From today’s run at Ahmanson Ranch.
Hillside and Clouds
From yesterday’s run on the Cheeseboro Ridge Trail. The old mustard stalks are probably from Spring 2012, when there was prolific growth of mustard in Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve.
Sunburst Lichen on Valley Oak
Colorful sunburst lichen on a valley oak in Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Reserve. Might be Xanthoria tenax.
Waiting for the Storm
Between January Storms
From Saturday afternoon’s rain-free run to check out upper Las Virgenes Creek. The nearby Cheeseboro Remote Automated Weather Station (RAWS) had recorded about 2.0 inches of rain the previous three days and would record another 2.4 inches on the following two. The weather station is on top of the prominent hill in the distance. January was the wettest at Downtown Los Angeles (USC) since January 2005.
Fallstreak Hole
The oval disturbance in the layer of altocumulus clouds in this photograph is a relatively rare phenomenon called a fallstreak hole or hole punch cloud.
These altocumulus clouds are formed from super-cooled water droplets many times smaller than a raindrop. The droplets are in a liquid state even though the temperature is well below freezing. When disturbed by an aircraft passing through the layer the droplets freeze and precipitate out of the cloud as virga. This and other processes create the hole.
The photo was taken on Saturday, January 21, 2017 at 2:23 p.m. near the Las Virgenes trailhead of Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve. The hole was well south of the area.