The last time Downtown Los Angeles had more than a smattering of rain was mid-April 2024 — more than 250 days ago. To date, the Rain Year beginning July 1, 2024 has been one of the two driest in the 147+ year weather record for Downtown Los Angeles.
Because of the time of year, and lack of rain, not many wildflowers were blooming along Los Angeles area trails at the end of 2024. One exception was this brittlebush (Encelia farinosa) on the southwest corner of Lasky Mesa in Ahmanson Ranch.
If Los Angeles doesn’t see any rain by January 9 — which appears likely — the period July 1, 2024 to January 9, 2025 will be tied with 1962-63 for the driest on record.
This bench on top of Calabasas Peak is one of several new benches “with a view” I’ve run across lately. Here’s another one at Ahmanson Ranch (Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve).
Much-diminished pool on Las Virgenes Creek on September 11, 2024, the day before the 4.7 Malibu earthquake.
It was very odd. After persisting in Upper Las Virgenes Canyon for 18 months, the pool on Las Virgenes Creek had unexpectedly receded.
When I’d run past the pool on September 6, it had been full. Just five days later — the day before the 4.7 Malibu earthquake — it had shrunk to a small puddle.
Pool on Las Virgenes Creek five days after 4.7 Malibu earthquake.
The earthquake occurred on September 12, 2024, at 07:28:21 PDT. That afternoon I ran out to Upper Las Virgenes Canyon and checked the pool again. It was already refilling. Five days later it was nearly back to its normal level.
Was the change in the pool level a precursor to the Malibu earthquake?
The pool is about 11 miles from the earthquake’s epicenter. Water level changes in wells miles from an event have preceded earthquakes similar in size to the Malibu quake. It’s something to wonder about.
This is the largest Southern Pacific Rattlesnake track I’ve seen in 20+ years of running at Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (Ahmanson Ranch) — or anywhere else.
