As Canadians, we are very familar with the term "Snowbirds." In Mexico many of the US residents that live in the hot southern states come to our area of Mexico in the summer. They enjoy our temperate climate and low humidy. These folks are referred to as "Sunbirds." Rainbirds, now they are another story. They are not birds at all, they are huge green Cicadas and once they begin to "sing", the rains are about to begin! Figures, we will be arriving to our new home just in time for the monsoon rains!
You see, it doesn’t rain in or around our new home Chapala on the north shore of Mexico’s largest lake from the middle of September until the rainy season begins on (or before) June 13th. The old wives tales say that six weeks after we hear the first rainbird the first showers of the summer rainy season will begin to fall.
The large, local prehistoric-looking cicadas come out of their long hibernation and into adolescence at this time of year, and begin their loud screechy, buzzing mating calls.
The songs of love produced by these beastly insects is loud! They must complete their life cycle by laying the eggs for next year’s rainbirds before they drown in the first rains.
Once the rains begin, the climate cools considerably. Mornings are cool and overcast, until the sun comes out and reveals a bright blue cloudless sky around mid morning. All through late June, July, August and sometimes September, the temperature warms during the day to around 75 to 80, and by late afternoon, dramatic grand thunderheads are building over the mountains that encircle the lake.
Sometimes there is a heavy shower around 7 or 8 p.m. Usually it waits until the middle of the night with loud crashes of thunder - banging and booming rainstorms and huge flash The temperature drops into the high 50s or low 60s for perfect sleeping. The next day it all begins again!
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