San Felipe weather archives

Wednesday 30 September 7 a.m. We see a cloud bank across the sea on the mainland this morning. Humidity has risen, possibly from the disturbances south of Baja. Clear skies remain with us elsewhere. We are expecting drier and somewhat cooler conditions by the end of the week, hoping it doesn't pass us up. A light NW breeze and calm waters prevail. It is a joy to work outside for at least a couple of hours in the mornings. ST (Max 95 F; Min 80 F; Humidity currently 44%)

Tuesday 29 September 7 a.m. That low pressure system is moving in promising us significantly cooler weather and increasing winds. We have been having lower readings since Sunday and are a little afraid of how low it will go. A soft NW breeze greets those shrimp boats already in action this early in the morning. Scanning through the events being lined up before we even reach the 1st of October, one can feel the sence of the Fall season coming upon us. ST (Max 97 F; Min 78 F; Humidity currently 41%)

Monday 28 September 7 a.m. They are still promising that a dry weather system will move in bringing us much cooler weather starting Tuesday. Clear skies and calm waters will do for now. It was a joy to see about 50 shrimp pangas out there last evening, their lights blinking on the horizon like morse code. This morning they must have started early again, for their lights greeted us until they faded with the morning sunrise. You can feel the Fall optimism amongst the towns people who are praying for a good season. ST (Max 98 F; Min 81 F; Humidity currently 28%)

Sunday 27 September 7 a.m. Yesterday was a hot one. I Guess these high temperatures will stay with us through Monday, but then......they say we can expect breezy, windy conditions and significantly cooler temperatures for the latter half of the week. The Shrimp boats are now running...they started at midnight of Saturday morning . What a joy to see so many pangas out there on the water. And many families are praying for a good season as this is their livelihood. We get to enjoy the fresh shrimp. ST (Max 99 F; Min 82 F; Humidity currently 28%)

Saturday 26 September 7 a.m. Current temperatures are near record high for this time of year. A strong high pressure system remains through Monday after which we should see it cooling off, getting ready for Fall. Clear skies and calm waters remain the norm. We are looking for the shrimp boats, which usually start their year in the Sea of Cortez, but we don't see them. They must have started this season elsewhere in the waters. However shrimp are plentiful in the markets right now. ST (Max 97 F; Min 78 F; Humidity currently 20%)

Friday 25 September 7 a.m. We are expecting warmer temperatures this week-end, but enjoy! This may be the last of the extremes. With clear skies and the soft northern breezes no-one can complain. Optimisim is in the air as newly arriving snowbirds begin to settle in. Several restaurants have cut their prices. We hope the rest of the economy may follow. ST (Max 97 F; Min 79 F; Humidity currently 25%)

Thursday 24 September 7 a.m. Afternoon breezes may again be with us today. Skies are clear. Our humidity and temperatures are back down to normal. We can expect temperatures to go a little higher for the week-end. We saw several venders pushing the new fresh shrimp sales today. These are off of the small pangas that go out daily. Along with fresh vegetables these really tempt the pallet. ST (Max 94 F; Min 79 F; Humidity currently 23%)

Wednesday 23 September 7 a.m. The winds calmed last evening and this morning are almost still. But we can expect more of the same this afternoon. With the cooler temperatures one can actually dream ahead to Fall activities. Clear skies with calm waters have put us back to normal for the next few days. We can expecty increasingly higher temperatures to return for the week-end. ST (Max 97 F; Min 78 F; Humidity currently 17%)

Sunrise behind "The Rock" photo by Mel Bohnert

Tuesday 22 September, Noon. The wind is blowing very strongly at 20 mph from the NNE and there is a big sandstorm hanging over the mountains at the north end of town. You can see this in a recent picture from our tidecam below where they are almost obscured. Red flag fire warnings are in effect for many areas in Southern California. The hot wind has pushed the temperature on the beach to 94 F while reducung the relative humidity to 25%. Fortunately, we do not have extreme high tides today to contribute to coastal erosion. The combination of very high pressure over Colorado, and low pressure over Sonora, should move east later today and the winds in our area should then subside.

