Wintry!
We went to bed last night in May and woke up in February. Today was cloudy, windy, chilly and damp, with scattered rain, high in the mid-60s and low about 57. (This probably doesn't sound like February to you, but in So Cal, that is February in a nutshell.)
I think the most of the rain is gone -- we only got a few hundredths of an inch, about enough to annoy the basenjis and not much more. But the low pressure is slated to persist through the weekend. Not good pool weather or Memorial Day barbecue weather.
Yet I should also mention the prominent blooms of So Cal in May. There are the jacaranda -- these are trees nondescript in most seasons, but lit up with gorgeous exploding purple blossoms in May. Many So Cal streets are (wisely) lined with jacaranda, and at this time of year they are some sight to behold. There is also the star jasmine, a common hedge in these parts which bursts into fragrant white blooms in May and makes the place smell like Hawaii (we should all be so lucky). The jacaranda blooms tend to fall onto the sidewalks and make them dreadful slippery, but so be it. Because beauty always has its cost.
Posted by Gretchen
at 7:13 PM PDT
Updated: Friday, May 23, 2008 8:56 PM PDT
Unsettled.
Cloudy, windy, unsettled, scattered thundershowers. There has been some light rain and some thunder heard in Newport Beach this afternoon, but no proper thundershowers. This may change. Daytime high in the mid-60s, overnight low was 57.
Tomorrow promises more of the same. Chilly wind, unstable weather conditions. This is the sort of circumstance that sometimes produces waterspouts off the coast, but damn it, I have never personally seen one.
Posted by Gretchen
at 6:13 PM PDT
Gorgeous.
Cloudy and cool mornings, clearing to sunny in the afternoon with a good sea breeze. High 71; overnight low 61. Low pressure moving into the area is expected to produce more clouds and cooler temperatures, with a chance of (dare I say it?) rain in the next few days. I'll believe it when I see it.
Posted by Gretchen
at 5:06 PM PDT
Complete Weather Shift.
The weather pattern has shifted completely and the heat wave is over. Today is cloudy and cool with morning drizzle, and it isn't expected to clear today. Overnight low around 64; forecast high around 66.
In Southern California, June (sometimes May and July) is characterized by a weather pattern called "June gloom" where nights and mornings are cloudy, cool and sometimes drizzly, with afternoon sunshine inland. Often at the coast the clouds don't clear at all, or clear only briefly in the late afternoon. We are entering a period of such weather now.
My son Sam was born on a morning exactly like this one.
Posted by Gretchen
at 11:02 AM PDT
Cooling Continues.
Still sunny with a high around 81 and overnight low of 66. Hot upstairs in the afternoon, but a beautiful cool sea breeze began around 8 p.m. Looking for further cooling tomorrow.
Posted by Gretchen
at 6:37 AM PDT
A Little Cooler.
Sunny and continued very warm, but not quite so hot; afternoon high 86, overnight low 67. Sea breeze in the afternoon. No morning clouds and fog at the coast [marine layer] as is customary for this time of year, but expect that to return tomorrow or Tuesday.
Posted by Gretchen
at 2:05 PM PDT
Heat Wave.
Continued sunny and hot. Overnight low around 65; already 88 degrees before 11 a.m. but slightly cooler afternoon with renewed sea breeze. Slight cooling trend to begin tomorrow.
Forecast: Cooling trend should continue Monday at the beaches and will spread inland Tuesday and Wednesday as a trough of low pressure moves into the region.
Posted by Gretchen
at 11:49 AM PDT
Updated: Saturday, May 17, 2008 6:35 PM PDT
Orange County Heats Up.
Sunny and hot, but with a sea breeze. High temperature around 91; nighttime low around 60.
Forecast: High pressure over the region is expected to produce hot temperatures through the weekend with record highs possible Saturday and Sunday. Good pool weather.
Posted by Gretchen
at 7:26 PM PDT
Updated: Saturday, May 17, 2008 11:52 AM PDT
