Friday 31 July, 7 a.m. My
readings are still going down (almost 9 degrees since Tuesday)
but are expected to reverse again for the week-end, culminating
Monday into a return to the hots. The high tide which was 20'
on the 21st of July is now down to 12.8' with lows of 5.6',
much safer for swimming. However that water is a bathtub of
at least 95 degrees. Thank goodness for the soft breezes that
come and go throughout each day. We keep our air-conditioners
set at about 78 Fahrenheit or 25 Celsius continually and it
works just fine. st (Max
96 F, Min 80 F, Humidity currently 30 %)
Thursday 30 July, 7 a.m. Another
4 degree drop in temperatures back down to our normal 100 degree
readings. We expect this to hold steady for the next few days,
maybe just a tad higher over the week-end. Lots of activity
going on around town but you have to look for it. Any restaurant
with good air-conditioning is full. Many are on summer hours
but all hours seem to be covered. I still see many mexican
laborers out there toiling away, heads covered and in long
sleeve shirts. If you study their habits they know how to take
their siesta (lunch and rest breaks) in the hottest part of
the day. We should all take lessons. st (Max
100 F, Min 82 F, Humidity currently 30 %)
Wednesday 29 July, 7
a.m. We have a drop in our current temperature readings
by about 3 degrees, enough to allow the excessive heat warnings
to expire for this area. Our charts show readings of 116
F for the Heat Index. The Sea of Cortez is no relief, readings
still about 95 F. The Electric Co is taking a beating with
everyone using maximum Air Conditioners. But we are not alone.
The entire south west of United States is scorching. I think
we should go back to Show Lo, in Arizona where we finished
part of our vacation just last week. st (Max
104 F, Min 82 F, Humidity currently 36 %)
Tuesday 28 July, 7 a.m. Temperatures
will be very hot once again today. High pressure will remain
most of this week. Excessive heat warnings remain so stay indoors
if possible.
Mel and I have returned to Baja from our wonderful long vacation in the cool
mountains of Utah to find our air-conditioning system is not working. So we
will enjoy whatever cool breezes we get off of the water today. Incidentally,
the water is about 90+ degrees also, more like a bathtub. One actually feels
cooler as they exit the waves. Lets hope for better news by Thursday. st (Max
105 F, Min 87 F, Humidity currently 33 %)
Monday 27 July, 10 a.m. Excessive
heat warnings are still in effect for the deserts of the southwest
and for northern Baja. Currently we have a heat index equivalent
to 123 F and all outdoor activity is hazardous. This condition
should ease locally as the easterly winds develop and bring
cool, moist, air onshore. A high pressure dome over Arizona
is moving slowly south over our region and should bring drier
air from the west but this is not necessarily a good sign.
Better for us for the low pressure to re-establish over the
northern Gulf. (TC)
Saturday 25 July, 11
a.m. Yesterday was quite moderate by our summer
standards with pleasant 90 F temperatures and 50% humidities.
Today is turning out to be just a little warmer but there
are no unusual conditions on the horizon at this time. No
tropical storms are forming in the Pacific and no excessive
moisture is heading north. It looks as though we are in for
a few days of relatively stable conditions ! (TC)
Friday 24 July, 10:15
a.m. It was quite overcast in San Felipe earlier
this morning but the cloud is now breaking up and we should
have a typically warm day. The moisture coming up the Gulf
that we talked about yesterday has kept us relatively cool
over the past 24 hours. Temperatures have hovered between
85 and 95 F for the most part. The downside has been the
very high humidity overnight, with readings as high as 84%
between midnight and dawn. Basically it makes it almost impossible
to sleep without an air conditioner.
For several years before the
full electricity came to my house, I would lie spreadeagled
on the bed with a small fan blowing air over me. This works
for a while but I would wake up at 4 a.m. feeling very cold
and clammy. These days, I find the ideal temperature for the
bedroom is 81 F with a relative humidity level of 60%. A single
light cotton sheet is all that is needed for a covering. Similarly,
the house is best kept at around 85F during the day to avoid
big thermal shocks to the body when stepping outdoors. Many
of our newer residents who decide to stay for the summer set
their thermostats to levels that simulate US comfort conditions,
say 76-78F. The results are unexpected. First you can get huge
electricity bills (sometimes in excess of $800 dollars/month).
