It’s always exciting when the first rainstorms roll into the Lake Chapala region during May. They offer welcome signs that relief from weeks of sweltering heat and refreshing summer weather are on their way.

In the course of this week, we have already experienced a few light showers and a couple of substantial rainfalls that released the heady aroma of petrichor from dampened earth. We got some steady rainfall accompanied by thunderbolts on Tuesday night that soaked the parched ground, and a short storm at sunset on Wednesday that swept through the area, powered by fierce winds.

But don’t be fooled into thinking that this year’s summer rainy season is getting off to an early start. According to conventional wisdom, the temporal de lluvias won’t really kick in until mid-June when San Antonio Tlayacapan celebrates its patron saint. Local folks know it’s wise to go to the festivities equipped with umbrellas or other rain gear. The same applies to celebrations in San Juan Cosalá that take place later in the month. You can always count on St. John the Baptist to bring on typical wet weather.

Please login or subscribe to view the complete article.