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Wild grasses are turning brown, desert wildflowers are blooming, notable high tides
Perfect time to view distant galaxies
Browning grasslands at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park's west mesa trail.
The annual green-to-golden transition of San Diego’s wild grasslands starts during late March or early April, depending on the amount of late-season rainfall. North-facing hillsides and canyon slopes retain the green color longer, as they are less exposed to drying sunshine. Locally, most of the wild grasses are naturalized (non-native) annuals, the seeds of which were introduced along with hay and other grains brought in by the Spaniards hundreds of years ago. However, some of the mountain meadows still contain remnants of native grasses, which remain more or less green almost the year round. These rare native grasslands can be found in certain parts of Cuyamaca Rancho State Park and are more widely distributed at the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve in the Santa Ana Mountains west of Temecula.
Dune Primrose (Oenthera deltoides)
The Anza-Borrego Desert State Park flowers will be at their annual best this month, beginning with low-elevation, warm areas like Borrego Valley, the Borrego Badlands, Coyote Canyon, and along Highway S-2 in the south end of the park. Among the many annually appearing wildflowers you’ll find in the low-lying areas are desert sunflower, dune primrose, lupine, desert chicory, sand verbena, and desert lily. On slightly higher ground and up along the hillsides, you’ll spot blooming brittlebush, chuparosa, ocotillo, apricot mallow, and more. Several varieties of cactus are already beginning their blooming cycle. This winter’s subpar rainfall may lead to a wildflower season best described as fair to poor. For weekly updates about the desert bloom, call Anza-Borrego Desert State Park’s special hotline, 760-767-4685, for a recorded message or visit their website.
High tide at Kellogg Beach along San Diego Bay in Pt. Loma.
Notable high tides include a +6.43-foot tide at 10:15 pm on Saturday, March 29; a +6.63-foot tide at 10:48 pm on Sunday, March 30; and a +6.59-foot tide at 11:26 pm also on Monday, March 31. The lowest tides are -1.05 feet at 4:42 am on Sunday, March 28, and -1.15 feet at 5:52 am on Monday, March 31. These tides are neither very high nor very low, which is consistent with a yearly pattern, driven by the seasonal paths of the sun and moon, that minimizes tidal extremes near the spring and fall equinoxes and maximizes the tidal extremes near the summer and winter equinoxes.
The new moon arrives on Saturday, March 29. With the moon missing from our view, this is a perfect night for galaxy-gazing. There are seasons which are better for viewing galaxies outside of our solar system. During the summer months, the earth's sky faces our own Milky Way galaxy. In the winter, we're looking the opposite way, away from the galaxy's center and into the spiral arms of the Milky Way. But during the spring and fall, we are facing into deep space and towards lesser known galaxies like the Pinwheel Galaxy, located in the constellation Ursa Major (The Big Dipper), or the Whirlpool Galaxy, also near Ursa Major in the constellation Canes Venatici. To see these distant galaxies you'll need a telescope of at least six inches in length — and the darker the sky the better your chances. Head for the hills or desert to get away from city light pollution.
Here's something you might be interested in.
Wild grasses are turning brown, desert wildflowers are blooming, notable high tides
Perfect time to view distant galaxies
Wild grasses are turning brown, desert wildflowers are blooming, notable high tides
Perfect time to view distant galaxies
Browning grasslands at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park's west mesa trail.
The annual green-to-golden transition of San Diego’s wild grasslands starts during late March or early April, depending on the amount of late-season rainfall. North-facing hillsides and canyon slopes retain the green color longer, as they are less exposed to drying sunshine. Locally, most of the wild grasses are naturalized (non-native) annuals, the seeds of which were introduced along with hay and other grains brought in by the Spaniards hundreds of years ago. However, some of the mountain meadows still contain remnants of native grasses, which remain more or less green almost the year round. These rare native grasslands can be found in certain parts of Cuyamaca Rancho State Park and are more widely distributed at the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve in the Santa Ana Mountains west of Temecula.
Dune Primrose (Oenthera deltoides)
The Anza-Borrego Desert State Park flowers will be at their annual best this month, beginning with low-elevation, warm areas like Borrego Valley, the Borrego Badlands, Coyote Canyon, and along Highway S-2 in the south end of the park. Among the many annually appearing wildflowers you’ll find in the low-lying areas are desert sunflower, dune primrose, lupine, desert chicory, sand verbena, and desert lily. On slightly higher ground and up along the hillsides, you’ll spot blooming brittlebush, chuparosa, ocotillo, apricot mallow, and more. Several varieties of cactus are already beginning their blooming cycle. This winter’s subpar rainfall may lead to a wildflower season best described as fair to poor. For weekly updates about the desert bloom, call Anza-Borrego Desert State Park’s special hotline, 760-767-4685, for a recorded message or visit their website.
High tide at Kellogg Beach along San Diego Bay in Pt. Loma.
Notable high tides include a +6.43-foot tide at 10:15 pm on Saturday, March 29; a +6.63-foot tide at 10:48 pm on Sunday, March 30; and a +6.59-foot tide at 11:26 pm also on Monday, March 31. The lowest tides are -1.05 feet at 4:42 am on Sunday, March 28, and -1.15 feet at 5:52 am on Monday, March 31. These tides are neither very high nor very low, which is consistent with a yearly pattern, driven by the seasonal paths of the sun and moon, that minimizes tidal extremes near the spring and fall equinoxes and maximizes the tidal extremes near the summer and winter equinoxes.
The new moon arrives on Saturday, March 29. With the moon missing from our view, this is a perfect night for galaxy-gazing. There are seasons which are better for viewing galaxies outside of our solar system. During the summer months, the earth's sky faces our own Milky Way galaxy. In the winter, we're looking the opposite way, away from the galaxy's center and into the spiral arms of the Milky Way. But during the spring and fall, we are facing into deep space and towards lesser known galaxies like the Pinwheel Galaxy, located in the constellation Ursa Major (The Big Dipper), or the Whirlpool Galaxy, also near Ursa Major in the constellation Canes Venatici. To see these distant galaxies you'll need a telescope of at least six inches in length — and the darker the sky the better your chances. Head for the hills or desert to get away from city light pollution.
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