“When we contemplate the whole globe as one great dewdrop, striped and dotted with continents and islands, flying through space with other stars all singing and shining together as one, the whole universe appears as an infinite storm of beauty.”

~ John Muir

This week, two tropical disturbances will have threatened parts of the United States. The first one, Hurricane Douglas, has come and gone, brushing the Hawaiian Islands. The original forecast of drenching rains and damaging winds didn’t materialize. But it’s still one for the record books as no hurricane has come closer to making landfall in Oahu, since the government started keeping official records in the 1950s. At present Tropical Storm Isaias is blowing through Puerto Rico and the surrounding area. It could intensify while traveling over the warm waters towards Florida. If the winds exceed 74 MPH it will become Hurricane Isaias. 

It seems we have four seasons: earthquake, fire, flood and drought. Californians happily cede the title of Hurricane Capital of America to U.S. East and Gulf coasters. But every once in a while, Mother Nature reminds Southern Californians they are not completely immune to the whims of tropical storms. On occasion ¬– late summer and early fall – moisture moves in from Baja California. Up goes the humidity and down comes the rain.

  Could a full-blown hurricane ever make landfall in Southern California? A local newspaper, the Daily Alta California, tells of one. In 1858, winds “came along in a perfect hurricane, tearing down houses and everything that was in its way. Roofs of houses, trees, fences, filled the air in all directions.” San Diego took the brunt but heavy rains and wind battered the LA area.

In the Pacific Ocean, the North Pacific Current flows from Japan eastward across the Pacific and then splits into the northern-flowing Alaska Current and the southern-flowing California Current. The cool-water California Current along our coastline acts as hurricane repellant, protecting California and even northern Baja California from hurricanes. Also, upper-level winds steer storms to the west and northwest away from California. They shear the tops off of hurricanes, breaking them apart as well. Prevailing northwesterly winds also push warmer surface waters offshore, drawing cooler waters up to the surface. The already cold ocean water remains just that … cold – too cold for a hurricane.

Hot and dry weather will persist into the weekend. A gradual cooling trend is expected early next week. Good pool weather! Heading for the beach? Don’t forget to wear a mask and practice social distancing. There’re shark sightings in Florida but just cold water in California!

Sue Kilpatrick is a Crescenta Valley
resident and Official Skywarn Spotter for the
National Weather Service Reach her
at suelkilpatrick@gmail.com.

  Sue Kilpatrick