An unseasonably strong weather system shoved the ridge of high pressure that resides in California all summer off to the east allowing for the first substantial rain of the season. Due to the unusually dry spring, I had to look all the way back to March to find the last prior rain event of this magnitude (nothing over 0.05 inches in one day between March and October). Here are some local totals with a clear manifestation of orographic (topographic) enhancement of precipitation in the Santa Cruz Mountains:
- Pulgas (San Carlos Hills) – 0.35
- Atherton – 0.30
- Woodside – 0.45
- Portola Valley – 0.24
- Mountain View – 0.24
- Sky Londa – 0.63
- La Honda – 0.74
Bay Area Totals:
- Santa Rosa – 0.43
- Middle Peak of Mount Tamalpais – 0.69
- San Francisco Airport – 0.15
- Oakland – 0.37
- San Jose Airport – 0.13
- Big Sur Station – 0.46
The rains made the redwood forest vibrant and the air fresh at Huddart Park and Phleger Estate. We enjoyed one of those runs where the drippy and misty redwood forest has a certain mystique.
Leor Pantilat's Adventures