Monsoons Arrive Early

The crazy rains that pummel our little yard...


...flood our modest garden...


...and knock our plants down (so that we have to tie them back up)...



...are called monsoons, here in the southwest. This is a quickie on monsoons excerpted from here:

The moisture in the air forms scattered clouds early in the day. As the day goes on, the sun heats the ground which causes air to rise. As the air rises, it cools, which causes its humidity to condense into towering thunderstorms. As the afternoon fades into evening, the thunderstorms begin their displays of vivid lighting and heavy rain. Often the entire thunderstorm can be seen in the clear air of the West. Haze often hides eastern thunderstorms.

Here's one of those towering thunderstorms starting to build at work last night. Weather....fascinating!