The second effect is that if you keep your house below the
average dewpoint temperature (typically also in the 75-78F
range) you can expect to get moisture condensation and absorption
in the walls and plaster of the structure. Hidden mildew is
the enemy you may be fighting from then on. It is very important
to open up the windows and air out the house completely for
several days when the hot weather has passed by in early October
to let the structure come back into equilibrium with the environment.
(TC)
Thursday 23 July, 10
a.m. The flow of humid air up the Gulf from the
south has increased overnight and we awoke to see clouds
surrounding the peak of Machorro at the north end of town.
This "fog" hovering over the peak is a sign that
the air is so saturated that there could be leakage at any
time. It is somewhat beneficial in that it keeps our peak
temperatures a little cooler - we only reached 101F yesterday
- but the combination of the temperature and the humidity
(the heat index) is still a very uncomfortable 117 F at this
time.
One aspect of this very hot weather
and the intense sunshine that we get on the desert highways
is that the stress on your vehicle tires is increased. Particularly
in the regions where the road is new and paved with smooth
black asphalt, the surface of the road becomes extremely hot.
This is the time of year where you will see large pieces of
tire tread, sometimes even the entire tire outer casing, lying
on the road. Mostly, these pieces of tire come from the older
trucks that are heavily laden going up and down the highway
between San Felipe and Mexicali. The stress on the tires is
extreme from the heavy load, the road surface temperature is
extreme from the sun and something has to give - the rubber
tread becomes unbonded from the metal "plys" in the
casing. Usually, you can see these large obstacles in the roadway
well in advance and can take evasive action. At night, however,
the black tire fragments on a black road surface in a totally
dark environment can come as a last-second surprise. That is
why I always recommend that you not drive these roads after
dark - especially on moonless nights.
Wednesday 22 July, 9:30
a.m. This heat is getting to our server and we had
some problems overnight. However, I gave it a bag of ice
cubes and it seems to be doing fine as of now. Nothing much
new on the weather front, we are definitely in the summer
doldrums with pretty repeatable highs and lows and winds
and "feel-like" heat indices of 116 F. The storm
buildup in the mountains during the afternoons is well typified
by the following radar picture from yesterday:
You can see the area of rain
showers (green) and the potential embedded thunderstorms (red)
in the mountains between us and Ensenada. It is gully-washers
from a big storm that run down the eastern slopes of the mountains
and cause flooding on the Mexicali road. If you are driving,
do not attempt to forge through floods that you may see crossing
the road in the "zona de vados". Vehicles do get
washed away and lives have been lost. Wait and let the torrent
go past! (TC).
Tuesday 21 July, 9 a.m. More
of the same for today. Quite warm and humid at breakfast time;
93F with 69% and a heat index of only 114F. There is a lot
of moisture moving slowly up the Gulf towards the desert low
pressure centered on the border with Arizona. The jet stream
has moved north over the sub-Canadian states and this means
that the high pressure over the four corners remains stubbornly
in place. The net effect of this situation is that we get warm,
sticky, weather in San Felipe while the desert cities to our
north have miserable, life-threatening, high temperatures.
Each afternoon, the thunderheads in the mountains to our west
are becoming bigger and lasting longer. It is only a matter
of time now before we get an afternoon downpour in our town.
Nothing excessive, just a 5 minute cloudburst that will clean
the air for us. You can bet that the roof repair people will
be getting a lot of calls then. Very high astronomical tides
again today. Unfortunately the Wednesday total eclipse of the
sun will not be coming through San Felipe. (TC).
Monday 20 July, 1 p.m. High
tide is almost here and the next three days will see exceptional
high and low tides because of the New Moon tomorrow. The wind
has also picked up very nicely (10-15 mph onshore) and the
beaches are a mini-paradise. You could not ask for better conditions
for a family vacation. In town at the office we are sweating
away with 97 F and 50% RH but on the beach it is a much cooler
92F and 65% RH. (TC).
9:30 a.m. It
almost rained yesterday afternoon. Thick, dark, clouds moved
in from the west and covered town. You couldn't see the foothills
for dust, or maybe rain, they were totally obscured by a curtain
of something. The Doppler radar showed what looked like a downpour
off the El Dorado coastline and there were some big lightning
strikes. Today we woke up to mostly clear skies with intense
heat and sunshine. At the present time, the heat index is an
incredibly high 122F - dangerous for manual labor! This is
definitely a day to stay in the shade, or preferebly the air
conditioning. Unfortunately, the high pressure that is parked
over the Four Corners region seems to be anchored in place
and very little change is expected in the week ahead. Be very
careful in crossing the deserts - this is no time to have to
fix a flat tire.
