Dear Folks,

How do you feel when you hear the first thunderstorm of the new year, after many months of no rain?

You know what it feels like.

It feels like….REJUVINATION (victory) after five months of nothing from the sky.

This year has not been too hot, yet still hotter than we might wish.

And this reminds me of that great book about India, and India's GREAT HEAT, that the colonialists were unable to tolerate.

For example: The characters in the novel would REJOICE when the rains came.

And, do we not also rejoice when the rains come?

One of my favorite books is this one, The Far Pavilions:

When I read this book, I appreciate rain.

Also, I feel such angst and sadness that the Empire is no longer with us.

Far better, I think, that the world had been ruled by the British, up to today.

Sadly, we now see the obverse of this best of worlds.

I am an Anglophile, for sure, unabashedly.

Anyway, this cannot be.

Some may say good.

I say nay.

Best regards,

Gamma

Note:  Years ago, I could not get enough of Far Pavillions. I found it in a used book store in Taipei.

Note2: It rains, most days, on the east coast of Taiwan.  Happy Days, there, when it was raining.

Note3: This is the way things should be, actually.....

Who among us, living where we do, does not love the SMELL of the first thunderstorm of the year....

In the offing...

Just now, GammaGlobulin said:

Dear Folks,

How do you feel when you hear the first thunderstorm of the new year, after many months of no rain?

You know what it feels like.

It feels like….REJUVINATION (victory) after five months of nothing from the sky.

This year has not been too hot, yet still hotter than we might wish.

And this reminds me of that great book about India, and India's GREAT HEAT, that the colonialists were unable to tolerate.

For example: The characters in the novel would REJOICE when the rains came.

And, do we not also rejoice when the rains come?

One of my favorite books is this one, The Far Pavilions:

When I read this book, I appreciate rain.

Also, I feel such angst and sadness that the Empire is no longer with us.

Far better, I think, that the world had been ruled by the British, up to today.

Sadly, we now see the obverse of this best of worlds.

I am an Anglophile, for sure, unabashedly.

Anyway, this cannot be.

Some may say good.

I say nay.

Best regards,

Gamma

Note:  Years ago, I could not get enough of Far Pavillions. I found it in a used book store in Taipei.

Note2: It rains, most days, on the east coast of Taiwan.  Happy Days, there, when it was raining.

Note3: This is the way things should be, actually.....

Who among us, living where we do, does not love the SMELL of the first thunderstorm of the year....

In the offing...

What an absolute pack of 5h1t3. Start off about a thunderstorm, then onto some book, then God only knows what you are on.....about!

11 minutes ago, wil iam not said:

God only knows what you are on.....about!

God knows, for sure what I am talking about:

The first thunderstorm after a very LONG dryspell.

One can smell it coming in the offing.

I know you know.

You are just provoking me to pound more profoundly on my keyboard.

I realize this.

But, no worries, because....

I am up for the challenge.

Just now, GammaGlobulin said:

God knows, for sure what I am talking about:

The first thunderstorm after a very LONG dryspell.

One can smell it coming in the offing.

I know you know.

You are just provoking me to pound more profoundly on my keyboard.

I realize this.

But, no worries, because....

I am up for the challenge.

I am not provoking or challenging you in any way. I simply reply as I see fit.

But you go on pounding that keyboard as much as you want, it gives some of us a laugh.

As for the rain...bring it on a s a p please. I don't know what you are suggesting with 'I know you know', but I cannot smell it yet.

Rain coming back after the usual dry spell is great, especially for your grass and plants. The problem is that when it starts, it goes on for months, and is way too much. Tropical of course, which is why I prefer a varied climate. Four seasons, no extremes. Texas is actually hotter on average than Thailand, but it does get cold, sometimes very cold, at least for awhile, and it's a nice change.There is a Spring and Fall also, even though it's hotter than up north in New Jersey where I'm from. Too cold there, extreme, like the rain here.

There has been very little variation in the weather overall this year. Isolated flash floods are part of the seasonal variation.

The geographical climatic distribution and impact is a normal event.

That the OP might reside in a location that seems as eccentric as the posted content makes it difficult to determine that rainfall is genuine or just a distribution from 24/7 Aircon condensation due to clogged drainage from excessive perpetual airborne incense burning!

