Category: weather

Get ready: Here comes the fierce Mojave sun

A California redbud blooms as American coots feed on the grass at Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs last March.

I’m reveling in the last of our cooler days, because come summer, instead of enjoying the sounds of birds while out on a hiking trail or at a park, I’ll likely be listening to the incessant ‘tweets’ of espresso machines and the roar of frothers emanating from behind a coffee counter.

That’s because the time of year is approaching when the Mojave Desert asserts itself in a way that can’t be ignored: — namely, by blasting Southern Nevadans with blazing temps.

Last summer certainly was a scorcher. We shattered records by hitting 120F, exceeding by 3 degrees the previous hottest day of 117F. We also had 112 days of 100F-plus temperatures, topping the record of 100 days during summer 2023. And experts are anticipating more of the same this year.

Cafes are a good place to take haven, with their frigid micro-climates. They pump up the AC enough to seemingly simulate being on a peak in the Spring Mountains, where it’s typically about 10-20 degrees cooler. Continue reading Get ready: Here comes the fierce Mojave sun

Snow and a rapid stream made this mountain hike an enjoyable challenge

Hikers gingerly traverse the last 1200 feet or so of the Fletcher Canyon Trail, where there was snow and a rapidly-running stream.

No more outdoor activities in low-lying areas unless it’s hella early—meaning, 5 a.m., and then it’s vamoose by like 7 a.m.-ish. Reason being, the hot weather is upon us here in Southern Nevada.

In other words, it’s time to take to higher elevations. So locally, that means the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area.

Like today’s excursion to Kyle Canyon, where I tested out my new Garmin InReach Mini 2. Fun stuff! I figured I’d do so in a familiar area before venturing into more remote spots (to avoid those pesky humans).

Along the trail, there’s a stream bed that meanders parallel with the entire route. Normally, it’s as dry as a long-dead tree. But today, water ran robustly due to all the snow-melt in the mountain range (see video below.) The water looked to be around 2 feet deep in some sections, and you had to crisscross it repeatedly in order to complete the trail. Continue reading Snow and a rapid stream made this mountain hike an enjoyable challenge

Mesquites hold out until winter then quickly drop leaves

A verdin in a honey mesquite tree at Desert Breeze Park on 11/21/22.

The mesquite trees are down for the season at my local park. It was jarring yesterday to see that they’re barren now. As can be seen by the photo here with the verdin, which I took in late November when I was last there, they were still primarily displaying green.

After doing some quick research on this, I discovered that mesquite leaves can remain on the tree until as late as March during mild winters. That’s according to the Arizona Cooperative Extension.

That’s right on the cusp of sprouting new leaves for spring, which, for mesquites, typically occurs in late March or early April, according to a report published by the extension, titled Mesquite and Palo Verde Trees for the Urban Landscape, by Ursula K Schuch and Jack J. Kelly. Continue reading Mesquites hold out until winter then quickly drop leaves

The scene where the story has a made a wonderful turn

Changing leaves were a highlight at Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs, 12/4/22.

It wasn’t so windy that it prompted thoughts of returning home, but enough to stir up some drama, and the drama was all about the cascade of leaves — the hue of griddle cakes, most of ’em, amassing on the ground in glorious piles after tumbling from high up on Fremont cottonwood trees — older ones, their heights exceeding two-story town homes. The trees also cast their shimmery reflections across the lakes and adorned the ground with what looked like coins and gems from a shipwreck’s treasure chest.

With all that yellow, the sun couldn’t help but look buttery. Dare I use the word “dapple” here to describe how the light scattered its rays about and filtered through the leaves and branches? Continue reading The scene where the story has a made a wonderful turn