Looking out the windows this morning, I noticed the gray sky growing darker.
“June Gloom is bad enough,” I thought, “Does it have to get even darker? So not fair.”
Then at one point, there was a flash in the office. Not bright, sort of like a distant flash-bulb.
A few minutes later, a low rolling thunder in the distance.
Er, what?
Turns out a low pressure system decided to make its way through Southern California, bringing thunderstorms. And to say that thunderstorms in LA in June is a rare thing is a severe understatement.
I ended up driving home through bouts of heavy pouring rain, then pools of sunlight. The sky was a mixture: dark clouds over here, white puffy ones over there, a sliver of blue sky shifting around as the clouds passed overhead.
It was such a great change from the past few days of solid gray sky arching overhead, I loved it.
I really need to move someplace with more weather variety…*
*But preferrably somewhere I can still hike in the winter. Now that’s a connundrum…
The GeekHiker 
It has been like that here, too, and even though I hate the gloom, I love the thunder and lightning. Of course, I don’t live in California, either, but we usually don’t get this kind of weather until August.
By: Kori on June 4, 2009
at 5:42 am
I can’t remember if I’ve told you this before but rain and thunderstorms make me so happy. I must have been born on backwards day because sunny days make me irritable and cranky. More irritable and cranky. My default state is irritable and cranky.
By: Mrs Chuck Bartowski on June 4, 2009
at 6:07 am
At least the rain swept away the fog. Yay! As for weather variety, how about the Midwest or even the East Coast? Trust me, there is VARIETY! You can still hike in the winter — you just have to wear snowshoes… But of course, it’s always the grass being greener on the other side thing — once you leave CA you will miss it like hell — I guarantee it!
By: k on June 4, 2009
at 7:43 am
The East Coast can normally give you variety, but we are knee deep in the Mid-Atlantic’s welcome to summer.
Oh and do you like humidity? That’s a requirement as well. Wet heat.
You can hike here during the winter. It’s just wicked cold.
By: cripkitty on June 4, 2009
at 8:15 am
I was coming up through La Tuna Canyon after work and saw a huge rainbow – then lighting cracked down right through it. I felt like I was in Hawaii or something.
The rain was a nice change…but I’m ready for hot summer sun!
By: Mel Heth on June 4, 2009
at 9:36 am
I meant lightning, not lighting…
By: Mel Heth on June 4, 2009
at 9:37 am
Oh, my friend, you know I’d love it if you moved East…and as K said, you can certainly hike here in winter.
Just bring those snowshoes 🙂
This part of the country is magical (well, when you’re not scraping off your car for the zillionth time due to snow) in the winter.
By: ECT on June 4, 2009
at 6:26 pm
Come to Pennsylvania!! 🙂
By: imogen on June 4, 2009
at 6:45 pm
:o)
By: narami on June 4, 2009
at 9:00 pm
Kori – The thunderstorms are early here too. Sometimes they’ll show up in August over the mountains…
Mrs Chuck Bartowski – Heh, don’t move to Arizona!
K – Thought about it, but I’d miss the mountains. And I’m not sure I like snowshoeing THAT much!
CripKitty – Dad’s side of the family is from the deep south. I’ve experienced that humidity. Not for nothing is the phrase “at least it’s a dry heat” said out here…
Mel Heth – Having never been to Hawaii, I’ll just have to trust you…
Mel Heth – LOL, didn’t even notice!
ECT – Do they allow snowshoes on the plane?
Imogen – Welcome to the site! I don’t think I’ve ever been, actually.
Narami – Well, that’s certainly cryptic… 😉
By: geekhiker on June 4, 2009
at 10:34 pm