Tag: weather

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Real Rainbow Rises

Six-color flags are quite common in my San Diego neighborhood of University Heights. Real rainbows are rare occurrences, and a delight, in part because rain is uncommon. Yearly average precipitation (October to September) is about 25 cm (10 inches). We are already well above that number, following a series of storms.

That explains my seeing two rainbows in the sky on consecutive days—one to the West from the front of our apartment building and the other East in the alley behind. The latter is the Featured Image, taken yesterday using Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

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The Correct Answer Is…

“I don’t know, let me get back to you on that”. The question: What is causing the unusually rainy (or snowy) weather in SoCal? When drought conditions gripped California, pundits blamed Climate Change. Now that torrential precipitation falls, doomsayers also blame Climate Change. You got to love stupidity. They can’t know!

A smart scientist would give some version of the proposed answer in the previous paragraph. Genius would make a hypothesis and begin collecting data to prove or disprove it. Occam’s Razor suggests starting with weather-influencing factors that are atypical and possibly convergent: El Niño and the approaching Solar Maximum of the typical 11-year Solar Cycle.

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Calm Before the Storm

This evening, I snagged one last dry walk for the next day or so. Rain is expected to start overnight as the outer edge of Hilary—the hurricane become tropical storm—blasts through Southern California. As I write, the weather is remarkably pleasant: Cozy muggy and 23 degrees Celsius (74 Fahrenheit).

The Featured Image, of apartment complex BLVD North Park, marks the moment. Vitals: f/1.7, ISO 640, 1/40 sec, 23mm (film equivalent). I used Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra‘s 50-megapixel mode for this one.

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Essential Eating

As Hurricane Hilary approaches Baja California, Mexico, on its way through San Diego County, we make some preparations. Today, my wife and I topped off our non-perishable foodstuffs in the event of electrical failure or even flooding.

Too bad that I bought frozen goods last week that will be ruined should there be prolonged power outage. Well, better to eat up now than let burgers and burritos spoil. I bought both cases at Costco Business Center, where I took the Featured Image, using Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, on Aug. 10, 2023. Vitals: f/1.7, ISO 100, 1/120 sec, 23mm (film equivalent); 9:02 a.m. PDT.

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Stoneman Says ‘Break Out Your Winter Weather Gear’

Because of a family emergency, I post briefly and quickly. I used Leica Q2 to capture the Featured Image on Dec. 14, 2022. What is stone snowman’s relevance in March 2023? The literal mountains of snow coming down in California.

Let this excerpt from a Sacramento Bee news story—dateline today—give glimpse: “Mammoth snow totals fell in the greater Lake Tahoe area between Monday and Wednesday…In those three days, between 5 and 8 feet of snow was recorded in parts of the mountains, including 92 inches at the Palisades Tahoe ski resort, according to the weather service”.

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Mother Nature’s Remedy

Crazy best describes the year’s winter weather across California—so much rain has fallen that the drought is effectively over. Snow blanketed Los Angeles today. There is a (gasp) blizzard warning, too, that remains in effect. You won’t see many, if any, scantily-clad roller skaters this weekend.

The white stuff piles up across the more mountainous areas here in San Diego County, such as Julian. Closer to the coast, rain is Mother Nature’s prescription for an area that had been sick with drought. Thank you!

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The North Pole Goes South

What odd timing is this alley find. An Arctic airmass assaults my home state this weekend—and what a shocking contrast to San Diego. As such, my wife and I watch weather forecasts more than typical. This afternoon, when our high temperature reached 19.4 degrees Celsius (67 Fahrenheit), the Caribou, Maine weather station reported -28.9 C (-20 F) with windchill of -43.9 C (-47 F).

On the Fahrenheit scale, that’s a difference of 80 degrees air temp and 100 degrees when considering windchill. The difference is as pronounced this evening. In San Diego, it’s 10 C (50 F). Caribou: -31 C (-24 F) with windchill of -46.7 C (-52 F). Brrr.

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‘He Didn’t Make It’

Surely you recall hearing or reading the title of this post somewhere. “He didn’t make it” is such an overly used movie or television trope (books, too). The statement also aptly describes the fate of the fallen Grinch who is subject of the Featured Image. He survived immediate decoration take-down following end of the Christmas holidays, but he was no match for the series of torrential rainstorms buffeting California.

Flooding. Mudslides. Power outages. Record snowfall in the mountains. Sinkholes. Hey, but no wildfires; too wet for that. But, don’t you fret; all that water will soon be forgotten. Sun will dry the place, pretty quickly, and the body politick will want to resume fear-mongering about drought conditions caused (presumably) by Climate Change.

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Thanks for the Power

The monsoonal heatwave continues, which means daily emails announcing yet another Power Saver Rewards event between 4 p.m. and 8:59 p.m. PDT: “You can support the California energy grid, and earn $2/kWh for energy use below your typical use, too. The more energy you can save, the more you can earn”. Really?

We don’t have air conditioning, electric vehicle, or in-apartment laundry—all of which are on the curtail-usage list. We never use the dishwasher. But we do have four fans running constantly. I don’t know whether to thank the utility for magnanimously managing the electric grid or San Deigans for being good neighbors and cutting back—perhaps both.

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The Cats of University Heights: Retro

This morning, I saw someone walking a small dog—until my wife corrected: “No, that’s a cat!” Seconds later, a second kitty appeared—the ever-frolicking Mittens, who energetically engaged the other, which welcomed the play.

Retro (real name) is well-acquainted with Mittens, who has grown into quite the stunning shorthair, since joining the series in March 2022. The two often engage through a window, making something special today’s prancing about.

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Bird Formation

If yesterday is a measure, darkness will bring little to no relief from the monsoonal heatwave oppressing Southern California. Muggy air cooled down to 23 degrees Celsius (74 F) outdoors overnight but to 29 C (84 F) in our apartment—first instance since we moved here such imbalance occurred. As I write, outside and inside temps are in near (sorrowful) equilibrium: 31.6 C (89 F) and 32.7 C (91 F), respectively.

Looking for some additional activity, early evening, I walked about parts of San Diego neighborhoods University Heights and North Park. The Featured Image and companion come from the latter—along The Boulevard approaching Texas Street. As I passed by this tree, something hanging on the bark caught my attention. Can you see why?

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Suit Up!

Oh the things that turn up in San Diego alleys. I can only guess whether someone hung up this wet suit to dry or for some passerby to take. My wife and I saw the water-wear while walking down the alley separating Alabama and Florida streets here in University Heights.

I used Leica Q2 to capture the Featured Image, which is the only shot. Vitals, aperture manually set: f/5.6, ISO 100, 1/500 sec, 28mm; 3:58 p.m. PDT, today.