Headline on July 9th:
Little rain, but monsoon is very much in Delhi
Headline on July 10th:
Heaviest rain in 4 years; traffic pain across Delhi
I had been wondering why there was no rain for three weeks straight during “monsoon” season, but the first article explained it:
Monsoons are a seasonal moisture-laden wind system that builds from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal and crosses into the sub-continent. And it carries heavy rain clouds. It comes in waves: there are heavy spells of rains, often followed by lighter showers or dry spells. Just like the waves hitting the shores – advancing and receding.
Packing an umbrella to work on the 10th ended up being a really good idea! I ended up waiting for my taxi for about 10 minutes in the POURING RAIN. Even with the umbrella, my pants and shoes were soaked and muddy by the end.
It rained so hard, my camera fogged up!
My taxi was very late. Once inside and on my way home through stop-and-go rush-hour traffic, I watched all the people on bicycles and on motorbikes. It looked absolutely miserable. I saw one man on a bicycle who had his cargo covered in plastic, but he was completely soaked through as he pedaled through the puddles. Lots of people have motorcycles (and many take multiple passengers) because it is cheaper. But there is one major drawback to that mode of transportation.
Also, AWESOME lightening storm. Just incredible. Streaks across the purple sky, constantly.
The monsoon rain dumped a bucket on Delhi, then was gone, leaving cool, fresh air. I even opened my balcony door, which I usually don’t because of the construction dust and heat. Though I suspect this means flooding in the high country.
In other news, I finally got my “Form 16” with three weeks to go before the income tax filing deadline. Now I get to figure out how to file taxes in India.