Monsoon

July and August are two of my favorite months here in Tucson. It's when the Monsoon arrives. In the evening, ominous black clouds start moving in and wandering around the area dumping massive amounts of rain and producing some of the fiercest thunder and lightning I've ever seen.

Right before a storm hits there will often be a powerful blast of wind, followed by a rush of cool air. Then you can smell the creosote bushes out in the desert. The odor is pungent to say the least, like a burning telephone pole. The first time I experienced it, I thought my truck was overheating.

After the gust of wind, rain drops (and sometimes hail) start dropping until the gutters on the house overflow. Of course, right before all of this the jackrabbits, bunnies, quail, deer and coyotes start making a run for it to find shelter. A few days ago I got caught in the rain while out for a run in the desert and was almost mowed over by a doe while tripping over a pair of quail with their chicks.

Finally, when the storm is all over, the desert turns completely green. The whole event is one of my favorite. Right up there with an infrastructure crippling snow storm. Anyway, here's a measly shot of a storm wandering around Tucson Mountain Park.

By the way, the two mountains on the left are fairly well-known, appearing in any western that was every shot at Old Tucson Studios (on the opposite side of the ridge), including Stage Coach and the intro song in The Three Amigos (a personal favorite).