A Tropical Afternoon Rain

This is a portion of the patio on a partly cloudy day.

We are outside in the pool, enjoying a bit of sunshing and occasional relief of some passing clouds. Out of the blue we hear the sky roar. Thunder. We have to search to find the approaching cumulonimbus cloud. Sometimes there are many, coming from several directions. A high percentage of these afternoon rainstorms begin with a whipping wind. Within seconds the patio will look like this: (The cats like the maze it creates.)

The wind swirls around in the patio and churns up the mats that cover the cement surface. If we have a little advance warning, we anchor them down with bricks or plants. But these storms often surprise us, leaving us mere seconds to cover the pool and gather our asundry items to make it inside without getting pounced by pitchforks of rain.

If multiple clouds join up, the rain seems to last forever. It might only be half an hour, but it comes down so heavy in sideways sheets it floods the entire patio. The mats float around and leaves the yard like this. Often the mess includes several downed leaves and branches. This is just one of many surprises that can cause a change of plans during a tropical afternoon.