7 a.m. Temperatures are almost normal for late September. Clear skies with a soft but northern breeze helps. Today the priest will give his blessing to the shrimp boats as they head out to their starting places in the middle of the bay. Loved ones and families and friends will all be there to see them off (for a period of weeks depending on the size of the catch.)All will lower their booms precisely at midnight. ST (Max 93 F; Min 81 F; Humidity currently 30%)

Monday 21 September 7 a.m. Last night was a little warmer for sleeping but hopefully today and tomorrow will be cooler as predicted. Tuesday is the beginning of the shrimp season. Weather should be perfect for this. ST (Max 97 F; Min 79 F; Humidity currently 38%)

Sunday 20 September 7 a.m. Awakening early to a cool 84 degrees we enjoyed the clear view of the stars and our spectacular sun coming up over the horizon. At 3:00 a.m. this morning we had an 18' tide. At 8:58 we'll have a low tide of -1.4' , good for clamming. And don't forget Shrimp season begins on Tuesday. With cooler weather we are looking forward to desert activities such as dune-buggying and hiking in the hills to our west. What a life. ST (Max 94 F; Min 75 F; Humidity currently 35%)

Saturday 19 September 7 a.m. A warm week-end is still with us. Hopefully we'll get that cooler air coming across the rockies maybe by Monday. Everyone is enjoying this period of normal temperatures in the lower 90's and 70's F. The astronomical high tides at this time of the new moon are a sight to see. One can walk out on the exposed beach sand at least a half a mile. However with soft breezes there is not much beach erosion in our area. As September slips away week-end entertainment is picking up. Come and enjoy. ST (Max 94 F; Min 76 F; Humidity currently 37%).

Friday 18 September 7 a.m. Yesterday was much cooler than expected here in San Felipe and forcasts for this week-end do not appear as dire as previously thought. High 90's are great for this area. Everyone is beginning to bustle around getting ready for the new Fall Season. Although the tourist and financial pictures are still down there are high hopes for a much better year. The town is still clean and decorated for Independence Day which was just past and visitors are enjoying the best. ST (Max 94 F; Min 78 F; Humidity currently 32%).

Thursday 17 September 7 a.m. Sunshine and soft breezes are on tap for today. Temperatures will be slightly cooler today and tomorrow but watch out: A large high pressure system is developing over the western states bringing warmer weather this week-end. Hopefully by the middle of next week we should be back to seasonal weather. ST (Max 104 F; Min 74 F; Humidity currently 35%).

Wednesday 16 September 7 a.m. We are back from a short vacation in Fresno. As we left there on Monday it was heavily overcast which remained with us all the way to Bakersfield. Only then did it return to our wonderful, tropical weather which we love. By El Centro it was just plain hot and we began to rethink our blessings. Now in San Felipe our soft breeze off the water has kept everything in the pleasant 90's for this mexican holiday. Be aware that, during this high tide period, large swells from the south could create hazards for swimming and boating. Stay safe. ST (Max 92 F; Min 74 F; Humidity currently 37%).

Tuesday 15 September 11 a.m. The breeze continues to keep our humidity down and the temperatures along the beach in a very pleasant range. High pressure is forecast to build as the weekend approaches and this will cause temperatures to rise. The big area of disturbed weather some 300 miles south of Cabo, seen on the satellite picture above, looks as though it could develop into a tropical storm in the next couple of days. It is heading northwest and could therefore affect the Baja peninsular by the weekend. We are also entering a period of astronomical high tides starting tomorrow, so any severe winds or large swells from the south could cause beach erosion for the next seven days. (TC)

Monday 14 September 11 a.m. There has been a steady northerly wind all morning and it is very welcome in keeping the relative humidity low. Today and tomorrow should be very pleasant as low pressure is stalled in Arizona. As this system moves east, we will have a slight warming trend for the upcoming weekend. The disturbed weather off the southern Pacific coast of Mexico could still give rise to a tropical cyclone so we are not out of the woods yet. (TC)

Sunday 13 September 11 a.m. There has been a pleasant breeze blowing all morning, not strong but enough to counter the humidity and keep the temperature down. Overnight there was a moderate magnitude 4.9 earthquake in the Sea of Cortez, about 120 miles south of San Felipe in the same area as the August 3rd. monster. No reports of damage have come in from any local sources.

