Summer Rains in Chicago

Summer rains are notoriously unpredictable, but nowhere is this more true than in the amazing city of Chicago. The powerful winds caused by Lake Michigan can push the clouds so quickly that you are never sure whether there will be rain or shine from one minute to another. Normally, this is good news for a weekend of warm weather because the rain will quickly blow over, but today the rain and shine were playing keep-away and the citizens of Chicago had to grin and bear it.

Summer Sun

Chicago has had some wonderful weather in the past few weeks -- in fact, the weather has been in the 80s and sunny despite it only being the beginning of the summer. Chicagoans were preparing for a weekend of continued good weather but, unfortunately, the meteorologists predicted rain. Still, with a certain optimism, we all thought that perhaps the rain would blow over and our day would be bright and sunny. What we got was more of a mixed blessing.

The Millennium Art Fest

One of the many art festivals held on the streets of Chicago, this small congregation of local artists brings some fantastic art to both tourists and Chicago locals. However, being a street festival, the business of the art fest relied heavily on the weather. On Saturday the 5th of June, the rain filled most of the day and these artists had to close up their white tents to keep their paintings, photographs, and sculptures as dry as they could. Needless to say, one day must have been frustrating enough. Today, on the 6th, the sun rose to reveal a dry morning. Hopes were high that we would not witness a repeat of yesterday.

Things were going well in the morning and early afternoon, but around 1:30 PM a heavy rain suddenly appeared out of an otherwise clear sky. I, being at the art fest at the time, was able to enjoy ten minutes or so of looking at the same art, as I was confined to one of the tends while the rain fell heavily. Some more prepared individuals pulled out some umbrellas, but when the rain began to fall as hard as a typical monsoon rain of Hollywood, they were forced to either hail a cab or hide under the tents with the rest of us. A few minutes later, the rain lightened and we were able to move to another tent, until the rain fell heavily once again. It was not long until this rain lightened, however, and we could go about in the sun once again.

Sunbathing

The expression "summer rains, you can never predict them" has never rung so true. Later that afternoon, sunbathers were equally having a frustrating time. After a few minutes of beautiful sunshine, heavy rains would appear, followed by a cloudy sky and then sun once again. It was enough to drive anyone up a wall.

After a day of rain and shine, we can appreciate now the benefit of knowing for sure what the weather is to be. For now, we must take a moment to laugh at the nature of life. Within a single day, a million things can change. It reminds one that in the end, "nothing is certain but change."