1 hour ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Dear Folks,

How do you feel when you hear the first thunderstorm of the new year, after many months of no rain?

You know what it feels like.

It feels like….REJUVINATION (victory) after five months of nothing from the sky.

This year has not been too hot, yet still hotter than we might wish.

And this reminds me of that great book about India, and India's GREAT HEAT, that the colonialists were unable to tolerate.

For example: The characters in the novel would REJOICE when the rains came.

And, do we not also rejoice when the rains come?

One of my favorite books is this one, The Far Pavilions:

When I read this book, I appreciate rain.

Also, I feel such angst and sadness that the Empire is no longer with us.

Far better, I think, that the world had been ruled by the British, up to today.

Sadly, we now see the obverse of this best of worlds.

I am an Anglophile, for sure, unabashedly.

Anyway, this cannot be.

Some may say good.

I say nay.

Best regards,

Gamma

Note:  Years ago, I could not get enough of Far Pavillions. I found it in a used book store in Taipei.

Note2: It rains, most days, on the east coast of Taiwan.  Happy Days, there, when it was raining.

Note3: This is the way things should be, actually.....

Who among us, living where we do, does not love the SMELL of the first thunderstorm of the year....

In the offing...

Inbreds !

Good for the crops for sure,

But with the aging and mainly very badly maintained drains all over, it's never very pleasant when it starts to pour down in Thailand.

1 hour ago, wil iam not said:

but I cannot smell it yet.

Weather, like politics, is local.

If you were not here, then you would not have smelled it.

1 hour ago, 0ffshore360 said:

Inbreds !

Still good.

17 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

How do you feel when you hear the first thunderstorm of the new year, after many months of no rain?

It may have helped had you stated exactly where it's raining now.
Thailand is a big place and weather can be localised.

It's 34C, bright blue skies in Isaan today.

17 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

It feels like….REJUVINATION (victory) after five months of nothing from the sky.

Last showers were in November here, hardly 5 months ago.

17 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

This year has not been too hot, yet still hotter than we might wish.

This month of February is the hottest I've experienced in 12 years.
Days of 37/38C already, and next week even 39C predicted.

16 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

God knows, for sure what I am talking about:

The first thunderstorm after a very LONG dryspell.

One can smell it coming in the offing.

I know you know.

You are just provoking me to pound more profoundly on my keyboard.

I realize this.

But, no worries, because....

I am up for the challenge.

"for sure", very South African-ish for an Anglophile. But I don't know your background so perhaps that is what you are.

Just now, Liquorice said:

This month of February is the hottest I've experienced in 12 years.
Days of 37/38C already, and next week even 39C predicted.

Thailand is a big place and weather can be localised.

It always surprises me in Thailand that it can be raining on the 500 meters I am driving and then, suddenly, as if a line was drawn across the road, completely dry again.

3 hours ago, Liquorice said:

This month of February is the hottest I've experienced in 12 years.

This IS internesting, also.

Why: Because the hot season two years ago, if I recall correctly, was SUPER-DUPER hot.

Was that not the year when world-average surface temps hit a record?

And, the news kept showing us some graph.

Scientists were flabergasted.

Yes. After checking, I think it was 2024.

I just recall SUPER HEAT almost every day.

I do not mind the heat I even enjoy it.

However, it does a number on my power bill.

But, apparently, Thailand is now heading into a major El Nino year this year.

So, if you say this is and will be the hottest year for Thailand, 2026, then...this could be the expaination.

Here is CM.

And here, I have noticed what feel like much cooler weather than 2024.

Weather changes seem to be occurring more rapidly, these days.

3 hours ago, saintdomingo said:

"for sure", very South African-ish for an Anglophile. But I don't know your background so perhaps that is what you are.

If I sound as I would if I were from South Africa, then I am completely OK with that.

I love Elon, you know.

4 hours ago, Liquorice said:

Thailand is a big place and weather can be localised.

45 minutes ago, wil iam not said:

Thailand is a big place and weather can be localised.

Are you a parrot or trying to be a comedian.

7 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

This IS internesting, also.

