Haboob!!

13 years ago

Lots of wind, dark clouds and a very faint smell of rain in the air. I also see a small bit of a rainbow way over to the north of the Superstitions. I don't think we're going to get any moisture with this - but could the monsoons be starting?

I read somewhere that when there's a lot of humidity in the air, plants tend to open their pores to maximize absorption. If it doesn't end up raining, they lose moisture through the open pores so it's a good idea to water after a humid, but ultimately frustrating rain-less day. Does this make sense to anyone else?

Comments (6)

User
Original Author
13 years ago
well, I clearly scared it away - no rain and it's just going to be hot and dry (and windy) the rest of the week. . . :-(
mangledmind
13 years ago
zzini,

What's scary is that the monsoons pull moisture, and contaminants, from the Gulf of Mexico (think oil spill/dispersants/etc).

To answer your plant question a great series, is BBC - The Private Life of Plants. Also BBC - Life, Plants (episode 9 of BBC - Life) I've seen them on Google video and YouTube. I think they also sell the box set of these series :)
A lot of info on plants and the organisms that support them and vice versa.

Here is a link that might be useful: ARIZONA AND THE NORTH AMERICAN MONSOON SYSTEM
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sherizona
13 years ago
What's even more brutal is the hot wind. The plants lose quite a bit of moisture when these winds come through (think how it would be to aim a hair dryer to your plants!)...just make sure you try to give them a drink in the morning, rather than at dusk.
crista
13 years ago
I don't know about the pores - or stoma - on plants opening up more when it is humid, but I do know that plants lose moisture throughout the day due to transpiration. Don't wait for a humid day to water. Keep to a regular schedule of deep, less frequent watering for desert plants.
softmentor
13 years ago
mangledmind air and rain over AZ is rarely coming in from gulf of Mex. but rather from pacific and gulf of Cali.
mangledmind
13 years ago
softmentor, check this document out on the monsoon gulf patterns, the gulf supplies the moisture this time of year.

Here is a link that might be useful: ARIZONA AND THE NORTH AMERICAN MONSOON SYSTEM