Sunday 19 July, 9 a.m. Yesterday
was another scortcher but today looks like it will be a few
degrees cooler. In the deserts, temperatures are still likely
to hover around 110F for the next few days until the high pressure
dissipates, and there is still a possibility of afternoon thunderstorms
in the mountains. There are no tropical cyclones developing
in the Pacific as of this morning. This weekend is the "Mexicali
by the Beach" celebration and a number of families have
driven down to San Felipe to escape the hot weather; most people,
however, prefer to drive over to Rosarito to enjoy the cool
of the Pacific. I can't say that I blame them. (TC)
Saturday 18 July, 10
a.m. We had quite a windstorm last night just before
midnight as a weather front moved through the area. Our weather
station recorded gusts of 30 mph for about 20 minutes. The
patio furniture was all over the place this morning and there
is a lot of sand to be cleaned up. I expect we shall see
lots of plastic bags caught in the trees and ocotillo plants
along the highway.
This morning is partly cloudy
(thank goodness!) but the hot weather continues. Our low temperature
overnight was 89F and we are currently experiencing 101F with
28% RH. The people who will be really suffering are the residents
of desert cities like El Centro and Mexicali where heat warnings
for temperatures in the 115F range are being issued. I have
had calls from friends in Mexicali to say that they are coming
to San Felipe for the weekend to avoid the heat. As long as
you are spending the weekend along the beach, where the temperatures
at the water's edge are around 90F, you will have a great time.
(TC)
Friday 17 July, 9 a.m. This
morning is a complete change from yesterday. The heavy cloud
is gone and the sun is beating down. Already it is 100F outside,
though with very low relative humidity. The remnants of tropical
storm Dolores will continue to flow over us but our weather
picture today is dominated by the strong high pressure building
over Arizona and Utah. For people in the desert southwest,
the weekend could bring temperatures close to 120F. For us
in San Felipe we will have hot early-morning temperatures till
the ocean breeze picks up and brings us the cooler, moister,
air. It should be a beautiful weekend along the beach and the
advanced sunworshippers can look forward to plenty of ultraviolet
tanning opportunities. (TC)
Thursday 16 July, 10
a.m. We woke to heavy cloud over San Felipe this
morning but that is now thinning out and we have partly sunny
skies as you can see from the webcam picture above. A stream
of tropical moisture is heading over us from the Pacific
storms and this mornings picture of Dolores shows just how
extensive this is. It also shows red, blotchy, areas over
the northern Gulf - signs of possible embedded thunderstorms.
Radar is showing rain further
down the peninsular, around Gonzaga, and in our mountains to
the west. However, it is unlikely we will see any rain in San
Felipe today. The outlook for the weekend is for tropical beach
weather, high humidity with temperatures in the 90's - almost
identical to Miami !
Come here and have a Florida vacation at a fraction of the
cost! (TC)
Wednesday 15 July, 11
a.m. The east wind and tropical cloud is with us
this morning and it is keeping things cooler but more humid.
The heat index is only 102F at this hour, though I can tell
you that I was trying to move an old window air conditioner
in the garden and after 30 minutes of "hard labor" I
am soaked with sweat and totally worn out. Time to lie down
for a pre-siesta.
Out in the Pacific we have a
large new tropical storm, Dolores, which is likely to send
a lot of moisture northeast over Baja and the desert southwest
during the week. Hurricane Carlos continues to move towards
Hawaii. I expect that our weather for the week will be dominated
by what is happening in the Pacific - more moisture, a chance
of afternoon thunderstorms in the mountains, and spectacular
storms over Sonora. (TC).
10 p.m. Wednesday - Tropical
Storm Dolores (above) is a couple of thousand miles southwest
of San Felipe, but you can see her huge moisture field spinning
off towards Arizona and New Mexico and filling the Gulf of
California. An intense patch of red over mainland Mexico indicates
that there are probably heavy rains and thunderstorms happening
there tonight.
