Summertime...

Post count decreases.  Weather becomes terribly regular.  Sure, things fluctuate, to a degree.  And occasionally we get set upon with a high and the temps soar, and even less occasionally we see a solid low bring us some rain.  And there is always the randomness of those tropical systems that travel north every few summers.  But, really, for the most part there will be a low in the 50s, with some degree of morning fog, either lingering just offshore, or staying socked in through most of the day, but usually something in between.  Highs will be in the upper 60s to low 70s.  Usually a brisk afternoon north west breeze, lighten up just around sunset.

Sand Dollar Beach in Big Sur is a great place to hang out for a few days in summer.  

Well, maybe that is why I don't post much.  Even when I see something interesting, but really just results in some variation of the above.  And we get out more during the summer, and go on adventures and come home tired and dirty.  Just enough time to shower and then rest.  No time to look at a computer screen.  Yet, if something really cool happens, and I happen to be near the computer, and not to tired form summer adventure to post up about it, then I will.  Otherwise, enjoy the summer, get outdoors, and have some fun.  If it is going to rain on ya, I will likely post up about it, because how exciting would that be.  On the other hand, if I happen to be out there dancing in the rain, instead of typing up notes about the impending rain, and you are out there too, and get rained upon, how cool would that be?  I mean, lucky you.

Nothing extraordinary expected anytime soon.  Typical days.  Small waves.  Travel inland to escape the fog, or just along the coast, because the fog is not really so bad.  Pick some strawberries.  Avoid the poison oak.  Camp out a few nights.  Or hang down at the beach and hide from that wind.

Not so normal after all.

But, really, what is normal when it comes to weather.  Although, it could be said that we do live in a region that is fairly easy to predict given any season.  So many variables will effect what actually happens though.  And when at first one does not succeed, try try again.  Or something like that.  Remnants from Hurricane Blanca did what the first failed to do.  I even heard a little thunder around 8PM last night.  Not much rainfall to measure, but some did fall.  And it sure smelled awesome this morning.  That fresh, after the rain kind of smell that I recall from my youth, and visits, to the north east.

A Monarch in the Sour Grass.  

Not really much to report or forecast.  Ultimately we have some variation of clouds or fogs in the morning, with some chances of light rain or drizzle, with some clearing mid day, and a light onshore afternoon flow.  Today and Thursday it will be westerlies to north westerlies.  The more north it gets, the more sun we get.  Friday and Saturday the breezes shifts more south westerly, which will typically keep fog around a bit longer.  The semi warmth we felt the last few days will settle cooler through the week.  Moving toward 55/65 with fog and sun.  Summer.

Typical?

The last few days were not.  In fact, I saw the sunrise two days in a row.  Yesterday actually started out pretty nicely, with warmth and sun.  High fog and clouds seemed to move in mid day.  I tried to play 'backwards day' with my son, but he was most definitely not game.  Northwest breezes continue overnight and through the morning, but it does look like a southerly eddy flow is developing for Friday.  Expect a continuation of the cooler, foggy weather through the start of the weekend.  By Sunday we could see the start of some warming, getting us back into the low 70s early next week.  The good news is the winds look to lighten for Monday and Tuesday, and possibly beyond.  With a slack flow, we could avoid having fog through too much of the day, and allow for some warming.  Let the dog days of summer commence.  School is out after this week.

Muscles.

As for those thunderstorms I mentioned the other day.  Not gonna happen.  They stay placed in the Sierra, where one would expect them, over this weekend.  Bummer.

June.

(oops, forgot to hit post the other day...) I had a friend point out that I lose interest in posting when the winter ends.  I pointed out that the weather get boring.  But maybe, I am just taking a rest.  It would be easy to say that not much has happened in the last ten plus days, but that would be insincere.  I mean, it kind of looked the same each day, with morning fog, and afternoon sun.  For the most part.  Yet, each day was different, and we saw storms move through to our north, and periods of south flow, and building high pressure with its north westerlies, and warming and cooling and warming.  But, yeah, it felt pretty similiar each day if you are not on the water, or interested in weather patterns.  And the next week and beyond looks basically the same.  It is what it is.  Summer in Santa Cruz.  To be honest, it does not feel much like spring anymore, other than the coolness.  A few weeks back we had some day of real strong northwest winds.  Typical of spring.  But since then we have had lighter wind conditions, and periods of slack to south flow.  More typical of summer.  Anyway.

Central Coast tide pool.

It would be easy to say more of the same for the coming future.  But there are some interesting features.  Low pressure to our north will push east today, ushering in a cooling trend.  Mid 70s today become upper 60s tomorrow.  It will also be followed by a high pressure getting its toe in place, which can only mean an increase of northwest winds in the afternoon, after the fog burns off.  Rain well to our north will give the fog a better chance of bringing a drizzle.  Marine layer returns Tuesday overnight.  Lows in the mid 50s all week.  Wednesday is another day with northwest winds, and highs back down in the mid 60s.  By Thursday, we will begin to see the pressure gradient move north, returning us to a slack or south flow by Friday.  Hard to say what will happen on Thursday wind wise.  Could go either way at this point.  Anyway, the interesting thing if for next weekend.

Hurricane Andres off of Mainland Mexico.  Dude is kicking up some swell, which is currently hitting SoCal.  We might see a bit of this, but it is pretty steep south.  The storm is starting to fall apart, but is still packing a bunch of moisture.  Moisture which is being pulled up through Baja and SoCal as early as Saturday, and could bring us some rain along the south face of the Santa Cruz Mountains.  One projection is over a half inch in areas.  These moisture waves typically contain unusually warm air, which is good for producing thunderstorms.  These type of systems are rare for us here.  My son tells me that we don't have thunderstorms in Santa Cruz.  Only in Maine and New York.  I usually correct him and explain that we rarely have thunderstorms.  Might be able to prove myself correct on Sunday.  We are still a week away from this happening, and everything needs to play out right.  Hoping we get to see some lightning.  That would be cool.  More later, as things just got interesting.