Monsoon Days

In preparing for this trip, I've been wondering about the weather. It's pretty common knowledge that India is hot, Hot, HOT. And I think everyone knows in a general sense about the heavy rain during monsoons. However before deciding on this trip, I didn't know anything about the seasons.

Here's what I've learned so far - India has three seasons: Winter, Summer, Monsoon.

Apparently the term Winter is relative in this case -- I think for Southern India it means daytime temperatures less than 80F. (No need to waste our time debating the real definition of Winter.)

Summer is a time when temperatures become increasingly hot -- heat building and building, in some locations to coma-inducing 120F -- and oppressively humid in most locations. The sun is strong and burning. Dust blows.

Research indicates monsoon begins in June, breaking the stranglehold of heat with its cooling rains. Not so, according to sandals-on-the-ground accounts. In actuality, monsoon is a season that is not predictable and often late in coming, dragging its feet, the guest of honor late to the banquet while everyone in the land from prince to pauper is dying to drink. The heaviness of the air is augmented by the heavy hearts who are waiting, waiting, waiting for the cooling rains to begin.

Additionally monsoon comes to different regions at different times, and to other regions not at all. The west coast and very deep south have heavy monsoons with copious flooding beginning sometime in June. Hyderabad doesn't get a lot of monsoon. Chennai / Pondy have monsoon, but it starts later.

I believe my trip will be wedged very securely in the malaise of Summer. Waiting.... waiting.... waiting....