“I get all the news I need on the weather report.
I can gather all the news I need on the weather report
Hey, I’ve got nothing to do but smile …”
~ Paul Simon of Simon & Garfunkel

There are those days when, in order to maintain a smile, it would be wise to skip 90% of the news and wait for the weather report. The days leading up to Mother’s Day were cool and overcast; on the day of, the same conditions intensified with added light showers. Suddenly, by late afternoon, the sun broke through and the skies cleared. It warmed enough for the moms, their families and friends to head outside for a barbecue. Into the extended twilight we lingered. Eventually a fire in the chiminea and a gas lamp were lit. After all, it’s still springtime.

With spring and the early days of summer comes a weather condition unique to Southern California. You can’t miss it; besides feeling the effects of, it dominates almost every weather report. Yes, you may have guessed … the Catalina Eddy.

The low fog, cotton-y clouds and light precipitation along the Southern California coastline the past few weeks result from a Catalina Eddy. Its counter-clockwise circulation pattern pushes cool moisture towards shore, often extending into the valleys.

An eddy can happen at any time of the year (even Mother’s Day), but are most common in May and June – i.e. “May Grey” and “June Gloom.” They swirl to life just offshore and centered at or near Santa Catalina Island. Accompanying winds act as an on-and-off switch, making meteorologists crazy as they struggle to forecast the exact direction and strength of these winds. Fortunately, a Catalina Eddy is contained between the boundaries of Mexico’s Baja California and Point Conception on California’s Central Coast. Into next week, this is the model for our weather.

Remember National Lampoon’s Cousin Eddie? Unexpectedly he would arrive on Clark Griswold’s (Chevy Chase) doorstep. The duration of his stay was as unpredictable as his behavior. Our Catalina Eddy acts in a similar fashion and soon, like Cousin Eddie, it moves on.

Sue Kilpatrick is a Crescenta Valley resident and Official Skywarn Spotter for the National Weather Service. Reach her at suelkilpatrick@gmail.com.

  Sue Kilpatrick