Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Weather

I am going to write about weather today, because right now, many of our family and friends are in the mist of blizzard-like conditions in the mid-west.  And right now, it is 84 degrees in Arusha. :)  Which is why I live in the tropics.

 This....    OR
This?
      


    Weather is a huge selling point to me for living in Tanzania.  I *dislike* cold weather, snow, sleet, hail, and freezing rain.  When it drops below 60 I feel chilled.  Which is one reason I really enjoy the weather in Tanzania.  Arusha's temperatures usually stay between the 70's and 80's YEAR  ROUND.  It might be a rainy season, or dry season, but the temperature is always moderate.  The hottest month of the year is February, the high being about 87 degrees.  The coldest month of the year is July, which might dip down to 55 degrees at night (BRRR!) 

    One outcome of the consistent weather is the way houses are built.  The windows are all single paned, and usually have noticeable spaces around them letting air in and out.  Most Tanzanian homes that are made from concrete have a concrete block in each room near the roof with holes in it, "to let the air in" from the outside.  Not much thought (or any) goes into insulation. 

   Because we live so close to the equator, the daylight is consistent year round.  The sun comes up around 6AM and goes down around 6PM, only fluctuating about a half an hour throughout the year.  There is no dismal winter afternoons where the sun goes down at 4PM, and no summer nights that last until 10PM.  Personally, I like that. 
    Since we are so close to the equator, we have to be very careful to not get sunburned, and wear hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen when we go out.  It's common to see many children coming out to play, and adults going for a walk around 5 PM, twilight, when the sun isn't as intense.

      All in all, I have to say, the weather in Arusha is lovely.  We have very few thunderstorms (maybe three since we've been here), too far from the coast to worry about hurricanes, and as far as I know there aren't tornadoes in Tanzania either.
        Have a nice day, and stay warm!

Our family

Our family