Tuesday 14 July, 4:30
p.m. Afternoon conditions are ideal for swimming:
92F and 64% RH, easterly breezes at 10 mph. High tide approaching.
9:30 a.m. Continued
very hot and sticky with 92 F in the shade and 75% RH. Our
Davis weather station is issuing messages about current conditions
having a "dangerously high heat index of 115F" -
but it is just a computerized device and cannot appreciate
the beauty and tranquility that go along with the summer conditions
here. As is usual, it is not the heat, it is the humidity that
makes life so difficult. High tropical cloud is now forming
over the northern Gulf and this is a blessing for us in reducing
the intensity of the sun, it gives the air conditioning a chance
to catch up. As I look at the mountains at the north end of
the bay, I can see cloud forming around their peaks as the
humidity in the air is forced up from sea level and starts
to condense. It could almost rain there!
Surprisingly, I am getting quite
a few enquiries from Southern Californians and Nevadans who
are thinking of taking a vacation and coming down to San Felipe
in August. Although I don't expect this to develop into a rush
like Easter Week, it could be a boon to the economy of our
sleepy little town. I will post a few notes later today as
guidance for summer visitors on the different areas of the
town and where they might want to look for their ideal vacation.
(TC)
Monday 13 July, 1 p.m. At
the office in town we have a temperature of 97 F and 55% RH.
The mountains at the north end of the Malecon, our friends
during the months of the winter winds, are now blocking the
breeze, making conditions extremely trying. The bay beach,
by comparison, is a much more pleasant 92 in the shade with
a northeast breeze at 6 mph.
9 a.m. Hot and
very sticky - the dew point is close to 80F !!. If you drive
into town and open the car door, your glasses immediately fog
up. Excessive heat warnings have been issued for the deserts
to the north. The air conditioners are having a hard time coping
with all the condensation from the high humidity. This is definitely
a morning to take things easy and wait for the breezes to come
up before venturing outdoors. (TC)
Sunday 12 July, 10 a.m. For
the coming week, the forecast is for the deserts of the southwest
USA and northwest Mexico to be under an extreme heat advisory.
In the El Centro-Mexicali region, temperatures are expected
to hover around 115F so be extra cautious while driving - make
sure that your vehicle is in good condition and especially
check that your tires are sound and correctly inflated before
starting a long journey. Buy a couple of gallon containers
of water and have a beach umbrella with you for shade in case
you need to change a tire on the road. In San Felipe this morning,
the skies are clear and the sun is beating down with a fierce
intensity. The heat index is currently showing 111F and the
tide is out. It is a good time to relax indoors and read the
Sunday newspapers while waiting for the wind to pick up and
bring some relief to the heat. Out in the Pacific, Carlos has
now been upgraded to a hurricane and its track will continue
to take it west towards Hawaii. (TC)
Saturday 11 July, 10
a.m. Continued hot and humid with the "feel-like" heat
index at 111F at this hour. However, it does look beautiful
out on the beach with occasional puffy cumulus clouds drifting
over town and the broad expanse of beach at low tide. The
breeze should kick in soon and that will make the weather
a whole lot more pleasant. Out in the Pacific, a new tropical
storm, Carlos, is set to become a hurricane and appears headed
for the Hawaiian islands at this time. A thermal low pressure
region is developing over the northern Gulf, common at this
time of year, and will suck more tropical moisture up from
the south. I expect we will see big cumulus clouds develop
to the east this afternoon and possible lightning storms
visible tonight over the Sonora coastline. Just an ideal
day for relaxing and doing nothing at all. (TC)
Friday 10 July, 10:30
a.m. Hot and humid. The heat index is already at
107F so don't do any unnecessary exercise; definitely not
golfing weather. The remnants of what was tropical storm
Blanca are sending moisture over our region from the Pacific
side of Baja. Some high cloud is coming and that should help
to cut down on the sun's intensity. Meanwhile the electricity
meter is spinning away as the cooling systems try to keep
up with the high humidity. Condensing this moisture in the
air is what takes the major part of the electricity. When
the air is dry, I can cool the house comfortably with a demand
of around 3 kW during daylight hours - less than a dollar
per hour. During humid conditions that demand doubles and
is present both day and night. (TC)
Thursday 9 July, 9 a.m. A
very similar start to the day to yesterday. We expect to stay
in the 90's most of the day and will be lucky to cool below
80 tonight as high pressure to our north continues to build.
