No Hail, No Lightening

Among other things today, I had to go into Obihiro this afternoon to run some errands. While I was in Obihiro, I got caught in a nasty rainstorm; it was such a surprise because I checked the weather forecast right before I left, and although it was suppose to stay cloudy, no rain was predicted. I got caught in a camera store, getting prints, while the heavens opened. It turned the parking exit I normally use into a deep river thus trapping me for about fifteen minutes until it finally lessened slightly and I made a run for my car. Witnessing the extreme amount of rain that fell, it makes me wonder how it was never predicted; there was no warning. One thing you don't have to worry about with heavy rains in Japan is that normally no hail nor lightening accompany it; so there's slightly less to worry about. Irony of ironies: the main reason I went to Obihiro was to buy an umbrella.