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Rainbows and snowflakes
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Posted by editor Mon Apr 17, 2006 09:42:41 PDT
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1 response 0 comments Tehachapi residents like me who love our ever-changing weather have been enjoying the past few weeks: barely two days in a row of consistent weather, with wide temperature fluctuations and variable weather conditions even in the course of a single day.

Spring is the season with the greatest potential for all the different weather conditions in Tehachapi. Rain, sunshine, wind, snow, sleet, hot days, freezing nights, hail — Spring can play any tune in the weather songbook.

The other three seasons have a somewhat more predictable repertoire. Summer is the most stable of all, without a single moisture-producing storm during some years, though snow has in fact been recorded every month of the year in Tehachapi.
Autumn also tends to be relatively moderate, with the stable Indian summer pattern of cool nights and warm afternoons that can stretch into early November. Autumn occasionally brings dramatic and powerful storms, but the overall tone is more even and change comes slower.

By the time Winter officially arrives on December 21, our weather has grown more changeable and long term predictions are wrong as often as they are accurate. And we invariably have a warm spell or two in January or February that lulls the unknowing into saying things like “I guess that’s about it for this winter. Think we’ll have any more snow?”

Which brings us back to Spring and the weather diversity that characterizes  Tehachapi. I mentioned in a column over a month ago that the daffodils usually get snowed on at least once, so if the daffodils hadn’t been snowed on yet, there was a good chance more was on the way.

And as you know, we ended up having quite a bit of snow after that — the biggest storm in several years with Highway 58 closures and all. Even a week and a half ago, great big fluffy snowflakes filled the air like an enormous down-feather pillow had been opened over Tehachapi.

So this week’s column includes some photos that pay homage to our variable springtime weather. And they were taken just a few days apart. From a redtail in rainbow to California quail in the snow, they are some of our Spring visuals.

Have a good week.

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