Fire in the Redwoods
They’ve lived for thousands of years. They’re the tallest and largest trees on Earth. And now these majestic giants are burning. Follow me as I guide you through California’s...
William Selby
William Selby is a native Californian who has explored, researched, and worked in every corner of the Golden State. William has accumulated over 3 decades of experience teaching Geography and Earth Science at Santa Monica College. Since retiring from teaching, his lifelong love and extensive knowledge of the Golden State is reflected in the book as well as in his continued service to academia, geography and the State of California.
Simpler Solar Solutions
Advancing technologies have drastically boosted efficiency and cut costs over the years to make solar energy far more affordable, practical, and irresistible across the Golden State. But our developments...
The Heat is On
How hot is it? Not to be outdone by record-breaking heat across the globe, several California regions shattered long-standing all-time high temperature records during this July, 2024. Many inland...
Celebrating the Summer Solstice California Style
Let’s explore two dissimilar celebrations during just one weekend after the summer solstice in two very different Californias that are only 100 miles apart. We often refer to the...
Twisters Versus Marine Layers
When spring progresses toward summer, we can count on two highly disparate yet occasionally connected weather patterns to develop: severe weather with violent tornadoes in the Great Plains and...
Blowin’ in the Wind
Wind is all around us, constantly playing an essential role in life across California and on Earth. But what is wind and what forces are responsible for moving the...
Atmospheric Rivers Keep on Flowing
Atmospheric River (AR) has become so popularized in the media, it is now a household term that is sometimes misused and misunderstood. This story tracks the historic atmospheric river...
Making More Waves, 2023-2024
Several of our previous website stories (such as Surfing CalifornIA and Natural History of a Grain of Sand) illustrated how ocean waves have impacted and shaped our Golden State’s...
Cars: Driving and Dividing California
Whether Californians have learned to love or hate them, embrace, or reject them, cars have dominated California lives and livelihoods for more than a century. They’ve shaped our state’s...
Offshore Autumn: From Diablos to Santa Anas
Autumn usually blows into California bringing dramatic pressure, wind, and geographic role reversals. Prevailing sea (onshore) breezes that dominated through summer are interrupted by land (offshore) breezes that occasionally...
