El Nino Effect, a photo from California, West

Photographer's Note

It抯 an El Nino year. Travelling north, I expected Southern California hillsides to be green; however, I was surprised that the fruit trees were already blooming. The layer of pink is probably blossoming peach trees since their blossoms are most often pink.

When I hear it抯 an El Nino year, I think, 慍alifornia抯 15 minutes of green will last longer but there will be less snow at our Northwestern ski resorts and the snow will be wetter.' When I heard that this was the fourth largest El Nino since 1950; I decided to see what that really meant.
According to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), 揈l Ni駉 is characterized by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific. NOAA records go back to 1950. Ocean water temperatures are the fourth highest in that time at 1.8 degrees above normal. Higher December temperatures occurred in 1972 (+2.1), 1983 (+2.3) and 1997 (+2.5). Source
In normal, non-El Ni駉 conditions, the trade winds blow towards the west across the tropical Pacific. These winds pile up warm surface water in the west Pacific, so that the sea surface is about 1/2 meter higher at Indonesia than at Ecuador. The sea surface temperature is about 8 degrees C higher in the west, with cool temperatures off South America, due to an upwelling of cold water from deeper levels.
During El Ni駉, the trade winds relax in the central and western Pacific. This reduces the efficiency of upwelling to cool the surface with a rise in sea surface temperature. Rainfall follows the warm water eastward, with associated flooding in Peru and drought in Indonesia and Australia. Source

Map Coordinates are 36.238186,-120.232122. When TE rounds the coordinates, the place shown is further north on Interstate 5. To see the exact place, move south until the freeway crosses a riverbed.

xuaxo, paura, JCG, Atousa, Angshu, s_lush, jusninasirun, josepmarin, Charo, gunbud, carper, subhendu_bagchi, pajaran has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

xuaxo (6854) 2010-02-15 11:46

Ol�!
This is beautiful post and one that teach us a lot.
Beautiful contrast between the "20 minutes" of green and the pink blooming trees.
SAA,
F.

Wahclellaspirit (4125) 2010-02-15 12:59

Hello Pat,
There's proof that California is both stealing our electricity and gas and or water from the Pacific Northwest in this scene. Your image has only flowered their attempts, though beautiful in all the ranges of color and shapes, there are still those pessimistic thoughts that California should be alike Texas, their own country and let them deal with us, the public directly for their resources. Oh yes, one other item, make Californians have a passport to enter the states of Oregon and Washington as they "PASS THROUGH" to other greener pastures.
I'm done,
Beautiful orchards, I saw our first Robin yesterday, and the Osprey are returning already here as I saw approximentely 12 yesterday, also the bees are coming out already. However, the rains continue, day after day, after day, and gray and gloom in February depicts scenes of wildflowers in the mountains in July and August.
Steve

rlrad (1845) 2010-02-15 15:23

Hi Pat,

Well, that's global warming for you... wait... maybe not! Another El Nino affects us in the midwest way differently. I don't remember the last time I saw so many snowstorms - not that they are so bad, but it seems like we get one every few days. We'll probably have a short, wet, cool summer, too.

Anyway, nice green fields and are those white blossoms on the trees in the orchard? Wow, it'll be a good year for fruit and nuts. I used to love the drive up 5 from San Diego to the bay area, you get to see everything from the ocean to mountains to fields and cattle ranches.

Have a great evening!
Reed

pablominto (53746) 2010-02-15 23:29

Hello Pat,

This is an interesting colour combination, created by this early started growth season!
The fresh green is outstanding, pity it will last so short...
I was just watching this TV series on California wine production, learning that is is made possible by the chilly winds from the Pacific in the hills along the coast from Santa Barbara to Sonoma..!

Greetings,
Pablo -

ktanska (45018) 2010-02-16 1:16

Hi Pat,
Impressive looking velvety fields of green grass and lavendel. Greyish sky shot of emphasizes colorful terrain. Excellent note connecting this to global weather.
Kari

delpeoples (60342) 2010-02-16 2:36

Hi Pat, beautiful photo and a very strong message. Wow, knocks your socks off. Interesting the explanation of El Nino. Something for us all to think about and then act on. TFS and have a lovely day, Lisa

Dyerco (10185) 2010-02-16 7:21

Hi Pat
Lovely bands of colour and well ahead of time as you say. El Nino is of course affecting us here. There is a flowering plum starting to bloom right near my house and the weather is playing havoc with the Olympics as well. The warmest January on record here since the 1850's
Phil

paura (25802) 2010-02-16 8:31

Pat,
Excellent idea to put the coordinates. Very nice to check the image in its world place.

Fine details composition to show us the interesting scene. well done, Pat!

regards

Paulo

JCG (35153) 2010-02-16 10:23

Hello Pat,

Astonishing combination of colors on this ampli閑 by this light saturation. Indeed a climate warming which creates undeniable biological upheavals. Whereas elsewhere it is the cold which dominates !!! Interesting photograph just like your note, thank you Pat.

