Saying farewell to May with an abundance of rainfall and rising river water.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
A sudden violent thunderstorm swept in around 8 o’clock last night, strong winds ripping through the trees, bringing with it about 0.39″ of overnight rain (according to the Precip.ai app). This morning, the balcony is still wet and the street is mottled with damp patches. Many blossoms from the Northern Catalpa trees have been knocked down. Also finding a lot of small branches and bits of foliage strewn about. Sad to see so many fresh young leaves come to an early demise.
By now, the weather has calmed significantly. The air feels cool and the breeze is nice (8:17 am EST). The sky is nearly clear, but streaked by numerous airplane condensation trails. Walking the path that leads over to the playground, there are unripe mulberries scattered across the ground. Another casualty of last night’s storm. A bit of a shame really. Somehow I completely missed their flowering and now they are already bearing fruit. Not sure how I overlooked that.
Other Notes:
- There are a lot of Chimney Swifts flying about. As always, they are a joy to watch. Their twittering flight is a nearly constant presence whenever I’m outside.
- I found a bunch of juvenile Spotted Lanternflies on my morning glories (…again). Not pleased! They were given the boot! Literally.
- At the park, Lavender has already begun to blossom, filling the air with a delicate fragrance. The nearby Oakleaf Hydrangea is on the verge of blooming as well.
- I also found some brightly colored daylilies that had already flowered, but their petals were looking a bit soggy and weather worn. A quick image search suggested that they are ‘Stella de Oro’ Daylilies, a compact dwarf variety with golden yellow flowers that bloom all season long. I made a mental note to look for them again in a few weeks.
- I found a small Eastern Cottonwood branch, with leaves and pods, laying on the ground. Decided to take it home and sketch it.
- Last but not least, Cornflowers are blossoming in the garden at the end of the street, creating a splash of brilliant blue color amidst a sea of green leaves.
By early afternoon (1 pm EST) the sky had clouded over quite a bit and the temperature had risen. It felt quite warm, despite the nearly constant strong breeze. I decided to close the windows and put on the air. Generally speaking, I am not one for iced beverages or air conditioning, but today is an iced matcha latte and air conditioning kind of day.
Friday, May 22, 2026
A grey overcast morning with strange string-like clouds to the hovering in the western sky. Fairly cool, only 60°F. We are expecting a lot of rain today. There is a big storm system to the south of us that will reach Cincinnati in a few hours. I really ought to get out and go for my walk now, but I am procrastinating…
Looking over at the neighbor’s yard, there is a Mourning Dove waddling across the lawn, and several Starlings pecking the ground. A Grey Squirrel placidly hangs upside down from the bird feeder, completely unfazed, ignorant of his unwelcome behavior. I love how their luxurious tail drapes over them, like the coziest cloak imaginable. It’s fur looks SO soft. You can have all the bird seed you want little one, just let me pet you, please? I am sorry, I just cant help it. I am totally hopeless when it comes to cute and fluffy creatures (don’t worry, I wouldn’t be so foolish as to attempt to pet a wild squirrel).
In other news, my battle with the Juvenile Spotted Lanternflies continues. Every time I go out the front door, I knock them off my plants and try to smoosh a few. It’s quite surprising how far they can jump! I feel bad killing them, but they are everywhere this year. Hopefully, fewer today than yesterday… If you are curious what they look like, I mentioned these pests in my previous post, When April Feels Like May. They are a highly invasive sap-sucking insect that can cause significant tree and crop damage when in large numbers.
Out for A Walk
Finally, I got out for my walk. Brought a little umbrella with me, as it was starting to sprinkle. The hosta plants that dot the shady hillside have started to bloom. All of the shrub roses have continued to blossom vigorously and are covered in rosettes. A few more steps down the street and I noticed a new plant with tiny pink flower clusters, nestled in a neighborhood garden. Turns out, they are Japanese Spirea (Spiraea japonica), also known as Japanese Meadowsweet (How do you pronounce “Spiraea”? Spi-rah-e-ah?? I am fairly certain that my guess is wrong lol).
