Early scorcher doesn’t preclude rain

WEATHER TIDBITS

On Sunday Laguna came up with a hot one -- 90 degrees. That’s the

first time that has happened in Laguna in March, leading me to think

this is just the beginning of record-setting heat throughout the

year.

A late, almost out of season, Santa Ana wind was responsible for

the mercury skyrocketing like it did. It’s the first time since 1997

that a heat wave of this magnitude has been felt in March.

Monday was almost as hot as Sunday with 86 degrees for a high,

breaking the old record for the date set in 1996 when it was 84

degrees.

With still plenty of moisture in the Earth from the four-inch

drenching two weeks ago, the wild flowers and the mustard are really

going off with this heat.

Changes are coming, however, and by the time you read the latest

Coastline, it’ll probably be raining again.

Incidentally, April is our last month of the rainy season with an

average of 1.2 inches. May’s average dwindles down to .2 inches and

June .07 inches.

The wettest Aprils have been 6.07 inches in April 1958 followed by 5.25 inches in 1983, 4.17 inches in 1975, then 3.83 inches in 1952.

It can get hot in April.

April 5, 1989 saw 101 degrees in Laguna along with a 4.8 shaker

near Fashion Island at 1 p.m.

April 24, 1982 was 95 degrees with 35 mph offshore winds. The

truancy rate was at an all-time high.

April 1, 1966 was 93 degrees. There were hot offshore winds, 6

feet at Trestles -- your Tidbitter never made it to school that day,

or, I think, that whole week. I was a junior in high school, the surf

was so good that whole 1965 - 66 spread, that the “proper

authorities” wanted to hold me back and demote me to freshman. Heck,

they didn’t surf. How could they understand the priority clause?

I foresee abundant thunderstorm activity this summer for our

mountains and deserts with ample rains in the deserts this winter.

Summer storms could push 2003 rain totals to double or triple their

annual norm (5 to 6.5 inches).

We’ll enjoy more 70 degree-plus ocean temps than we’ve had the

past four summers total.

* DENNIS McTIGHE is a Laguna Beach resident. He earned a

bachelor’s degre in earth sciences from UCSD and was a U.S. Air Force

weather forecaster at Hickman Air Force Base, Hawaii.