Rain, beautiful rain.

[Dog Star (Phil)]

A thread title like this probably won't get too many hits, but here goes anyway.
It's 11:30 pm local time and the rain has been bucketing down now for the last 4-5 hours.
Current temp is a comfortable 18 deg as opposed to the 25-30 that it has usually been at this time for the last couple of weeks.
I counted 4 frogs hopping around in my annexe earlier, which is a great thrill as I haven't seen a frog for about 2 years. They're coming up out of the ground where they've been in a state of dormancy since the last decent rain. I think the poor little blighters have forgotten how to swim!
In a land of extremes Nature has learned to adapt to the boom/bust cycle prevalent out here. Starting first thing tomorrow, anything that can breed or seed will begin to do so with a vengence. The dry dusty paddocks will turn emerald green as the land is carpeted in new growth and the air will be thick with beetles, moths, flies and sundry other critters.
The animals that feed on such things will become fat and randy, mating with manic desperation and Nature will experience a fecundity that is totally amazing to witness.
Creeks will flow (for a while at least) water will store up in huge puddles and the magnificent eagles and kites won't be dropping from the air with heat exhaustion.
Everything will feed; everything will breed and life cycles determined over thousands of years will continue to meander in their mysterious ways.
This rain was badly needed.
I know that the weather can be fraustrating from an astronomers point of view at times but I wish you could all see and experience for yourselves how profoundly beneficial such inclement weather can be in a land that gets so little.
First thing tomorrow morning I'm taking the dogs for a walk down the back paddocks whether it's raining or not. We'll get wet, dirty and muddy and come back with grins from ear to ear.
Rain, beautiful rain!

[Octane (Humayun)]

Phil,

Wonderful write up.

Regards,
Humayun

[astroron (Ron)]

Aint Nature wonderful Great post Phil
Ron

[Kal (Andrew)]

Great read

My aunty and uncle live down on the Murray river, which is looking more like a creek rather than the mighty river of the past, and I know that they would love to have some rain like that too

[Kevnool (Kev)]

I,m with ya Phil still waiting for a bit of precipitation ourselves here.
I read the other day the Todd had a bit of a flush first time in two years.
We may get rained on on tuesday but we will see.
Anyway enjoy the rain Phil.............Cheers Kev.

[xelasnave]

Next time you need some let me know I have had enough of it.. it is good however...I like the old rain on the iron roof trip and I dont care what I got planned if it rains I lay there and enjoy it..

Good stuff thanks for sharing.

alex

[Jen]

nice little story there Phil
awwwwww we got some nice rain here last Friday, and you know what there were quite a few puddles around the place like i havnt seen in a long time so yep i couldnt help myself me and the kids jumped in them and splashed away in the pools of mud giggling our heads off for about an hour it was fun i felt like such a kid all over again
but it wasnt so much fun when i had a load of muddy washing to do

[xelasnave]

Wow just had a down pour like no other and lightning all around..the dam dogs tried to hide in my tools and projects in the spare room... all the wood is wet and I am hanging for a cuppa... the drive is running like a river.

Anyways the lightning has stopped thank goodness

alex

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

We've just had a huge storm pass over.
I'm reckon we had about 2 or 3 inches of rain at least, and it's still raining.
My son Jack is at the moment, 7.30pm, out skim boarding on our neighbours front paddock.

The kids are really really hoping that the roads will be flooded, so no school tomorrow!

Driving home from work during the storm, there were many strikes on either side of the road, a tree was hit to my right, it burst into flames.
Poor jjjnettie was terrified.

[Dog Star (Phil)]

Someone somewhere has obviously just heavily invested in some serious astronomical gear.
And just this once, I'd like to thank them dearly for doing so.
BTW - still raining here and has been most of the day.
Roe Creek, a tributary of the Todd and about half a mile from my place is flowing for the first time in about 7 years.
The significance of that little fact is that the local aquifer, and as such, all our local bores will be replenished.
I am REALLY enjoying this rain, even with 4 inches of water flowing through my annexe

[astroron (Ron)]

Nice storm here , wind gust to 51kmh 34mm rain, and I have just mowed the grass todayso ina fortnight I will have to mow again for the last AstroNight before Christmas
Ron

[AstralTraveller (David)]

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

Driving home from work during the storm, there were many strikes on either side of the road, a tree was hit to my right, it burst into flames.
Poor jjjnettie was terrified.

Strewth! Seeing a tree burst into flame is too close for me.

Some years ago I took my wife with me to a field site I was working on. It was a swamp with only low bushes on it. We got caught in a storm so my wife decided to stay under the trees but I headed out onto the swamp. One bolt landed pretty close (<500m) to my right; 20 seconds later another one landed on my left. I'm now the tallest thing for 200-300m. I decided that discretion was the better part of valour, and anyway you can't write up results if your toast, and beat a hasty retreat to the car.