Why: Because the hot season two years ago, if I recall correctly, was SUPER-DUPER hot.

We're not in the hot season yet though.

Just now, Liquorice said:

Are you a parrot or trying to be a comedian.

Neither sorry. I maybe misunderstood what GG was on about, as usual!

19 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

Rain coming back after the usual dry spell is great, especially for your grass and plants.

In Isaan, many rice crop fields are still a foot deep in water from last years late rainfall.
Water tables are still so high it can't soak away.

28 minutes ago, Purdey said:

It always surprises me in Thailand that it can be raining on the 500 meters I am driving and then, suddenly, as if a line was drawn across the road, completely dry again.

This is due to clouds.

Very often, at sea, we can see this happening in the distance, and the rain falls is a very limited and restricted area, under the cloud.

It is quite beautiful, at sea, in the distance.

6 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

We're not in the hot season yet though.

Yes.

And, this is why it is interesting to me.

If we are not entering an El Nino, and the weather will become even hotter than 2024 was during the hot season, we are in for even higher record heat.

Fortunately, after two years, I finally have 3 working ACs installed, 2 new and one 8 years old.

Such as challenge because one company kept sending my factory failures, and would never admit it.

With much persistence, I got that company to remove it totally, and installed a Daikin, which seems quite good, has a good compressor unit fan bearing, and does not leak coolant from the indoor unit.

Getting that replaced would have tested Job, even.

So, I am prepared, this time.

No matter how hot it gets.

Hopeful the grid will stay up and working, as well.

21 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Dear Folks,

How do you feel when you hear the first thunderstorm of the new year, after many months of no rain?

You know what it feels like.

It feels like….REJUVINATION (victory) after five months of nothing from the sky.

This year has not been too hot, yet still hotter than we might wish.

And this reminds me of that great book about India, and India's GREAT HEAT, that the colonialists were unable to tolerate.

For example: The characters in the novel would REJOICE when the rains came.

And, do we not also rejoice when the rains come?

One of my favorite books is this one, The Far Pavilions:

When I read this book, I appreciate rain.

Also, I feel such angst and sadness that the Empire is no longer with us.

Far better, I think, that the world had been ruled by the British, up to today.

Sadly, we now see the obverse of this best of worlds.

I am an Anglophile, for sure, unabashedly.

Anyway, this cannot be.

Some may say good.

I say nay.

Best regards,

Gamma

Note:  Years ago, I could not get enough of Far Pavillions. I found it in a used book store in Taipei.

Note2: It rains, most days, on the east coast of Taiwan.  Happy Days, there, when it was raining.

Note3: This is the way things should be, actually.....

Who among us, living where we do, does not love the SMELL of the first thunderstorm of the year....

In the offing...

sounds as if you're happy

1 hour ago, Liquorice said:

In Isaan, many rice crop fields are still a foot deep in water from last years late rainfall.
Water tables are still so high it can't soak away.

Quite a distance between the north and south borders, and a varied weather system.

51 minutes ago, D Peter said:

sounds as if you're happy

It is true that the smell of rain is a happy thing, especially after a long and hot dryspell.

The smell is distinctive and identifiable.

We've had a bit down here, PKK, the past week. Nothing major, though suppose to be heavy, forecast anyway, but just enough overnight, to knock down the smog and water the gardens for us.

Saraphi had it for a while and the rains aroma stayed

1 hour ago, fredwiggy said:

Quite a distance between the north and south borders, and a varied weather system.

Yep, but still no idea where he's referring to.

6 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

Yep, but still no idea where he's referring to.

Supposedly in Chiang Mai.

Do I need to start "The Bangkok River Level Thread 2026" yet??

A bit of flash and bang is good for the garden, but we need to finish our roof renovations!!

2 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Do I need to start "The Bangkok River Level Thread 2026" yet??

A bit of flash and bang is good for the garden, but we need to finish our roof renovations!!

I live outside any flood zones in this area.

As the climate warms, as you know, atmospheric water vapor increases.

I do hope we do not have another flood while I am alive.

Once per hundred years should be sufficient.

Yet, century-floods are becoming decade floods, or so we are told.

Thunderstorms, by contrast, are completely harmless, and provide happiness.