Ted Fletcher

What might the Central Coast experience this winter? The Pacific Ocean is showing some interesting signs as El Niño continues to strengthen, with a greater than 90 percent chance of a very strong event this fall and winter that could significantly affect our weather. But what is El Niño, how does it form, and most importantly, what might a very strong El Niño condition mean for us on the Central Coast? I’ll explore those questions and look at what we might expect during the forthcoming rainy season, including the potential for heavier rainfall, stronger storms, larger waves, warmer ocean temperatures, higher coastal water levels, and intense winds. This evening, September 16, I will give a talk on El Niño at the Morro Bay Community Center, located at 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The event is taking place in cooperation with the Estero Bay Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program. I’ll also give another El Niño presentation at the Harold J. Miossi Cultural and Performing Arts Center (CPAC) at Cuesta College on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. Both events are free! For the Cuesta College presentation, complimentary tickets are available online at Cuesta College University Tickets: cuesta.universitytickets.com… I look forward to seeing you there! – at Los Osos, CA

An amazing satellite image from GeoWest shows a cold front moving through Northern California, while a cluster of three simultaneous hurricanes, Lowell, Karina, and Marie, spins across the Central and Eastern Pacific. Three hurricanes active simultaneously in the Central/Eastern Pacific are rare. Historically, only one other well-documented instance has occurred. In August and September 2015, during another very strong El Niño event, three hurricanes, Kilo, Ignacio, and Jimena, coexisted across the basin. All three eventually reached major Category 4 status, making it the first time in recorded history that three Category 4 hurricanes existed simultaneously in the Eastern/Central Pacific. Central Coast Weather Forecast: For the Central Coast, expect increasing clouds this evening, with drizzle and perhaps a few light rain showers tonight into early Friday morning as the cold front moves southward through the region. Then, the remnants of Hurricane Marie could bring a very different flavor of weather next week. Increasing mid- to high-level clouds, muggy conditions, and a chance of scattered rain showers are possible from Wednesday through Friday. Once again, Central Coast weather may feel a little more like Hawaii than California. – at Los Osos, CA

This year, the winter solstice with the shortest day and longest night of the year arrives at 1:19 a.m. on Sat, Dec 21, 2024 PST. However, the year's earliest sunset occurred at 4:51 p.m. this evening. Which leads to the question: Why doesn't the earliest sunset of the year come on the shortest day? The exact date of the earliest sunset depends on your latitude. Along the Central Coast, the earliest sunset of the year takes place about two weeks before the first day of winter. In northern Washington state, the earliest sunset happens on Dec. 11, while farther south, Key West, Florida, has already seen its earliest sunset on Nov. 29. Conversely, the latest sunrises occur about two weeks after the winter solstice. This year's latest sunrise will occur on Jan. 7, when the sun will not appear until 7:12 a.m. PST. If we remain on Pacific Daylight Time throughout the year, the sunrise will not happen until 8:12 a.m.; most parents would not be happy sending their children to school in the dark. – at Los Osos, CA