Saturday, September 15, 2012

Waiting for the weather to change -

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I went looking for a chart like the one above to see if my perception of our weather holds true under the statistics,  the facts.  The closest location to the house I could find were the numbers for Nova Friburgo.  Our house is about 10 Kilometers from Friburgo and about 150 meters higher.  Temperature wise we are a little cooler and I would think it is close to the average numbers above, but we are more humid – humid does not measure in the precipitation numbers…. just in the ‘it feels cold and damp’ feelings.   I think that this year it has been even dryer than normal in July and August.  Our garden is looking decidedly – well dry.

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The small inset is from January when we were in the middle of rainy season.  Now the whole yard on the west side of the house has lost all its grass.   We will either have to re-plant and soon or take a chance that once the heavy rains of November and December start, the soil will wash away.  In the ten years I have lived up here full time, I’ve never seen the grass look this bad.  I would say that our rainy season wasn’t as whet as usual leaving the grass (and trees) in a weakened position before the dry and hot sun of August arrived.  When we left for Rio this morning, it wasn’t raining, but we were in a whet fog.  The rains may hold off for another month but this light moisture may help restore the grass. 

This last week we went from higher than normal September temperatures, with bright direct sun, low humidity; each day cooling a bit, clouds building each day, to the whet fog of this morning, giving us hope that rain, measurable amounts of rain will come soon.   

Sunrise promising another clear, hot day in late Winter. (September in Brasil = March in the northern hemisphere.)

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and the next day’s sunrise brings more moisture, clear mid-day skies and

 

 

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by late afternoon, rain threatening at the end of the valley but not making it up to our dry garden.  

One thing we can be sure of in Brasil the dry season comes to an end and the rains start….. guaranteed.

 

8 comments:

  1. Hard to imagine you having a 'dry' year, it always looks so lush and green but that shot of your yard tells a different story. Hope it gets the rain it needs to recover. Your photos of the weather in the hills are beautiful.

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  2. Sound similar to our weather here- can't stand the humidity and heat !

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  3. Ultimate pictures, I like to spend time with my closest friends in that kind of evening.

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  4. Waiting here, too. Drought is such an ugly word; already we are swimming in the pool again as September is unseasonably warm this year. But the grass....ready for the rain. Waiting. Hope it shows up soon, and our warmer winter doesn't mean an even hotter summer....

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  5. I thrill to the hills with the sound of music. What lovely shots.
    QMM

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  6. the first 2 photos would be great ones for me to use to teach my kids.

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    1. Ann use them if you like.... just say your friend in Brasil....

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