The approaching storm

Yesterday morning, when I was pedaling my way to the city, I noticed the sky. There were some really beautiful clouds that attracted my attention. 

Not the milky and powdery flat clouds, but some nice, full and fluffy looking ones! 

The weather broadcast said that we should expect a storm in the afternoon, but as you can observe from the pictures, although it was still 9:00 a.m. in the morning the first big clouds were already approaching.

As you might already know from my other post, rain is one of my most beloved physical phenomenons. There is something about rain, especially if we are talking about a good storm, that really excites me!

I understand that you may nod your head with question while reading these lines, as most of the people really love the sun more. I like the sun, too. But I do not love it. Someone might say that this is because I've always had plenty of sun, so the stormy weather is more rare and that is why I love the rain. However I don't think that is the case, because the majority of people here love the sun and hate the rain.

Furthermore, rain isn't actually rare here. This is a misunderstanding. When you are referring Greece to people, in everyones' minds appear images that show some nice beaches, the warm sun, the blue sky and the crystal clear waters. These images are correct, however Greece isn't a tropical place. We don't have an eternal summer. Actually Greece is a country that has all the four seasons.

I really like the fact that here we experience all the seasons, because when you start to get tired from the one pattern of the weather, the time approaches and the season is changing. In this way you never get bored of the weather as it is never the same.

After finishing my errands and a couple of minutes before reaching my home, I stopped and took more pictures of the sky. The clouds were starting to have a more deep grey color, at that point I also started to smell the rain, a sign that showed that the approaching storm was close. It was 15:00 at that time. Half an hour later, these nicely filled with moisture clouds released themselves and heavy rain started to fall towards the ground. What a sensation! It continued to rain throughout the whole day. (My bicycle was prepared though! My lights were working perfectly when I left in the afternoon and returned back in the late evening.) 

Even after midnight, when I headed to my bed to sleep, the storm was still raging outside. 

I slept with the hear of a thunder. Lightning strikes were lighting the area every two seconds and the noise that accompanies the lightning strikes was continuous. I tried to keep my eyes open, I wanted to observe this wonderful phenomenon a little bit more before I fall asleep, but I was too tired and after a while I was in deep sleep.

Some people like to compare the rain with the snow, but I think that these two phenomenons are totally different.

Yes, snow is just frozen rain, but the character of each one is different.

Rain is more fierce. You can experience a storm with all of your senses.

First of all you can smell it! There is this distinctive scent. That special earthy aroma. When smelling the scent of rain, is like you can almost taste it! 

You can also feel the raindrops in your skin. Have any of you ever notice, that even during a really heavy rain, the raindrops are never hurting your skin? You just fill the same pressure that you feel in the shower. The thought of a heavy rain makes us uncomfortable, not the raindrops themselves.

In addition, a storm is so beautiful to watch. The surroundings get a deep color, everything looks more mysterious. You observe the different rhythms of the falling water and the "dancing" of the lightning strikes. 

You can also hear the drops falling and the thunders. Who of us does not like to fall asleep while hearing a storm outside?

I do not know about you, but speaking of myself, rain gives me a weird sensation. I feel an excitement filled with relaxation. It is an odd and mixed feeling. 

Snow on the other hand is something very different. It is more silent, the sensation is different. Snow is more peaceful. It is a white blanket that covers everything and makes the surroundings really beautiful. To me these two are totally different phenomenons and I do not like when people are comparing them. Each one has it's own beauty and grace.

Today it rained again. When it happened, I was out having lunch with my family and some cousins. We were sitting outside, so I saw the signs of the approaching storm. We didn't bother from the rain, we were covered. 

The stray cats that begged for food from the people sitting in the restaurant weren't happy though! I threw them my fish bone as a little treat. 

Do you have four seasons where you live? Are autumn's first rainfalls started yet?