We expect a cooling trend for the next few days and, while there is a potential area for a new tropical cyclone to form off the southern Mexico coast, no significant development is foreseen for at least the next couple of days. (TC)

Saturday 12 September 10 a.m. We had quite a hot spell on the beach yesterday. The temperature went up to 105 for a couple of hours in the late afternoon as the wind switched suddenly to the south. We can expect similar conditions for today but a cooling trend is going to set in as the weekend progresses and next week should be back to highs in the 90's. Early this morning we had a fog bank lurking offshore but it has dissipated with the rising temperature. Out in the Pacific, Linda has died down from a hurricane and now is only a remnant depression. No other storms are on the horizon at this time. (TC).

Friday 11 September 11 a.m. Today has started off very much like yesterday and no major changes are likely over the next several days. Some wispy, high, cloud is drifting over our region and this should help to moderate the intensity of the late summer sunshine. A UV index of 8-10 is projected for the next few days. The breeze is almost non-existent and the sea is very calm at this hour. This is also the period of the dead tides as the moon is now half-lit. Town is waking up as a flow of weekend tourists ventures down, though most of the license plates we see are Baja California border resident tags. (TC)

Thursday 10 September 10 a.m. Shirley is off on vacation for a few days, so I shall try to fill in. Please do not expect to see the weather up at 7 a.m. I am not an early riser.(TC)

Hurricane Linda, the sixth major storm of the Pacific season, is raging out in the Pacific, half way to Hawaii and moving northwest at 6 mph. She poses no threat to the Baja peninsular at this time. For San Felipe, high pressure is expected to build over the southwest USA and this will bring us warmer weather for the weekend. All things considered, this is a typical mid-September day. TC (Max 97 F; Min 79 F; Humidity currently 60%).

Wednesday 9 September 7:00 a.m. We're getting back to normal temperatures for early September and the humidity is slowly dropping. Blue skies and lots of sunshine are on the calendar and night time temperatures are back into the high 70's...great for sleeping. A great place to spend a week. st (Max 95 F; Min 79 F; Humidity currently 38%).

Tuesday 8 September 7:00 a.m. Again we have clear, blue skies, our normal weather for this time of the year. A flow of air from the NW is expected to keep us with temperatures, near or slightly above average for early September. It will be another beautiful, Baja day. st (Max 96 F; Min 79 F; Humidity currently 40%).

Monday 7 September 7:00 a.m. Labor Day: Skies are absolutely clear this morning with a soft, warm breeze from the south promising a beautiful U.S. LABOR DAY. All signs of stormy weather have disappeared. Temperatures are normal for early September and promise to stay there for the upcoming Mexican Holiday, September 16th, Independence day in Mexico. We are in our last quarter moon, Tides at 9:14 a.m are at -0.3 and at 9:28 p.m. will be 1.0; great for clamming. As it cools we will be looking more and more to water sports, sand-railing in the desert and to the western arroyas nearby. st (Max 96 F; Min 82 F; Humidity currently 42%).

Sunday, 5 September 2:00 p.m. Again we have strong warm winds, this time from the SE at about 14 mph. There is a large, solid cloud gathered overhead with sunshine all around it creating kind of a weird grey color in the atmosphere. The water is being stirred pretty deep to be such a brown color with many white-caps. We noticed on our walk last evening that the strong tide is clawing it's way high up on the beach, tearing at the sand-cliff walls. This is all part of the extreme outskirts of TS Jimena which has now turned and is travelling to the west and south. st

7:00 a.m. A drying trend and normal weather pattern is returning. Tropical Storm Jimena never reached San Felipe. This morning we have warm winds from the south; the surf is pretty loud, and the waves are strong. Tropical weather for sure. We think of, and feel sorry for the damage in other areas of the Baja as we settle back into our own early Fall routines. Labor Day week-end with all of it's activities is upon us. Roads to this area did not have any damage so we expect a large influx of holiday traffic. st (Max 101 F; Min 85 F; Humidity currently 44%)

Friday 4 September 5:20 p.m.Strong SW winds about 13 mph are blowing around furniture and causing havoc. The water is wearing whitecaps and churning up the bottom. The high today reached 100.6 F and is still 95.4 F. All in all a very active day. st (Max 101 F; Min 83 F; Humidity currently 42%)

7:00 a.m. Clouds thinned and south winds picked up early this morning. Those beautiful clouds of yesterday are gone. At this hour we have a warm southern strong breeze and the humidity is still above the 40's. But the hope that Tropical Depression Jimena might bring us some rain is weakening by the hour. We can look forward to a wonderful September week-end and everything planned can now go forward. st (Max 101 F; Min 83 F; Humidity currently 42%)

9/4/09 All tropical storm warnings and watches were dropped early Friday. Heavy rainfall has damaged many towns and villages in the central Baja region.

