Thunderheads, Orioles, and Fleas
Towering Thunderheads have been seen hovering over the mountains east of San Diego in recent weeks. Afternoon rainshowers have already dampened Palomar, Cuyamaca, and Mount Laguna, with more of the same expected at times during the next two or three …
Venus and the Delta Aquarid Meteor Shower
Venus maintains its tenure as this summer's "evening star." The unmistakeably bright second planet from the sun will be glowing in the western sky after sunset for another ten weeks or so. By November, Venus will have disappeared completely as …
Moon of Blood Good for Grunion Runs?
The Full Moon rises impressively from the east horizon on Sunday, July 25 at around 7:45pm, very near the time of sunset. Some folk names for the July full moon include "hay moon," "wort moon," "moon of blood" (a reference …
Shore Birds
Birdwatchers need not despair now that the winter migrants are gone. Plenty of shore birds can be found on summer evenings in the natural coastal wetland areas of San Diego County. From south to north the publicly accessible coastal wetlands …
Thunderheads, Elderberry, and Cicadas
Cumulonimbus Clouds, or thunderheads, are most likely to form over San Diego County's deserts and mountains during the latter part of the summer season, beginning about mid July. The clouds appear by midafternoon -- often the result of moist, tropical …
July Heat and a Crescent Moon
The Heat of Summer will most likely reach its feverish peak in inland San Diego County during July. (Coastal San Diego is different: since its weather is greatly affected by the slowly warming mass of ocean water adjacent to it, …
July's Low Tides and Grunion Runs
July's Extreme Low Tides are for early risers only! Check out the local tidepool life without hordes of other people around. Sunday, July 11 features a minus 1.5-foot tide at 3:52am. Monday, July 12 there's a minus 1.6-foot tide at …
Tonight's Moon Promises Not to Steal Light from Fireworks
The moon is just past third-quarter phase tonight, and it won't rise until midnight. This and every July 4 (technically July 6 this year) is astronomically notable for the fact that it marks Earth's aphelion -- the time when our …
July Is San Diego's Driest Month
According to precipitation data compiled since the year 1850, July Is San Diego's driest month. Only four hundredths of an inch of rain falls on average this month, compared to almost two inches in January -- the wettest month. July …
Agaves, Crape Myrtles, and Native Lilies
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 …
A Strawberry Moon and the Latest Sunset of 2010
June's Full Moon, which occurs on the evening of Friday, June 25 through the morning of Saturday, June 26, is sometimes called the "rose moon," "strawberry moon," or "honey moon" because of its tinted color. Especially when seen from the …
June Bugs
June Bugs are emerging as summer's warmth is finally upon us. The green June beetle, only one of some 300 species of scarab beetles found in Southern California, flashes a metallic green underbelly as its buzzes about erratically. The mature …
Summer Solstice
Summer Solstice, the time when the sun reaches its northernmost point in the sky, occurs this year at 4:28am on Monday, June 21. The summer solstice not only marks the beginning of summer for the Northern Hemisphere; it also means …
Cobbled Shorelines, Colorful Foliage, Magnolia, and Buckwheat
Cobbled Shorelines are greeting some beachgoers early this summer season, as in past years. North County beaches tend to suffer most, because natural sand replenishment in the area is disrupted by dams blocking the flow of sediment down the larger …
The Earliest Sunrise of 2010
Earliest Sunrise this year, reckoned in Daylight Saving Time, occurs Monday, June 14 at 5:38am. This event occurs about a week before the longest day of the year -- the summer solstice -- because of factors related to the shape …
Low Tides and Grunion Runs This Weekend
June's Lowest Tides are for early risers only! Check out the local tidepool life without hordes of other people around. Saturday, June 12 features a minus 1.3-foot tide at 4:08am. Sunday, June 13 brings a minus 1.5-foot tide at 4:50am. …
Elderberry
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 …
The Chirping of Crickits, Western Azalea, and the Blooming of Desert Annuals
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 …
June Gloom and Ocean Temps
"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, …
Oleanders and Wildflowers
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 …