August 7, 2008 - The Difference Between Here and There

If there is one thing about living in Las Vegas that stands out above all the rest, it is the general lack of moisture falling from the sky. One almost never has to worry about getting wet while walking from the car to the grocery store or even worry about whether your windshield wipers work or not. Heat and extreme dryness are another story, of course.

Move about 2,600 mile east, however, and the weather game changes just a bit. This summer, storms like the one shown departing the area in this image have been very common. Dodging raindrops has become the norm, as has the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder. Not to mention the nasty humidity. For a while, the rain was a novelty again. It was nice to hear it beating against the windows at night. It's a peaceful sound. But now, as I study the Weather Channel's 10 Day Outlook for western New York, I wonder if I should buy a boat.