Baja Bush Pilots (and the LA Times Outposts blog ) has been reporting on the conditions in central Baja California. Here is a synopsis of the damage so far:

-- Matancitas (Lopez Mateos): Almost 90% of structures are down or severely damaged. No water, power or telephone service.

-- Ciudad Constitucion: Most roofs are gone; severe damage to 70% of the buildings. No water, power or telephone service.

-- Loreto: No power or telephone service. Lines are down, trees are down. Buildings are damaged. The airport is closed.

-- Mulege: No water, power or telephone service. Water crested three feet above the bridge. Water was 2 feet deep in the fire station, which would mean that almost the entire town was flooded. There have been reports of loss of life.

-- Punta Chivato: One person indicates that the wind was over 100 mph before the indicator broke. Damage to almost everything. We should hear about the condition of the strip sometime today.

-- Santa Rosalia: Wall of water came down the canyon and through the town, washed cars, etc., into the ocean.

-- mid-Baja, Mex highway 1 has considerable damage and many bridges are destroyed. Transportation by land at this point is impossible. Critical supplies, at this point, must be brought in by air. There is great need for food, water, and clothing.

-- Guymas (Son) has registered a new record rainfall of 51 cm ( 20 inches) in the past 24 hours according to Conagua.

Thursday 3 September 7:00 a.m. Although the center of the storm is projected now to miss us, we can still expect some scattered showers by Friday or Saturday, which we can look forward to with pleasure. Labor Day week-end is upon us. Because of the turn in Jemina's path we expect an influx of visitors who might have been headed for the coast. Notice, this morning it is calm and beautiful in San Felipe although a little humid. Come and join us. st (Max 96 F; Min 83 F; Humidity currently 42%)

Wednesday 2 September 7:00 a.m. It seems the storm path has turned sharply towards the west. We can still expect heavy rains as we remain on the outskirts of the new path. Our skies this morning are heavy with clouds covering most of the area. It is very, very humid. Waters are calm as if waiting for the next move. st (Max 98 F; Min 84 F; Humidity currently 46%)

Tuesday 1 September Noon Still cloudiness around but town is sunny and hot. The temperature has now shot up to 96 F and the heat index is the equivalent of 109 F on the beach. Perfect early-September weather; you would hardly believe a storm is on the way. North east winds at 5 mph.

8:30 a.m. Heavy cloud hung over San Felipe at daybreak and appears to be intensifying. It looks like there is rain in the mountains to the west of town and on the Mexicali road at this hour. Up in the El Centro area there are thunderstorms. Hurricane Jimena is on its way and you can see the projected path in the graphic from the National Hurricane Center towards the top of the page. At this time Jimena is a very powerful category 4 hurricane and is expected to wreak havoc on the coast of southern Baja where landfall is expected on Wednesday. The hurricane will then move across the peninsular where it should lose much of its strength in battling through the mountains. However, when it emerges into the warm waters of the Sea of Cortez on Friday morning we could see some regeneration. The present track takes the storm right over Puerto Penasco, only 80 miles to the east of San Felipe on Saturday. The big concern is how fast the cyclone is moving forward at that time. The slower it travels, the more rainfall any area will get. Everyone should be making preparations for a stormy weekend. Ensure that your street is clear of the garbage that blocks the storm drains and secure patio furniture and window shades that could tear loose and cause hazards or break windows.

We have astronomical high tides this weekend because of the full moon on Friday, therefore the winds and storm surge from Jimena could cause beach erosion. The south beach areas, in particular should be very vigilant.

If you are travelling on the Mexicali road when rain starts be very careful - especially in the construction areas where flash flooding of unpaved roadway is possible.

Unfortunately eight out of twelve of Mexico's doppler radar stations, including all that cover the Baja peninsular and Gulf of California, appear to be out of operation at this time. We shall have to rely on reports from local towns and villages in the south for much information. (TC)