"The Blob" VS "Omega Block"


As the storm approaches it looks stronger.  Atmospheric river time!
The worst of our five year drought came via the "Ridiculously Resistant Ridge", aka "The Blob", an area of powerful stationary high pressure over the northern Pacific that pushed all potential rain away from California.  This year we are suffering from enjoying a weather phenomenon known as the "Omega Block", an area of powerful stationary high pressure most often found in the eastern central Pacific.  It forms a storm path that resembles the Greek letter Omega, hence the name.  This year that high pressure moved to the central-central Pacific, and it is pushing one storm after another into California.  
 I'm not complaining.  Everything in the garden is so clean.
 Even the hummingbirds are washed off and plumped up.
 The foliage is a much richer color when not coated with dust and air pollution.
 The lonely-guy Mockingbird that attacks the reflection of himself in car windows looks for a car window to attack on this glorious crisp morning.
 I didn't get a good shot of this hummer in the 'Joe Hoak' Agave flowers, but he's plumped up by so much easily available nectar.  He actually had a big pot-belly.  He was as round as a beer barrel.
This morning the world seems as fresh as a daisy.  A clean daisy.  

Comments

  1. I got a good laugh out of this. Aren't the Californians weather gods strange? Either they give us not enough rain most of the time and then too much at once. Couldn't they just spread it out a bit?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The California Weather Gods gave us a wonderful place to garden. It's up to us to do the rest.

      I read San Francisco is looking at putting storage cisterns in street medians to collect rainwater. Now that's an idea. I watched precious rain pour down our street, and kept thinking what a waste, although a whole lot of our rain goes into the local aquifer via settling basins along what used to be the Santa Ana River. LA County could be doing a lot of that if they chose to. So much of it is channeled right to the Ocean.

      Enjoy the coming rain, Jane!

      Delete
  2. Replies
    1. It's hummer-heaven here. Win-win, because they eat mosquitoes and small flies as well as sipping nectar. So we are all happy!

      Delete
  3. I'm so confused. The Omega block is new to me but I'm pleased it's counteracting "the blob". Most recently, I read about El Nino being blocked by the Madden-Julian Oscillation (aka MJO). I wonder what happens if both the Omega Block and El Nino join forces? It could happen - after years of fighting Mothra and Godzilla teamed up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CA's rainiest years have happened because of El Niño, but there have been dry El Niño years too, and very rainy (but not the very rainiest) years when there is no El Niño.

      El Nino and MJO http://www.stormsurf.com/page2/enso/oscillation_primer.shtml

      I like all this science stuff! Brings out my inner Nerd.

      Delete
  4. I'm so happy for all of you Californians! It must feel just fantastic to have some rain again... Meanwhile, to the north of us, WA and BC are experiencing massive snowfalls - that stay! The weather is so unusual all around. Our winter has been unusually warm and dry, but other than that, not really strange. Enjoy all that wonderful, wet goodness!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's eye popping. The grey hills are green. Really, really green. We've all forgotten they can do that.

      I am enjoying it so very much. Except for danger for the burn areas. Not that part. Just the rest of it.

      Delete
  5. I am so happy for you that you are getting replenishing rain. The garden does look so bright and cheerful in the sun. I bet there will be an explosion of bird families this summer. It is nice that you are having warm weather along with the rain.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Lisa, it's just such a huge relief not to worry about drought for a while. Lots of food for the birds, yes!

      Delete
  6. Everything does look fresh and clean after a good cleaning rain. You can almost see the plants perk up. The prediction for the future is more rain but inconsistent timing.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Always interested in your thoughts.

Any comments containing a link to a commercial site with the intent to promote that site will be deleted. Thank you for your understanding on this matter.