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Stormy Anguilla Weather in May

We may not get snow.

We may not get sleet.

And we may not get very many grey days.

BUT...

When it rains, it pours!

That was the color of the ominous sky one very quiet, still and sticky afternoon in May on the southern coast of Anguilla. Over the hill, on the island's north side, we could see lightening flashing.

But it wasn't the lightening that sent me running for my camera...

Water Spouts!

We could see them only faintly from our side of the island. I've never been witness to a tornado or anything similar though, so my heart was racing!

My Mom's heart skipped a beat too. She saw the spinning spouts and immediately ran to shut the windows. What she didn't know was that water spouts aren't like tornados. The most common type forms on water, and usually dies before it hits land. If it does come ashore, it's not particularly destructive.

Apparently they have come on land before in Anguilla, traveling through the Valley. The worst it did was break a few windows and overturn a car. We definitely aren't in Kansas. ;-)

Although they are most common in tropical climates, they are a rare sight in Anguilla. Locals were chatting about the storm, their eyes widening when we told them what we saw. We were definitely excited, sharing our faint photos with pleasure. They were something else!

As the storm headed south, the spouts faded (thankfully!) and the skies let go. Rain, rain, rain... Five inches of rain filled a bucket outside after the storm passed. The strangest part? The sea went a strange hue of greenish-blue, and was calmer than we had ever seen before! Was the worst to come?

Nope, the rain just continued on! Anguilla weather in May is a bizarre enigma...

The next day I received a pleasant surprise in my inbox from Anguilla-Beaches.Com reader Bob Magee...

The View On The North Side

I can only imagine the excitement of witnessing that.

What a spectacular photo, thank you Bob! A great ending to our storm sighting indeed... :-)