge. which is great after extended periods of discharge. recharge is essential if you want your aquifer to be sustainable.
meteorology, hydrogeology, and spirituality - share so many metaphors!
57.8mm in Bickley over the last 23 hours...
That was exciting wasn't it? Then I had to carry my 2 year old 150m up the hill from my in laws place to our car while carrying our 10 week old's nappy bag and 3 containers full of food just because my 2 year old decided she wasn't going to walk in the puddles that had formed and the flowing water down the street.
I love rain but my sore back does not.
Sure - but you'd trade the bad back for rain any day wouldn't you. For the sake of humanity...
Oh sure, humanity come before my vertabrae.
Reminds me of a prayer once prayed by an agriculture student at Uni. "Lord, irrigate us with your Spirit..."
Cracked me up.
0.2mm in the Perth rain gauge last night. Exciting!!
Yeah - 0.2mm gets me looking but it doesn't get me excited...or refreshing every 15 minutes.
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