With all my friendships and with soon,

Jean-Charles

jaywalker (16105) 2010-02-16 13:44

Hi Pat, Truly wonderful colours, the green is really rich & the pink sits lovely behind, even though I don't often say pylons look good in a photo, here it works & they add very good detail, great composition & TFS, kind regards Wilson.

toto (0) 2010-02-16 14:46

Bonsoir,
belle photo de cette vue superbe, les diff閞ences de couleurs donne un plus a votre paysage.
Belle profondeur de champ.

Amiti閟 Thomas

Atousa (7131) 2010-02-16 21:59

Salam Pat,

A nice shot from a good pov.. eye catching color contrast n I like the rich green here a lot.. very well captured.. tfs
Best regards, Atousa

Maverick182 (615) 2010-02-17 14:04

Hi,very beautiful shot,i like the colors and the contrast between the green and the pink.Good job.

Angshu (56760) 2010-02-17 20:22

Hello Pat
Interesting colour combination, the rich green of the hills and then the pink of what I believe are vineyards? Correct me if I'm wrong please! I tried to understand the scale of the landscape and I thing the fence in the Fg and the power lines in the Bg are good indicators. A fine note indeed about the weather that's changing!
Best Regards
Angshu

Waylim (25436) 2010-02-19 15:27

Hi Pat,
I'm surprised too to see the fruit trees already in bloom. But that's good for you. This image is beautiful with layers of elements in different colors, the Green is so vivid and vibrant and the pink is soft like pastel colors. I may have crop away some of the bottom to get rid of the fence altogther and bring us even closer tot he blossoming trees.
Thanks.
Way

kiks (12805) 2010-02-20 13:56

Wonderful contrast of the green hills with the pink blossom of the trees. Very uinique landschape. What a pitty that the electricity cabels disturb the landschapa. But that's the reality,
Best regards
KIKs

s_lush (16602) 2010-02-21 12:49

Hello Pat,
This colorful picture illustrates the very interesting and comprehensive information in the note excellently. The composition consists of a combination of mainly horizontal lines and layers which are in the perfect contrast. A very high-quality picture and informative note!
Best regards,
Sergiy

jusninasirun (17529) 2010-02-22 22:44

Hi Pat.

The El Nino effect took the toll all over the globe.
This image is so well seen and captured. Layers of green and pinkish field strikes out really well and nice framing.

Well done and TFS.
Best regards,
Jusni

josepmarin (59385) 2010-02-24 3:02

Hi Pat,
The pink tones of the bloomed trees contrast with the green ones with a great chromatic strength.
The landscape is very agreeable, you have caught very well the waviness of the fields in FG due to a beautiful light, and also I love the effect of the mist in BG.
A splendid photo.
HLJ
Josep

Charo (51290) 2010-02-28 15:08

Hello Pat,
A fantastic and wonderful contrast of colors in this great prospect. Really beautiful these trees in bloom announcing the next spring.
Best wishes,
Charo

gunbud (34066) 2010-03-01 14:28

Hi Pat,
What wonderful lush greens to the lovely rolling foreground that contrasts so beautifully wi th the peach blossoms.
Very informative natural note. Here on the east coast we have the opposite going on with weak lows over Greenland and weak highs over the Azores all of which makes for a long winter for us and the Europeans.
Regards, Tom

carper (96) 2010-03-14 10:45

marvelous shot here Pat,
a fantastic atmosphere, good composition and what a view, the contrast is a pleasure for the eyes, well seen and good photo job here, have a good day.
regard jaap

subhendu_bagchi (26091) 2010-03-15 18:20

Namaste Pat,
it is a pleasant scene full with soft colours for eyes. Nice greeneries and the pink line in horizon is excellent. Beautiful composition and the sharpness is outstanding. Very well done. Tfs.
Have a nice day.
Subhendu

pajaran (116915) 2010-06-10 12:06

Dobro vece kod nas, sada je 21,oo.sati.
Odlican motiv i uvodni tekst ...
El ninjo, mali decak, kako mi kazemo, mocna prirodna pojava koja mnogo utice na klimu sveta.
Gledam i uzivam , prelepa priroda i trag coveka koji zuri da pre dodje do sutra, dobre boje i mnogo lepa fotografija, cestitam vam na radu.
Imajte lep dan sa dobrim vremenom, sve najbolje, zeli vam Paja.

Google.

Good evening with us, now 21, oo.sati.
Excellent theme and introductory text ...
El Ni駉, a small boy, as we say, a powerful natural phenomenon that affects the climate of much of the world.
I watch and enjoy, beautiful nature trail and a man who stares that come up before tomorrow, good color and lots of beautiful photographs, I congratulate you for your work.
Keep a nice day with good time, all the best, wish you Paja.

speedymanu (3701) 2010-06-21 12:45

Hi Pat

I really enjoy the layer stucture of this composition. The presence of these power lines adds to the incongruity of this pink shade. Congrats

Have a nice day

Emmanuel