Winter in this part of the world is our rainy season. Upwards of 90% of annual rainfall in Carmel Valley happens between November and March, typically delivered in the concentrated form of showy winter storms rolling in from the Pacific, some ten miles to our west. Winds, usually from the south, will blow at 60 or 70 miles per hour up on our hill, driving the rain in slanting sheets across the valley.
Well, winter arrived a bit early this year. Here's the view from our living room today, followed by a picture from a more typical autumn day…