When the Rains Tease

The dark pregnant clouds rolled in, just as they had each afternoon that week. My heart leaped - finally, the long-awaited rains had come! I rushed to gather the laundry off the line before the first fat drops fell. But after only a light drizzle, the clouds vanished as quickly as they came, leaving behind humid air and disappointed hopes.

These false starts of rain have become familiar occurrences as Kenya transitions from the dry to the rainy season this October. We find ourselves in that fickle in-between period locals call "the short rains." However, the term feels ironic when the showers often renege on their promises.

The short rains normally arrive in October through December to provide a mid-year reprieve before the longer rains of March through May. During this seasonal shift, winds from the east collide with currents from the coast, causing atmospheric instability. One moment, ominous clouds squeeze out a miserly shower. The next, they disappear, carried off by dry winds from the north.

The teasing rains come during a period of shortening days, as Kenya tilts away from direct alignment with the sun after passing the Fall Equinox. The clouds let some moisture escape, but true saturation must wait for the fullness of the long rains.

Some insist these fickle showers are not natural at all, pointing fingers at the government for alleged "cloud seeding" - a practice of artificially stimulating rain by injecting chemicals into the clouds. Conspiracy theories spread that officials use weather modification to control the rains, either to prevent flooding or to fill water reserves. However, most meteorologists dismiss such claims as unfounded rumors. Kenya's unpredictable rains can instead be attributed to the complex dynamics of competing seasonal winds and fronts as the climate shifts from the dry months to the wet season. The variability is simply nature's way of transitioning the landscape from drought and thirst gradually into saturating quench over the coming months.

The locals look on resiliently, saying “Vumilia! God’s timing is best.” Farmers bide their time, preparing the hardened soil for important crops like maize, beans, and potatoes. Cattle graze the parched grasses, while acacia trees and shrubs hope for rain to coax new growth.

Many take advantage of the dry months to plant trees – stately mahoganies, bountiful mangoes, medicinal moringa, and more. The roots will anchor deep before the rains unleash new life. There is wisdom in this patient planning.

Just as the natural seasons rotate through cycles of change, so too must we adapt to life’s transitions. Learn to find sustenance during dry spells. Trust that the rains will eventually come to nourish growth. Have faith through the transitions, and you will reap a bountiful harvest.