Summer Solstice
The time when the sun reaches its northernmost point in the sky occurs this year at 10:46 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time on Saturday, June 20. Think of it as an excuse to throw a terrific Saturday-night solstice party, with a …
"Century" Plants
Agaves (a.k.a. century plants), are coming into bloom in many summer gardens this month. After a decade or more (not a century) of growth, the larger kinds of agave send up a tall, yellow-blossomed flower stalk from a base of …
2009's Earliest Sunrise
Earliest Sunrise This Year, reckoned in Daylight Saving Time, occurs June 14 at 5:38 a.m. This event occurs about a week before the longest day of the year -- the summer solstice -- because of factors related to the shape …
Elderberry, Magnolia, and Buckwheat
Elderberry, two species of which range over most of San Diego County, is in full bloom this month. The flat-topped, creamy-white blossoms of this large shrub or small tree can be seen in the natural coastal canyon areas such as …
Ocean Water Temperatures
Ocean temperatures are rising into the mid- or high-60s this month, perhaps reaching the 70s in July and August. The usual early-summer cool weather along San Diego's coastline, disappointing to many tourists, is mostly caused by the sluggish warming of …
Full Moon This Weekend
The Full Moon Rises Majestically into a deeply darkened eastern sky at around 8:25 p.m., some 35 minutes after sunset, on Sunday evening, June 7. The June full moon has been called the "rose moon," "strawberry moon," or "honey moon" …
June Gloom
The cool and intermittently overcast conditions likely to dominate the beach and coastal areas through the remainder of this month mock the already sizzling temperatures inland. If it weren't for the ocean's enormous resistance to changes in temperature, the hottest …
Lilac of the South
Crape Myrtles are in bloom around San Diego this month through the end of summer. This smallish, vase-shaped tree blossoms in colors ranging from white or pale pink to lavender, red, and blue. "Lilac of the South" is one of …
Western Azalea
The native rhododendron, Western Azalea, is blooming this month in scattered locations throughout the county's higher mountains. Fond of semi-shade, it's often found growing along creeks and canyon bottoms. Like its ornamental cousins, western azalea's fragrant white (sometimes pink or …
San Diego Crickets
The chirping of crickets tells us the warmer weather of summer is well on its way. Their plaintive pleadings for mates are heard wherever bits of semi-natural scenery cut across the urban tapestry of San Diego. Try the Spruce Street …
Desert Willows & Smoke Trees
The blooming of desert annuals is over, but not so for the stolid desert willows and smoke trees. Rooted to the beds of dry washes throughout Anza-Borrego's lower valleys, both plants gather enough energy this time of year to put …
Roses, Wildflowers, Oleandar
SPRING WILDFLOWERS have largely dried up in many 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 fig, …
May's Highest & Lowest Tides
The highest tide this month, measuring +6.6 feet, occurs on Sunday, May 24, at 9:31 p.m. Lowest tide levels for the month, measuring -1.6 feet, occur on Monday, May 25 at 4:44 a.m., and on Tuesday, May 26, 5:34 a.m. …
Warblers and Flycatchers
Land bird migration is in full swing this month in San Diego County, with warblers and flycatchers among those most commonly seen. Warblers crawl along trees limbs and branches to dine on their favorite insects, while flycatchers, as the name …
May Gray and 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 stick around for several days. This is usually triggered by a "Catalina eddy," in which moist …
Blazing Venus
Now in the second month of its 9-month-long morning-sky apparition, Venus continues blazing brightly in the eastern sky during early-morning twilight. On the morning of Thursday, May 21, the waning crescent moon hovers several degrees to the left of pinpoint …
Agaves
Agaves, or century plants (Agave americana), have been sending up their asparagus-like flower stalks all over the metro San Diego area lately. In warm weather, the tips can rise as much as a foot a day. During summer big clusters …
Mule Deer
Mule deer by the dozens continue to roam through the 25,000-acre Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, where the smoldering landscape of October 2003 has given way to thriving shrubbery and some saplings of pine and oak amid the blackened tree trunks. …
Mountain Wildflowers
Wildflowers of San Diego County's highest mountains are in bloom this month. Take a walk along any trail above 4500 feet in the Laguna, Cuyamaca, or Palomar mountains and enjoy a palette of colors ranging from crimson red to indigo …
The Silk Oak Tree
The silk oak tree, a fast-growing import from Australia, comes into short-lived glory this month. Golden flower clusters decorate the silvery-green branches, an effect that is particularly stunning when seen in contrast to the blue-blossoming jacaranda trees often planted nearby. …