Entries
Ocean Temps Dropping Soon
Warm Water Temperatures, into the 70s Fahrenheit over the past several weeks, won't last much longer. As fall approaches, shorter days and increasingly oblique solar radiation will mean that less and less energy will be supplied to the ocean waters …
The August Sky
The Planet Jupiter simply dominates the early-evening eastern sky as August draws to a close. As seen by the naked eye, Jupiter appears as a gleaming yellowish pinpoint of light. High-power binoculars, if held steadily enough, can reveal a barely …
True Jasmine vs. Star Jasmine
Jasmine's thick, sweet odor wafts on the night breezes this time of year, especially throughout the older, well-landscaped neighborhoods of San Diego. The exotic odor is produced by the flowers of true jasmines (genus Jasminum), as opposed to the so-called …
Crescent Moon Tonight
The Crescent Moon returns to the evening sky as a left-leaning, thin smile of light on Saturday, August 22. Look low in the southwestern sky at dusk (7:30-8pm) to spot it. On successive evenings, at the same hour, that smile …
The Milky Way
The Milky Way appears at its most glorious during August summer evenings free of bright moonlight (this year, these evenings occur through about August 24). You'll need to be in the mountains or the desert to see the Milky Way …
Grunion Should Be Eaten (Not Wasted)
Grunion may be active again on area beaches (probably for the last time this year) on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, August 20-22, roughly during the hours of 10pm and 1am, just after the nocturnal highest tide. The small, silvery …
Extreme Low August Tides
The lowest-level extreme tides for the month of August will occur on several occasions next week during the wee hours of the morning. Tuesday, August 18 features a -1.1 foot tide at 2:34am. On Wednesday, there's a -1.3 foot low …
Venus-Moon Pairings
The waning crescent moon joins lanternlike Venus in the eastern sky at dawn on the mornings of Monday, August 17, and Tuesday, August 18. Several more moon-Venus pairings will occur more-or-less monthly in the morning sky until Venus virtually disappears …
The Perseid Meteor Shower
The best known of the many meteor displays that return year after year, the Perseid Meteor Shower will take place under fairly poor conditions this year because of the glare of the moon, which will be in a waning gibbous …
Geography of Contrast
Towering thunderheads have been seen hovering over the wall of mountains east of San Diego in recent weeks. Afternoon rainshowers have already dampened Palomar, Cuyamaca, and Mount Laguna on occasion, with more of the same expected at times during the …
Grunion & Sandpipers
Grunion will be active on area beaches this week (Wednesday through Saturday, August 5-8), roughly during the hours of 10pm and 1am, following the nocturnal high tide. The small, silvery grunion tend to spawn on wide, gently sloping beaches such …
Full Moon Tonight
August's Full Moon rises regally from the east horizon on Wednesday, the 5th, at around 7:40 p.m., close to the time of sunset. This sun-set/moon-rise synchronicity is characteristic of every full moon, because the sun, planet Earth, and the full …
America's Finest Weather
San Diego's Warmest Weather, on average, should occur in August through early September, according to statistics compiled from several decades of measurements taken near the San Diego International Airport. In an average year, coastal residents enjoy an average daily temperature …
Fleas
The bane of pets and humans alike, fleas are hopping all over San Diego again as the summer progresses. This year is predicted to be worse than usual because of our greater-than-average precipitation last season, and because of the predicted …
Orioles
The bright yellow or yellow-orange-and-black birds seen flitting among the palm trees, are summer residents of San Diego County's coastal areas. A century ago, orioles preferred to nest in sycamore trees, which were then more common in our area's river …
The Delta Aquarid Meteor Shower
Typically one of the year's ten best showers, the Delta Aquarid Meteor Shower embellishes the dark, early-morning sky during July's final week. In the hour or two before dawn (no later than 4:30 a.m.) you should see about 10-20 meteors …
Elderberry Season
Elderberry, a common bush or small tree found from San Diego County's coastal canyons to the mountain slopes around Julian and Palomar, is in fruit this month. The branches carry myriads of tiny bluish fruits covered with a white powder. …
Summer Ocean Temps
Ocean water temperaturesare either peaking late this month -- or are likely to peak in August -- as a result of many weeks of summer sunshine and warm coastal air temperatures. While the water offshore seldom exceeds 70 degrees Fahrenheit, …
July Grunion Report
Grunion will again be active on area beaches early this week (Tuesday through Friday, July 21-24), roughly during the hours of 10 p.m and 1 a.m., following the nocturnal high tide. The small, silvery grunion tend to spawn on wide, …
Early Risers Only!
Check out the local tidepool life without hordes of other people around. Tuesday, July 21 features a minus 1.6-foot tide at 3:36 a.m. On Wednesday, July 22 there's a minus 1.6-foot tide at 4:17 a.m. Forget those ... but before …