The Long Rain

--The Long Rain

FTLComm - Tisdale
July 16,1999

Showers, dreary clouding and drizzle, those of the sort of things one expects in July but a full twenty-four hours of steady rain is truly quite unusual for Saskatchewan. All Thursday and through the night until sunrise this morning is just kept coming down. This unusual situation seems to have been created by unusually low temperatures. It was 9 all day long and a steady North West wind indicating that we were in the zone of a low pressure trough with the colder arctic air running into damp warmer air and hence, rain for us.

The picture on the right was

taken right at 0900 this morning as were the rest on this page and as you can see looking to the North there are some broken patches in the solid shoulder to shoulder cumulus cloud system covering the morning sky. The picture below (right) is looking South and it is much heavier in that direction with a curtain off to the East.

The picture above left is of the South side of our house and you can make out the water laying in our neighbour's yard and the accumulation of a big puddle beside our house.

We also have water laying in the back alley. This is the sort of thing you might see in the spring with run off or after a big thunder shower but the ground is really soft and spongy from the steady rain that seemed to be welcomed by the ever thirsty garden on the right.

Saskatchewan is known for its dry climate but this year we are seeing things that just do not usually develop here. A few days I was surprised to see moss growing on a bricked sidewalk here in town but then this morning I noticed a similar situation on our driveway. In the picture above right you can see a green cast on the concrete and an apparent circle, this pattern is repeated but also at the tip of the arrow there is moss growing. Similarly the big poplar beside the step has this green decoration on the South side of it which is always in the shade from the house.

On Wednesday agricultural spray aircraft were working from the airport dumping fungicide on canola crops as well as some insecticide to kill off some of the dread "wheat midge" which seem to be making headway in the area.

The high level of humidity and ground water is making this a "wet year" in the history books and wild life observers are reporting considerably more ducks then usual this summer. If you are concerned let us know and we will begin digging up some workable plans for arch building.

--The Long Rain
FTLComm - Tisdale July 16,1999 Showers, dreary clouding and drizzle, those of the sort of things one expects in July but a full twenty-four hours of steady rain is truly quite unusual for Saskatchewan. All Thursday and through the night until sunrise this morning is just kept coming down. This unusual situation seems to have been created by unusually low temperatures. It was 9 all day long and a steady North West wind indicating that we were in the zone of a low pressure trough with the colder arctic air running into damp warmer air and hence, rain for us. The picture on the right was
taken right at 0900 this morning as were the rest on this page and as you can see looking to the North there are some broken patches in the solid shoulder to shoulder cumulus cloud system covering the morning sky. The picture below (right) is looking South and it is much heavier in that direction with a curtain off to the East.

The picture above left is of the South side of our house and you can make out the water laying in our neighbour's yard and the accumulation of a big puddle beside our house.

We also have water laying in the back alley. This is the sort of thing you might see in the spring with run off or after a big thunder shower but the ground is really soft and spongy from the steady rain that seemed to be welcomed by the ever thirsty garden on the right.

Saskatchewan is known for its dry climate but this year we are seeing things that just do not usually develop here. A few days I was surprised to see moss growing on a bricked sidewalk here in town but then this morning I noticed a similar situation on our driveway. In the picture above right you can see a green cast on the concrete and an apparent circle, this pattern is repeated but also at the tip of the arrow there is moss growing. Similarly the big poplar beside the step has this green decoration on the South side of it which is always in the shade from the house. On Wednesday agricultural spray aircraft were working from the airport dumping fungicide on canola crops as well as some insecticide to kill off some of the dread "wheat midge" which seem to be making headway in the area. The high level of humidity and ground water is making this a "wet year" in the history books and wild life observers are reporting considerably more ducks then usual this summer. If you are concerned let us know and we will begin digging up some workable plans for arch building.