Dry Season

Trinidad has two seasons, the Wet Season and the Dry Season. That's it. A weather person here has an easy job..."High 32 deg. C, low 24. Chance of rain."

Where I live, the proximity to the coast and prevailing wind currents, along with the mountains and rain forest vegetation means it rains most mornings at about 3 a.m. I don't know why the time is so consistent; maybe it's the convection currents and the time it takes for the warm air and moisture to cool off and interact. But it's nice to hear the rain on the "galvanize" (local term for the tin roofs).

It seems hotter during the rainy season, just before it rains. No breeze, and the heat gets oppressive. The daily rain is warm, of course, but ranges from drizzles at the start to pounding torrents. This is accompanied by landslides and flooding, which in turn bring traffic woes and delays upon us.

The dry season, in contrast, has some rain at times, but not usually in the middle of the day. Any rain is short-lived, so there is usually no flooding. Many days there is none. While it is still hot and humid, the humidity seems a bit less and  there are often breezes. If you are near the ocean, you get the cooler "sea breezes" which are wonderful, even if they rust out some things prematurely.

One of the best things, for me, is that I can once again enjoy my gallery, or covered porch, where I sit and read or write, enjoying the birds and masses of green all around me. More fresh air rather than cowering in the air-conditioned sanctions from the stifling heat and humidity. Relaxing sounds of birds, wind chimes, the wind itself, and neighborhood children.

Now is when I appreciate even more that I do live in a paradise...until I drive down the road and hit another one of those million potholes that never get fixed.