a.k.a. V.J.

A storm rolled through town today. It came fast, presaged by dark clouds and hot winds. Then the skies opened up. The storm made some noise before moving off to the east in less than an hour. That’s how summer storms often go around here — hit and run affairs.

A winter storm in Central New York is a thing worthy of dread. It will make your life hard and, if you’re not careful, it might make your life shorter. The locals will curse a winter storm. Summer storms are different.

A July cloudburst can be a welcome occurrence. Sure, if it hits on a weekend, the people planning cookouts, baseball games, or outdoor weddings aren’t happy. But just as often, it offers a nice excuse to stay indoors and read a book instead of getting after that yardwork. Then there are weekdays. Not many people care if storms happen during the workweek. On a hot Thursday, sudden rain is a small blessing.

When the sky gets dark, the office-bound have a reason to get up from their desks and gawk out the window. You can chitchat with your fellow gawkers, saying things like, “This should cool things down,” or, “We needed the rain.” If you crave an extended break, you can always go poke your head out the door just before the rain starts to feel the sudden temperature drop, take a whiff of ozone-laden air, and listen to the leaves flittering in the wind. If there’s lightning, you might play the game of counting seconds between flashes and thunder booms to estimate the distance of the strike.

Finally, after it all comes and goes, there’s the satisfaction of that wet, hot pavement smell rising off the parking lot as you prepare to drive home into the newly blue horizon.