Tropical Storm

As I am writing a load crack of thunder echoes through the air and a flash of lightning lights up the dark sky. The computer should really be switched off and unplugged from the socket, but the storm outside has inspired me to write. It has been brewing for a few hours now, after a sunny, hot day the change in weather is no suprise. I live on an island where the sun shines about 3/4 of the year, but despite so much heat the island is green and the flowers colourful, this is because it also rains, a lot. Summer is here and the days hot, the nights too, at this time of year it rains mostly at night. It has not rained in weeks, but falls heavily now, a dense and warm rain. I have seen many thunderstorm in my life, I have always enjoyed watching, but I have never seen storms so fierce as I do here in Brazil.

The sky clouds up and the lightening starts first, it is best to watch it from the beach. Sat on the warm sand the rays illuminate every cloud on the horizon and the sea turns silver with each strike. Every once in a while a fork of lightening breaks out from the clouds, splitting many times as it makes it way down to the ground. In the distance the thunder starts to quietly rumble, time to get inside. As the thunder approaches it gets louder and echoes for longer. There are two types of thunder, the rumble, and the clap which snaps like someone banging two heavy blocks of wood together. The clap of thunder so loud it is enough to frighten most animals into hiding but my small dog doesn't even flinch, he is used to these storms. We both go onto the balcony to await the rain, the ligthening still brightening the sky, the gaps between each rumble of thunder shortening. The wind begins to blow and as the storm moves overhead the rain starts to fall heavy, soaking the ground in seconds. There is no gap between the thunder and lightening now, it is one after the other, the sky looks beautiful. A deafening snap of thunder and nearby a small baby awakes from it sleep and cries.

The rain still falls, but the thunder again echoes in the distance and the lightening flashes less frequently. The storm has moved away for now, but without doubt will be back in full force later.