Entries
Native Lilies and Cicadas in the Driest Month
The driest month, native lilies, and cicadas.
July is San Diego's driest month, according to precipitation data compiled since the year 1850. Only four hundredths of an inch of rain falls on average this month, compared to almost two inches in January -- the wettest month. July …
A Crescent Moon and Jupiter Watch Over Grunion Runs
The heat of summer, grunion runs, a slender crescent moon, and Jupiter
The heat of summer will most likely reach its feverish peak in inland San Diego County during the month of July. (Coastal San Diego is different: since its weather is greatly affected by the slowly warming mass of ocean water …
Latest Sunset of the Year
Low tides, June bugs, agaves, latest sunset of the year.
Early July's extreme low tides are for early risers only! Check out the local tidepool life without hordes of other people around. Wednesday, July 2 features a minus 1.7-foot tide at 3:39 a.m. Thursday, July 3 brings a minus 1.8-foot …
Cobbled Shorelines Welcome Summer Solstice
Cobbled shorelines, colorful foliage, magnolias, and summer solstice
Cobbled shorelines are greeting some beachgoers early this summer season, as in past years. North County beaches tend to suffer most, as the natural sand replenishment in the area is disrupted by dams blocking the flow of sediment down the …
Earliest Sunrise of the Year
June gloom, elderberry, crickets chirping, the earliest sunrise, and a full moon this week.
June gloom, the cool and intermittently overcast conditions likely to dominate the beach and coastal areas through the remainder of this month, mocks the already sizzling temperatures inland. If it weren't for the ocean's enormous resistance to changes in temperature, …
Ocean Temps to Desert Annuals
Ocean water temperatures are rising into the mid- or high-60s this month, perhaps to reach the low 70s in July or August. The usual early-summer cool weather along San Diego's coastline, disappointing to many tourists, is mostly caused by the …
Wildflowers, Oleander, Wild Roses, Agaves
Spring wildflowers may have largely dried up in most areas of San Diego County, but in the cooler coastal enclaves such as Cabrillo National Monument and Torrey Pines State Reserve, several kinds remain. Look for paintbrush, purple nightshade, coreopsis, sea …
June Gloom to Mule Deer
"June gloom," the generally dreary, overcast, late spring weather along San Diego's coastline, has already begun and could intensify next month. Occasionally, the low clouds will linger for several days. This is usually triggered by a "Catalina eddy," in which …
Full Moon Over Wild Hyacinths and Buckwheat
Wild hyacinths and mariposa lilies have popped out on hillsides within the burn area of last October's Witch Creek Fire. Both flowers arise from underground bulbs, considered delicacies by the California Indians. Burned areas around Lake Hodges and Lake Poway …