Well, the official map from last week tells in part, a dreary tale, a tail of two weathers.
One tail, is the tail we normally grab in October, a tail of a kite. October is the driest month of the year and sometimes a windy month. It makes for great fun outdoors. In October the cool breezes of fall commence and summer is a distant memory. Except now.
The second tail, is the tail of the drought. We've grabbed it by the tail and it is slinging us against a brick wall. We are 18 inches shy of the average rain fall for this year. We've only received 23 inches. Weeds are dying, trees are dying, birds are dying, the grass is, in many places, long since dead. What a year! You know it has been a year of crazy weather when August posts the largest monthly rainfall in the previous 12 months.
This drought has weighed heavily upon the psyche. People are experiencing mental abberations that have their genesis in the lack of rain. The sight of a dark cloud has been known to send thousands to the windows of homes, apartments, office towers, glass pressed with faces all hoping for a sight of falling rain.
On top of the drought has been temperatures hotter than hell. August, the hottest month in my life, continued though September and October unabated. The forecast high for Tuesday October 9th, is the same temperature you'd expect for July 9th, 92 degrees. Is it Global Warming? Who knows? But it certainly is LOCAL WARMING! Local warming all over the place.
Stay cool, do a rain dance, keep praying.
