Blowin' In The Wind

Living in Arizona, we're constantly aware of any changes to the dry heat of the summer. One of the most dangerous changes comes with the monsoon, a seasonal weather pattern that brings moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean. The storms often appear unexpectedly, and bring a high amount of rain, preceeded by high winds and dust. Many of the local television stations broadcast a special about the dangers of the monsoon.

On Thursday night, we got caught up in one of the storms. We were driving after dark and fought the wind for a good distance. We could see the dust getting kicked up, and watched as heavy raindrops splattered on the car, muddying up the windshield with a thick paste. Our field of view diminished to the point where we could see only a few feet ahead of us. We pulled over, turned off our headlights, and turned on the hazards. A signpost that was only ten feet ahead of us disappeared in the gloom. We sat for several minutes, in silence, watching as cars slowly passed us, and others, following our example, pulled off the road. At one point, McKenna said she was scared and wanted to go home. In all, we waited for about fifteen minutes for the storm to pass us over.

As the wind slowed and visibility increased, we could see that the car was covered in dirt. I'm glad we had the sense of mind to pull over and let the storm pass over us.