It’s the season of the Arizona year when moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf of California flows north. We get relief from the ever present sun beating down on us and the sky clouds over.

It’s when we see the first rain in four months. Wildflowers begin to bloom again, as do the cactus. The plants, bushes and trees that had turned dusty grey green in the heat and dust, re-green, providing relief to our sun-burnt eyes.

It usually comes as a thunder storm. Huge piles of clouds begin to boil up over the Mogollon Rim, painfully white against the brilliant blue sky. Then they darken and distant thunder begins to sound. Few at first, the sky soon fills with the moisture heavy clouds, and the thunder begins to roll in earnest. Lightening flashes. We hope it doesn’t hit and set a fire before the rains come.

Finally, it pours down. Thunder booming, lightening flashing. Torrents falling from the sky. The dusty watercourses fill, roaring with the water’s hurry to get down hill.

It doesn’t last long. An hour or two if we’re lucky. In that hour though, two or more inches of rain may have fallen. If we’re lucky, we’ll get that afternoon storm every day. Ponds and lakes will refill. The ground will saturate and the ponderosa pines will have their fill for the year. The Forest Service will re-open the national forests, closed because of the fire danger. Visitors will return to camp and hike and see the wonder of central Arizona.

Monsoon season, a relief for us all.