Tropical Tuesday

After over a month of unseasonably cool weather, our daytime temperature shot up to 93F (34C) on Monday, signifying a major shift.  That morning, I noticed unusual agitation on the part of the crow population as a flock of the birds swooped through the neighborhood, crying raucously.  It was hot, muggy and miserable.  Forecasters gave Los Angeles a 20% chance of rain for Tuesday but Weather Underground, the service I rely on for local forecasts, indicated that rain was unlikely.  When I awoke, the pavement was damp but what little drizzle there was barely registered on my new weather station, a birthday gift from my husband.  However, 2 hours later, things changed as the drizzle became light rain, courtesy of tropical storm Blanca.  I used the brief downpour to collect what water I could.

A LOT of rain comes down the rain chain off the back of the house even in a short downpour

Rain also poured into my collection tanks (the 50-gallon tank is shown on the left and the 265-gallon tank on the right)

I estimate that my 50-gallon tank is about 70% full.  My 160-gallon tank, its supply down to 45 gallons before the rain, is now back up close to 80 gallons.  My 265-gallon tank looks as though it may now be full.  And, dropping our rain chain into plastic trugs, I managed to fill those and most of my watering cans.  This water all came off our house and garage roofs with only a total of 0.14 inches (3.6 mm) of rain.

Drizzle continued off and on throughout the day but the weather station total didn't move and no water poured down the rain chain as it had that morning.  Still, the evening temperature and humidity made it feel as though I was in Hawaii rather than Los Angeles.

View of the LA harbor in early evening

The finches didn't mind the muggy conditions.

And neither did the cat.

She only resents having her rest disturbed

As for my part, I'm hoping for a bit more rain this evening to fill the rest of my 160-gallon rain tank.  Summer rain is unusual in Los Angeles but very, very welcome.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party