Pitter patter scores one for the NWS.

Actually, I did not concede I was mistaken when I first head the heavy singular drops hitting the canopy.  Even when I stepped outside, the deck was barely bespecked (while not really a word, it should be) and I was hit by only two, three, maybe four drops.  Even an hour later when the towels were wet on the deck rail, and a small pool of water was forming in my Croc, I did not concede.  This thing will be over soon, and the ground will barely be wet in the morning.  And I was right.  The grass at Lighthouse Field was drier than after a heavy foggy night.  But, then, just after noon I heard the grumble of thunder, and I looked out in the distance, I could see rain falling in the mountains up behind Aptos.  So, I geuss it really did rain around here.  Sure, we have yet to receive round two here in Santa Cruz, but we were also one of the driest places around the Bay.  Ya Santa Cruz!

The paddle before the storm.  Non-native wildlife.  West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz.

Things are already clearing up again out there.  Sun is breaking through to our north and west.  This little fun system will continue moving south down the coast today, bringing rain and T-storms to the coastal communities of Southern California.  They, in fact, will likely get a bit wetter.  And then this whole thing sweeps east, possibly sending another plume into the Sierra Nevada, where the heaviest rain fell last night.  Sun fills in behind, and another great weekend should be on tap for us.  Expect temperatures bouncing back into the high 60s and possible low 70s by Sunday.  Friday has a chance of south winds and that would give us a bit of fog.  But my money is on sun.  Lotta good that did last time.  Next week looks to start out fair.

I keep hearing about the jet dipping south, a cold fall and early start to the rainy season.  I still don't see it, and the talk of the town big system that is to usher in a 1000 years of winter on the 15th, does look like it is going to slam hard into the coast, dropping a think, wet slug.  In the Cascades.  Been on that track for a week now.  I'm mostly impressed that this storm was modeled 10 days ago, in one form or another, and has been in the models nearly every run since then.  We still have five days to go, so a lot can change, but seriously, it does not like ti will be even close to us.  ANd there is nothing behind it other than the indication of a big, blimpy, blocking high setting right up upon us, which usually mean the finest of fall weather.  More in that in the next update.

And finally, if you are going near the water today or the next few days watch out for large rogue swells.  A swell is in the water today, having traveled all the way from Russia.  Not a huge one, but with long 20 second plus periods.  These waves will be infrequent, travel in groups, increase in height dramatically while approaching the coast and have a significant impact water levels.  Do not get sucked out to see, and watch from a safe distance.  Or, if you know how to have fun in the waves, go get some.  Winds will be mostly light, especially in the mornings and waves will be fun sized plus for the next several days.