Weather It Is (That (Blessing) Was Really Nice)

Good Evening:

There was something really special about the nighttime strong storms and subsequent pitter-patter of raindrops on our roof.  It has been reported that this was the heaviest May rain (http://www.timesofisrael.com/highest-may-rainfall-ever-recorded-thursday/).  Strangely it took several large tour groups by surprise, and they even needed to be rescued.

One might ask: is rainfall after Passover a blessing (we pray for dew, not rain)? What about after a winter drought?

The US government just released a report speaking about changes in the intensity and severity of recent weather, associated with greenhouse gases induced climate change (National Climate Assessment). Does this event qualify?  It was actually an unusually cold event fed by unusually moist air from the tropics (and warming temperatures lead to greater evaporation).

Looking ahead, it is going to stay unseasonably cool for several days, and there is a chance for isolated showers or thunderstorms as the upper atmosphere remains unusually cold.  When temperatures do eventually warm up,  it is not at all clear that they will stay warm.  "Some light it hot, some like it cold, some like nine days in the pot," our changing climate seems to have it all.

Shabbat Shalom,

Barry Lynn