Short Story about interminable rain on Venus

It's not All Summer in a Day.

This was a story about explorers on Venus, who are separated from their base (possibly they're lost, possibly they suffered equipment failure, possibly they're just traveling from base to base) and are slowly being driven insane because it never stops raining.

The story is old enough that Venus' clouds were still believed to indicate a wet climate.

I can't remember much more detail than that. I have the impression that the narrator at one point either dreamed of or fantasized about walking into the destination base and being handed a very plush towel to dry off. I can't remember the central plot points - only the (very wet) setting. I would have read this in the late 1970's or early 1980's. I thought it might be an H. Beam Piper short story but I've been through his catalog and don't see any likely suspects.

Answer

I think this is 'The Long Rain' by Ray Bradbury. From Wikipedia:

The story tells of four men who have crashed on a planet where it is always raining. As they try to reach the safety of the Sun Domes, they end up being driven insane by the endless rains.

Comments

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