July 6: Summer Rains....

Summer rains may be common across the country, but here in Southern California, rain is a rare treat. The lack of rain endangers our precious oaks, many centuries old, and it has grieved me to see so many lost in the ten years we've lived in Pine Valley. So two days of summer storms are not only a blessed relief from the oppressive heat; they are also a blessing for our thirsty trees and natural foliage in this place which receives about 20 inches of precipitation per year (double what San Diego proper receives) and reaches into the 110s regularly throughout the summer. The summer storms drop the temperatures by 20 degrees within 15 minutes, bringing flashes of lightning, crashes of thunder, and the welcome patter of rain and sometimes hail, all rarities in this south-western-most corner of the country.