So Much for That Sun. Fog and Rain. Ugh.

Sea moss and a tidal waters, Santa Cruz

The sun sort of materialized late this morning in Santa Cruz.  A high marine layer moved into the coast last last night, dashing any hopes for the cool but fair weather I posted about yesterday.  Sorry folks, but this week is just not last week.  But, hey, we had last week, so I can't complain too much.  And besides, I am spending most of my time indoors these days.  The short term may look bleak, but we still have some hopes for the long term.  So bear with us this week, buckle down and get some work done.  The warm up is still to come.

It not horrible weather for your garden, and even better for getting some work done in your garden.  The mornings will be cool and damp with the high cloud cover.  Some areas may see fog persist through noon, others will see clearing starting around 9AM.  This will keep that sun from getting too hot on your back if you are out there pulling weeds and tilling soil.  For those who started early, the harvest is on.  I am proud of the fava beans we have been pulling, especially after seeing some at the market yesterday.  Our look like they took some serious steroids, but really, it was just well amended soil.  Actually, it was not even all that well amended.  They are coming off the stalk thick and sweet.  Elsewhere, blueberries and corn (yes corn) are beginning to come in from the Salinas and inland valley areas.  You know it is the turn of the season when you start to see these two awesome items.  The tomatoes coming from area hothouses are filling in, and we just got some more from Pioneer's Cedar Mills.  I've mentioned these guys before, but they get another plug because it is such a cool concept.  And their fruit is sweet.

Mellow clear afternoons on Pleasure Point

The surf this week is looking so so.  It is not terribly flat out there, but the strong northwest winds are keeping all the exposed spots full of chop.  There is a small and very inconsistent south swell out there filling in around ankle to knee high, with some days pushing waist high.  A very short period northerly wind swell will also be in the water all week.  At exposed (and consequentially ripped to shreds) breaks, the surf will push chest high.  The NW swell will get a bump toward Friday from waves generated in the Gulf of Alaska.  Still, this will be of moderate size (about head high) and effected by the storms moving down the coast.  Not a great week of surf, but if you really want to get wet, there is at least a little something in the water.  Pleasure Point and a long board look like the best ticket to ride.

It certainly is spring.  Now just tell the weather.

Friday should bear the best weather for the week.  The foggy mornings will be kicked out by the approaching storm, but the clouds will barely be in the region yet.  Not too warm, with a high of about 65F around the region.  Clouds, colder air and moisture begin moving in off the ocean by Saturday morning, with an increasing chance of showers by late in the day.  Sunday and Monday still look to be turbulent, so this coming weekend should be on the wetter side.  Saturday night looks like it will have the heaviest rain.  And this morning's run of the models suggest another wave moving through sometime the middle of next week.  This will need a closer look in a few days, but the warm up may need to wait even longer yet.  If nothing else, it has been an interesting and wet year.