It should be a toasty weekend. (TC)
Wednesday 8 July, 11
a.m. Hump day, with a heat index of 105F at 11 o'clock
in the morning. Just not worth going outside until the east
wind comes up. The weather service expects strong warming
for the upcoming weekend so get your air conditioners ready.
Tropical storm Blanca is dissipating and no threat to Baja.(TC)
Tuesday 7 July, 10 a.m. A
quiet morning in San Felipe. The beaches are deserted and the
town is recovering from the excitement of last weekend's holiday,
the fishing tournament and the national elections. I'll try
to get some news about these events up today. Meanwhile, tropical
storm Blanca has formed about 750 km. off the tip of Baja.
I expect that this storm will dissipate by the end of this
week but as it falls apart considerable amounts of moisture
will be spun off and could bring us additional high humidity
in the next several days.(TC).
Monday 6 July, Noon. Continued
hot and very humid. Air conditioners are streaming with water
- put a bucket underneath to catch the overflow and use it
on your plants.(TC).
Sunday 5 July, Noon. Steady
northeast breezes are keeping conditions moderate today as
high pressure builds over Arizona. After all of yesterday's
hot dogs and beer this is definitely a time to relax and take
it easy. The border crossings back to California are already
busy as people head home. Expect 1-2 hour delays this afternoon.(TC).
Saturday 4 July, American
Independence Day, 10:30 a.m. Well, we only made
it to 103 degrees yesterday even though I thought we would
go higher. Anyway, it is a much cooler morning and very pleasant
on the beach. There is even a swell from the southeast on
the water so you could almost do some baby surfing stunts.
The banana boats are out and there are people walking their
dogs on the bay beaches. Sunshades are popping up along the
water's edge. Town is filling up and I expect that this will
be a good weekend for our local merchants to make some money
before the town settles down for the summer slumber. Don't
forget that Sunday is election day here but that will not
stop the alcohol sales in the restaurants and bars. Enjoy!
(TC).
Friday 3 July , 1 p.m. Yea!!
A new record temperature for the year!! 103 degrees and rising.
11 a.m. The
thermometer has climbed steadily since dawn and is now just
touching the 100 degree mark, fortunately the humidity has
plunged to 30% but it is still toasty. The tide is coming in
and already there are people out on the water splashing around
and enjoying themselves. This Sunday, elections are being held
in Mexico. In much of the country there is a prohibition on
the sale of alcohol ( the Ley Seca) but here in San Felipe
we are exempt. Bars, restaurants and liquor stores will be
functioning normally - in fact they should be doing very well
in this heatwave. (TC)
Thursday
2 July , 4 p.m. A beautiful,
semi-tropical, afternoon in San Felipe. An occasional
soul strolls down the beach along the wide expanse of
virgin sand left by the falling tide. There is some high
cloud passing over to the north of town with a steady
easterly breeze keeping us in the high 80's. It is humid,
70%, but this combination of sun, cloud, wind and moisture
is perfect. It has been like this since noon. I expect
that in an hour or so, the wind will switch to the south
and the temperature will rise. That is the time for a
siesta. No storms on the horizon - it will be a superb
weekend.
11
a.m. Around 8 a.m.
this morning, the breeze picked up from the east
and has been sweeping the very moist air from over
the gulf onshore. The humidity is incredible at the
moment (87%) and we can see condensation clouds hovering
around the mountains at the north end of the bay.
Fortunately the temperature is relatively low at
83F but the combination still gives a "feel-like" heat
index in the mid-90's. We expect this humid weather
to continue for a couple of days until a dryer, southwesterly
flow of air moves in over the weekend. For beachgoers,
it is great weather. After all, you are going to
get wet playing in the water so the humidity is no
big deal. If you are driving down for the holiday
weekend, watch out for signs of thunderstorms in
the deserts as they can give rise to local flash
floods in the arroyos. Buy your tickets for the Rockodile
and Beachcomber parties for the weekend - see the
clickable banner on our home page for more information.
(TC)
Wednesday
1 July , 11 a.m. Another
hot and very humid morning. Light northeasterly breezes
are keeping the temperature in check but it is not
a day for any hard physical exertion. Perhaps the
best thing to do is laze under a palapa with a good
book or take an air mattress out and float around
on the rising tide. (TC)
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