Outdoors
Acacias, festooned with myriads of fluffy yellow blossoms, are brightening streetsides, freeway embankments, and backyard gardens throughout the San Diego area this month. Although many acacias are native to subtropical regions, nearly all we see …
Ceanothus, or wild lilac, a white or blue-blossoming native plant, is set to bloom by late January or early February. Ceanothus is common wherever native sage-scrub and chaparral vegetation grows, from the bluffs of Torrey …
San Diego County's Waterfalls should be at their very best during the next month or two. Just how impressive they will be will depend on the overall amount of winter rainfall. Three of the most …
The Crescent Moon returns to evening sky on Thursday, January 14. Look for its thin, smiling shape low in the southwestern sky about 30 minutes after the sun sets. On the following day (Friday) the …
Very Low Tides early next week will provide opportunities for observing sea life in the lower intertidal zones. On Monday, January 11, the tide dips to -1.66 feet at 2:27 p.m. Tuesday’s low tide of …
Highest Monthly Rainfall totals in San Diego are most likely to occur in January and February (nearly two inches each on average) according to weather-service statistics. If low temperatures accompany the typical Pacific storms of …
The Fabled “Green Flash” at sunset or sunrise can sometimes be seen on crystal-clear days in December and January. At the instant the sun’s upper rim is last visible at sunset, and also at the …
Winter Solstice, the moment when the sun reaches its southernmost point on the celestial sphere, occurs this year at 2:02 a.m., Monday, December 21. This event signals the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere …
Poinsettias, a favorite of backyard gardeners, are now exhibiting their scarlet, petal-like bracts, just in time for the holidays. The onset of 14-hour-long nights triggers their behavior: In San Diego this condition is met just …
Earliest Sunset (4:43 p.m. from San Diego) occurs Saturday, December 6, a date that is not coincident with the shortest day (winter solstice — December 21) because of factors relating to the non-circular shape of …
The Fremont Cottonwoods along the San Diego River in Mission Gorge are now showing their best tawny foliage. You can park at the Old Mission Dam historic site or the Mission Trails Regional Park visitor …