Well, at least I think they went boom. I was asleep when all of the action took place.
Following a very long, hot, and dry summer, we experienced an unusually wet fall and early winter.
It seems we’re experiencing a bit of a weather yo-yo pattern. 2023 was among the wettest winters on record, featuring a rainstorm that delivered more than 6 inches in just 24 hours. This is the most rain I’ve ever seen here in such a short period.
After that season, we encountered one of the longest recorded dry spells in San Diego, with no significant rain from late April until late January.
This year’s rainy season began earlier than usual, with rainfall in September, another event in early October, and significant precipitation in November. This was followed by even more rain in late December and into early 2026. Since then, there hasn’t been any rain. Most of this precipitation has been relatively warm, generated by abundant moisture from the tropics. I recall that in the 1980s, this was referred to as the Pineapple Express, but meteorologists now commonly call it an Atmospheric River. Hopefully, more rain will arrive before the rainy season concludes.
Rain totals by date of above photos:
- September 21 – 0.75 of an inch
- October 14 – 1 inch
- November 15 – 1.125 inches
- November 18 – 1.75 inches
- November 21 – 1.375 inches
- December 25 – 1.125 inches
- December 27 – 0. 875 inches
- And the big New Year’s day rain total January 2 – 4.75 inches
This brings our total to 12.75 inches on our hillside for this rainy season so far.
However, between the rains on November 16, while hiking the relatively new coastal trail at Cabrillo National Monument, we observed several waterspouts, including one that moved into San Diego Bay:
First Storm Damage
Euphorbia lactea blew over
The initial storm damage we observed happened overnight on December 23, when the large potted Euphorbia lactea in front of the house was knocked over by the wind storm. The strong winds primarily blew from the south before the storm that arrived in the afternoon of December 24.
It may have been top-heavy and somewhat likely to topple because we reduce watering the pot when the weather cools. This euphorbia doesn’t tolerate wet roots in cold conditions and is susceptible to rotting in winter. The only dry and warm location where I’ve successfully grown it is in the front of the house, exposed to full winter sun and sheltered under the house eaves to keep it dry.
It was too heavy for one person to lift, but fortunately, my garden helper was able to stop by after work that day, and we managed to set it upright just as the rain began. A bit of pruning, some cuttings to share, and we were back in action until the next big windstorm.
Top snapped out of Grevillea Robusta
The same windstorm also damaged the top of our Grevillea robusta. This tree is known for being brittle and prone to wind damage. In fact, the top 20 feet blew out during a windstorm back in 2017. It never fully recovered and developed several central leaders, which are known to weaken the tree’s structure, leading to the recent damage.
Luckily arborist Tony Gunroe was available and removed the damage portion on December 27.
Tony mentions that due to the tree’s structure and some irreparable decay, it might not last much longer. However, we will observe its condition for the time being.
Pearl Acacia
On Christmas Eve, the pearl Acacia, Acacia podalyriifolia, was in full bloom and looked better than ever. My garden helper acquired the plant for free from Joe Walker back in 2019, in a 4-inch pot. It quickly thrived in the garden. However, it grew too fast and became top-heavy, causing it to topple over at least three times in its early years. Each time, I propped it back up, tied it upright, and pruned it. Now, I remove about one-third of the new growth every year after blooming to prevent further damage. Despite this, the continuous rain for over a week during its bloom was excessive and it sulked. Although no branches broke, it became clear after a few weeks of drying out that the drooping branches wouldn’t recover. Consequently, it underwent another significant trimming and will likely need further shaping throughout the growing season.
Second Storm Damage
After heavy rain overnight on News Year’s Eve, we awoke on January first to 15 foot tall aloe in front of the house had fallen over.
See the next blog on how we removed it, replanted it and replaced it.