Meteorology and the Art of Winging It...

And so, despite the Regional Meteorological Department’s best efforts to baffle and confuse citizens about exactly why the rains are late and so Goddamn sporadic, they are finally here — albeit nearly a month too late. That’s not to say it was a smooth entry either... Far from it, in fact.

A bit of rain today. None tomorrow. Sunny skies when I leave home. Getting soaked on the way to work. Then it’s all hot and sunny again when I reach the office. The whole day’s nice and sunny and at night, it goes and pisses down on me. And that’s just me. Other folk head out of their homes and end up returning to waist-deep water. But that’s if they’re lucky. Some watch articles from their homes — at times, even their entire homes — getting washed away by water-logging and eventually, floods.

It’s not like the authorities are doing nothing at all. I’ve seen some of the efforts being put in to help water drain away faster, to help it stop collecting at one place and to help it flow back into the sea effectively. It’s not like the meteorology department is purposely coming up with kookie tales to justify the lack of rains or the overdose of rains (as the occasion demands). I’ve seen some of the charts and satellite images they use to predict climactic changes. They’re pretty hardcore.

The bottom line is this. As much as we can build machines, sensors and devices to try and predict weather patterns, rainfall, earthquakes and even human responses, there comes a point where one just has to sit back and take it as it comes. Letting go. Letting Nature be Nature. Preparing for all eventualities. But expecting none. And when it does come along, sometimes, one just has to wing it. Hurl it at the wall and hope it sticks. Singing when you’re winning. Running for cover when it’s over.

Which is why the people desperately trying to put predictions, plans and flow models into place have my admiration and sympathy. Trying to turn the illogical, chaotic and entropic into a logical set of algorithms or patterns that stay consistent. That’s some serious shit right there. Sometimes makes you think it’s bloody pointless trying to pin down the unpinnable. Isn’t it fascinating though? That struggle to make sense of nonsense? Think about it for a second.

And then, you’ll always get people who’ll forget the serious implications of rain (excess or lack thereof, either way) for just a moment and think about how pretty a bit of rain makes the world look. Like diluted paints mixing as they runs down a water-coloured picture. Like mascara streaks down cheeks. Like a dew-covered flower. They’ll think about how romantic the rain is. Getting caught in the rain with someone special. Running for cover hand-in-hand with said someone special. There are always people who will look for that silver lining on thick grey clouds (Rain-pun Mcgee!!).

Not me though. Rain is rain and it’s time to go to the authorities for their rain update. Happy Monsoons!