Less Rain, warmer temperatures, and hazier skies coincide with the subtle onset of San Diego's spring season. By April's end, the alternating periods of rainfall and crystal-clear skies we've been having will likely be distant memories. The nocturnal, low overcast starting to hug the coast right about now will gradually build into "June gloom" -- days-long episodes of perpetual overcast that can dog us through the late spring.

The Annual Green-To-Golden Transition of San Diego's wild grasslands typically starts during early April -- though this year the green phase will likely stick around for two more weeks because of the past winter's abundant rainfall. North-facing hillsides and canyon slopes retain the green color longer, as they are less exposed to drying sunshine, Locally, most of the wild grasses are naturalized (non-native) annuals, the seeds of which were introduced along with hay and other grains brought in by the Spaniards during the 18th and 19th centuries. Some of the mountain meadows have remnants of native grasses, which remain more or less green almost the year round. These rare native grasslands can be found in certain parts of Cuyamaca Rancho State Park and more widely distributed at the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve in the Santa Ana Mountains west of Temecula.