The typical weather in Cairo: sunny, warm or cool, but mostly warm. At night, pleasant. A little cooler in the winter months. Clouds in the sky during the fall and winter months, but big open skies in the summer. Wind blows at times, rarely with gusts.

But last week, the weather changed during the day--a sand storm! And this week, rain! The sand storm was quite difficult on the nostrils and throat. Visibility was low, and the sky was an off-white color and hung heavy like just before a snow storm. Dust made it into the open doors of buildings and entrance ways while a small coating settled on the floor of my apartment (we have many windows through which the dusty wind passes). Strong winds, a definite drop in temperature, the severity of the weather definitely set an odd mood among the folks I spoke to. This was a small one--I have heard stories of red skys and dark clouds of sand that come through in the spring. I am waiting.

And rain. Sprinkles in the evening one night this week. The very moment I heard rain fall against windows and walls I got excited. A quick glance at the windows to see the water streak made me happy. To wake up and see the streets still a bit wet--well, it calmed me. But yesterday, the big 15 minute legendary downpour which turns the streets into rivers of mud happened. The build up to this moment has been great, and I fully expected my love of rain and rain storms to be ruined by this event because the streets turn into an awful sludge, like the remains of snow 3 days after the storm. Because there are no drains on the streets here, large puddles of who knows what form. Cars splatter who knows what everywhere. Weather advisory: roll up the cuffs of your pants, walk with caution. I missed the downpour because I was in the Archives. I could feel the stormy weather afterwards--clouds were still a bit heavy and the wind strong. And I got to walk around trying to avoid the who-knows-what on my way to the Metro. At least there was a change in the weather. For this I am happy.

(How's all that weather in the Northeast, my snow bunnies?)