Tropical Rain

It's supposed to be the dry season right now in early June. That said, it still rains most every day here. Supposedly the cold air around the volcanic peaks pulls the moisture from the air. One of the peaks overlooking Pago Pago harbor is even called Rainmaker Mountain.

The rain here is unlike the temperate or mediterranean rain that has been predominate in the other places I've lived on the West Coast. Seasonal rains that start in November and continue until spring with rarely a rain outside of those times are the norm I've lived with up until now. The weather usually comes in as a part of large storm fronts carried east by the jet stream from out in the Pacific. These fronts will roll over the region and last from a few hours to a week, but they are predictable and are spotted by meteorologists well ahead of time.

Here in American Samoa, at least since I've been on island, the rain is a whole different beast. Admittedly, I don't have much access to the local media yet, so I can't say whether the weather predictors have much of a handle on how to forecast here. The best indicator for me thus far have been the wind. Right before every rain I've experienced, the wind starts to roar. The palm leaves rustle and shake. This is your warning sign to get inside.

Within 5 minutes the rain starts to move in. If you're outside you can see it sweeping towards you, usually from off the ocean. A wall of water soon passes over you and you;re surrounded by a downpour. It is an onslaught of small raindrops at a greater density than I have ever experienced. The wind almost immediately dies once the rain is upon you and you are left to find shelter or watch the avalanche of water from a window.

I'm also amazed how warm the rain is and how the temperature doesn't fluctuate during a storm. It's such a strong contrast to the rain I've experienced in California and Oregon, which is exclusively cold. I'm amazed that the times I've been caught outside in the rain here in a t-shirt and shorts, I wasn't the least bit bothered. Though it does take awhile for your clothes to dry out after the rain ends.

The rain thus far hasn't lasted longer 5 or 10 minutes at the most. Long enough to saturate the ground and leave rivulets of water draining away. Just as quickly as the rains begin, they die off and move on.

I'm sure my opinion of the rain here will quickly be revised once the wet season hits or a cyclone rolls through.