Here Comes the Rain Again …
Here comes the rain again
Falling on my head like a memory
Falling on my head like a new emotion
I want to walk in the open wind …
This 1984 Eurythmics song by written by Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart came to mind this morning as the rain finally arrived. It’s now 9.10 pm and a storm is raging outside bringing much needed rain after 4 months of dry weather. The experts tell us that this one weather event will not be enough to relieve the drought – we apparently need at least 100 mm of rain before they will even think about telling us that the drought is over.
I love stormy weather, as long as it doesn’t go on for days on end. On the coast you experience the full force of whatever is thrown at you. We have had some pretty fierce storms over the years, but never anything that has caused us any notable property damage. At high tide in a storm the waves come right up to our boundary and occasionally wash slightly up the bank and under the trees at the bottom of our sloping property, but never any further. We don’t get the full force of the ocean swells because our part of the coast is protected by out-lying islands. However, it can get pretty wild at times.
Because of the long spell of hot, dry weather we’ve had since December we can put up with the stormy tantrums for a few days to allow the ground to soak up the moisture and the vegetation to replenish itself.
This image was taken at 11.00 am this morning.
After the Storm
The northern part of New Zealand has just been battered by a north-easterly storm that brought heavy rain, high winds and cold temperatures. Some Auckland suburbs and parts of the CBD were flooded and several roofs were blown off. The end came very quickly. As soon as the sun appeared, so did the surfers. The choppiness of the sea subsides in short time and for the next few hours perfect surfing waves form. Its school holiday time so the news spread quickly to get to Takapuna Beach to ride the waves.
Another Wet Day
Earlier today it looked as though the weather was about to change for the better. Logically this couldn’t be so as the forecast was for more of the same. And so it was.
Another Wet Day
Stormy Morning
After weeks of warm, and latterly, humid weather the usual pre-Christmas storms arrived yesterday. It had been so dry for the past two months that the whole of the North Island north of Auckland was declared a drought area. During the past 36 hours we have had periods of heavy rain and the atmosphere has become even more sticky with humidity.
Yesterday morning I set out to try to capture the mood of this change in weather. Just as I walked onto the beach the rain started again so I managed to capture just a few images. Storm water run-off had scoured the sand at the ends of the streets that slope down to the beach. The wind was blowing in from the north carrying ever bigger rain drops as the minutes ticked by. Those few walkers who had ventured out were hunched over as they quickly moved past.
This morning the mood is much the same, except that the wind has dropped and the tide is further out.
Stormy Morning - Takapuna Beach - Auckland, New Zealand
Surf’s Up!
Surf's Up! - Takapuna Beach
Two days before the storm. Wind and waves start to build up and local surfers gather to ride the early waves. Two days before a storm the view to the horizon is clear. When we can see Great Barrier Island without haze we know a storm is coming. Today it arrived.
Storm Day
Today the storm arrived. It was more wind and overcast really, but not enough rain to soak into the ground. The fine sea spray got onto the lense and made it hard to take photographs.
Storm Day - Takapuna Beach
Grey days make for difficult exposure. Getting focus when sea mist gets onto the lense adds to the difficulty. Catching the atmosphere was the aim.
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