For most of my life, the smell immediately following a rain has been sage brush. It’s a lovely odor that is loaded with memories.
In Portland, I haven’t noticed any bold an immediate smells after rain events. I imagine this is largely due to the duration of rains, but the smells are usually organic, biotic; the smell of saturated soils, decomposition, and leaf mold.
Yesterday after a brief rain I stepped out into the back yard and noticed a strong and pleasant smell. The smell of thai food wafting up the alleyway. The after-rain smell here is thai food! I suppose if you have to replace something as wonderful as sage brush, thai food is a pretty good option.