Good Luck, Bad Luck, and Drought Luck

For the better part of this week, I’m sure you’ve heard us mention…over and over again…that we have chances for rain.  Some have seen a little, fewer have seen a lot, and others have been almost completely dry.  And in the drought we’re in, it’s a disappointment to many when the rain fails to materialize in the amounts we need.

Several factors come together when we’re in a drought…the most important of which is the general weather pattern just not being conducive to widespread rain.  The few times we get a favorable pattern and get caught under a downpour…now that’s good luck.  Bad luck is having a line of storms fizzle out as it comes in from the west…or perhaps having strong storms to our south take up moisture that might have come our way, reducing our rain chances.  Then there’s drought luck:  the weather pattern assures there will be a good chance of some drought relief, and the heavy rain develops…over Charlotte.  As Maxwell Smart would say, “missed it by that much”.

In baseball, it’s often stated that perfect games and no-hitters can be as much luck as they are talent.  It’s rather similar with droughts…but “drought luck” is not a good thing, as our rainfall deficits increase.