There are tangled masses of random wild flowers growing on the messy, weed-filled hill behind the big apartment complex. Some look like vetch and blanket flowers, others I cant identify. However, I refuse to walk through the unkempt grass and risk getting chigger bites just to take a closer look (not worth it, in my opinion).
Once again, the end of my route took me through Hopkins Park. Knowing that it will soon be time for Monarchs to arrive, I paused to snap some pictures of the Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) growing amongst the sidewalk garden bed. Their tops covered in flower clusters waiting to open. Lastly, the Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) has revealed a few more flowers, but is still mostly green buds. I returned home tired and sweaty, glad that I could move on to the creative projects waiting for me. I think if I had waited any longer, I would have had more than a few sprinkles to deal with, as a gentle rain began to fall as I was stepping inside.
More Rainy Weather
The rain brought with it a misty fog that shrouded the city and hid the river from view. This continued for the remainder of the day and on into the evening. Strangely the daytime temperatures were nearly constant and the intensity of the rain didn’t vary much. All very steady. Through an open window, I could smell the scent of damp earth coming from outside. The air is cool and refreshing. I was glad it was raining instead of being miserably hot. Checking the weather now (8:55 pm EST), there is a Flood Advisory. This time the Precip.ai app is saying we have had 0.98″ of rainfall in the last 24 hrs.
Ohio River at Cincinnati – May 23, 2026
The next day, I decided to take additional notes regarding the height of the Ohio River. Water level as of 7:45 pm on May 23rd were at 33.39 ft. That is up from the morning of May 22nd, when it was at 27.9 ft at 8 am. So in roughly a day and a half (36 hrs.) the river height had risen by 5.49 ft. per the National Water Prediction Service website. That’s a lot of water!
Please Note: This is well below flood stage, which is 52 ft.
Monday, May 25, 2026
I am super thrown off by today being a holiday (Memorial Day) and I keep thinking its Sunday, when it’s actually Monday. I have to keep reminding myself that tomorrow is TUESDAY. Herp derp.
Everything outside is damp this morning. There is a robin on the retaining wall fence, and of course, the chimney swifts are out and about. The fog and glowing moonlight from last night have all disappeared. Light cloud cover gave way to partly cloudy skies. The addition of bright sun and warm temperatures made the day feel quite summery.
My recent interest in water levels made for a good reason to go out on a photography excursion. We started by crossing over to Kentucky and visiting a small riverside park, where the historic Newport Barracks monument is located (it’s only an 11 minute drive). The intent was to get some shots of the junction where the Licking River joins the Ohio River. However, the vegetation along the riverbank is quite overgrown and there wasn’t a really good view of the water’s edge. This would have been an awesome opportunity for a drone shot (unfortunately, flying one is way out of my league). However, as you can see in the photo above, the Licking is quite muddy and heavy with sediment.
Beneath a nearby covered picnic area there were Canada Geese and some odd looking ducks we soon identified as Muscovy (Cairina moschata). It seems they are not native to this area and any individuals present are likely feral. Their red faces were quite striking!
On Our Way Back
From there we went back across the river to the Serpentine Wall that runs right along the waters edge on the Ohio side. We had a nice stroll. I saw some things I’d not seen before. Mostly monuments, bridges, and lots of brown water, which oddly reminded me of chocolate milk (minus the large branches and bits of floating bark). I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was very little trash along the riverbank.
By this time it was midday and the sun was getting intense. I was sweating and uncomfortably hot by the time we made it back to the car. The heat and exposure to sunlight completely drained me and I had to take a nap when we got home.
Despite the hot sun, the air felt cool coming off the water and although it was warm, it wasn’t really humid. The park along the river front (Sawyer Point) had lots of cherry trees so I’d like to come back during cherry blossom season. There were tons of Oakleaf Hydrangea flowering, along with daylilies and a few other flowers, most of which I couldn’t identify. I also saw some Purple Coneflower. All a bit early but what I would expect given how the year has gone so far. I am still waiting to see fireflies, annual cicadas, and dragonflies. Even the crickets and katydids seem quiet thus far.
Monday Evening
Later that evening as twilight closed in, the sinking sun set the horizon aflame with a bright streak of neon red. It was so vibrant it looked fake. We stood outside to watch it glow for a few minutes and noticed a couple of bats flying about. They soon vanished from sight. I decided to just enjoy the moment rather than rushing inside to grab my phone. Not every second must be captured in pixels.
The Ohio River
Of course, all that note taking on water levels got me curious, so I had to do a bit of research about the Ohio River itself. As you might expect, the waterway is iconic to the Cincinnati area (and of course, to the entire Heartland region) and has a major influence on local weather patterns, particularly in regards to fog formation. Here are the most interesting bits I found.
Facts About the Ohio River
- It is the third largest river in the United States.
- The Ohio River is 981 miles long and it’s course touches or runs through six different states. If you include the Allegheny River, the total length reaches 1,310 miles.
- Its watershed is even farther reaching, encompassing eleven states. These include: New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio (based on the map delineated by the Ohio River Foundation). However, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the full Ohio River Basin also includes the Tennessee River, which extends this range to include Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and a tiny bit of South Carolina.
- Consequently, the Ohio River is a significant tributary to the Mississippi river.
- According to the University of Oklahoma Press, the name “Ohio” comes from the Seneca (Iroquoian) word Ohi:yo’, which means “good river”.1
- Historically, the river has been an important corridor for transportation, as it connects the surrounding region to the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi River. It also served as a physical border for much of the Mason-Dixon line.
- It is home to over 160 species of fish.
- It is also known for a diverse array of freshwater muscles which are under threat due to pollution, invasive species, and degradation of the river biome.
- Sadly, the Ohio River consistently ranks among the most polluted rivers in the United States, depending on the pollutant category. Some of the contaminants include heavy metals, PFA’s, and industrial byproducts. I could not find a 2026 ranking.
- However, this type of chemical pollution is not to be confused with sediment. The muddy color of the water is largely due to soil erosion.2
Bidding May Farewell
The Ohio River Valley is an interesting place from which to experience the seasons. As I have mentioned previously, it is like a little pocket of warmth. A microclimate that behaves a bit differently than the surrounding landscape. In my time living here (over 10 years at this point), spring has often been extremely brief. For the past several years, it has seemed like winter jumped straight into summer without much transition or pause. Almost like we have two seasons now, instead of four.
However, this year the seasonal shift has occurred in an unexpected way (or perhaps the normal way?). We had an actual spring. Complete with lingering cool temperatures and lots of wet weather. A noticeable slower progression of the season. It was really nice to watch and enjoy the subtle changes as time passed. If anything, these last few months have been unusually gentle, sparing us from the oppressive heat and humidity that will undoubtedly come with summertime.
I have mixed feelings about the arrival of June because it spells the end of spring and the beginning of summer. On the one hand, I am dreading the hot weather and being trapped inside the house with the air conditioning. On the other hand, I am excited about the change and looking forward to things like the summer solstice, the chorus of annual cicadas, twinkling fireflies, and long evenings.
Goodbye dear May, the fifth month of the year. Thank you for your many gifts. Beautiful sunsets, comfortable days, ripe strawberries, and a blue moon, just to name a few. I will move forward, as that is all one can do, and embrace whatever June has to offer. Remaining anchored by my observation practice of nature with it’s many incremental seasonal changes to guide me along the way.
What are you looking forward to the most this summer?
May, the month of fresh leaves, new beginnings, and the bountiful gifts of spring.
– Amy Earls
- University of Oklahoma Press – https://books.google.com/books?id=5XfxzCm1qa4C&pg=PA344#v=onepage&q&f=false ↩︎
- Ohio River Resources:
University of Maryland, Center for Environmental Science – https://ian.umces.edu/blog/ohio-river-basin-environmental-literacy/
Ohio River Foundation – https://ohioriverfdn.org/ohio-river/
Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_River
U.S. Geological Survey – “Largest Rivers in the United States” – https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1987/ofr87-242/
EPA – “Ohio River Basin PDF” – chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://echo.epa.gov/files/Ohio%20River%20Basin.pdf
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