Six days of wet weather were coming to an end this morning when John and I left the garden with its pockets of standing water and did a little grocery shopping. We weren’t far from the San Diego River, and we’d heard it was running high. With the storms clearing and being more curious than cautious today we headed over for a look.
The estuary where the channelized river flows into the Pacific flowed with more water than I’ve seen in it. The ducks took to it like…ducks to water.
Heading east, Friar’s Road was down to one passable lane.
We stopped at a couple spots. The first was the YMCA, where the parking lot was being claimed by the river. Stairs led into water where ordinarily they deposit you onto dry land.
Most dramatic was this schoolbus. I’m sure it was empty at the time the water rose, but it’s a pretty awesome indicator of what nature was doing.
Stop #2 was Fashion Valley Shopping Center. People look at its siting–on the banks of the San Diego River–and sometimes wonder whether placing it there was such a good idea. Today, right about the time these pictures were taking, the river was cresting at the highest level it’s reached since 1980–the highest water level in a generation. The parking garages were partially submerged. Underground parking became underwater parking.
Access into the mall shuts down from one direction whenever the river runs high. Today there was only one way in and out of the mall.
All the sights until now were pretty amazing, but being good consumers we were almost more shocked at this sight: two open parking spaces. On December 22. In the middle of the day, during prime shopping hours.
And just as shocking was this: Inside the mall. Where’d all the shoppers go? Let me remind you it’s still December 22…
Well, that was pretty much the end of our expedition. Our holiday shopping was pretty much complete except for the kinds of things that don’t grow in shopping centers. So it was back home, where the standing water in the garden was starting to drain. Will we remember this freakish week once the sun comes out and all the relatives descend?
James, it’s really incredible how much rain we got pummeled with here in SoCal over the past week. And I thought we were supposed to be in a La Nina pattern this winter…what’s up with that? From your pics, it looks like mother nature has totally trumped the urban parking garage.
Dramatic photos. There does seem to be a lot of extreme weather going on at the moment. Austaralia has been getting floods and summer snow while here in the UK we are in the grip of a colder winter than most of us can remember.
I was wondering how you were faring when every morning lately I hear about all the rain in California. Wow! It must be quite shocking to see areas flooded. Especially that garage. I do hope your garden is well with all this rain. I wish you a MOST Happy Holiday season! It’s been a pleasure talking with you all these years-here’s to many more!
Arleen, considering how much water has fallen I think we’ve all come through really well. The rainfall numbers that I’ve seen for your neck of the woods–Santa Rosa Plateau and Temecula–have been way more dramatic than even around here. I hope you’re okay!
Janet, we’re hearing a lot about your cold, part of it because it’s impacting holiday travel to and through the UK. I try to remind myself of the difference between climate and weather, but things do seem to be changing.
Tina, I hope the storms leave you alone in Tennessee. I’ve taken occasional trips during the winter to the midwest and east and often looked at California weather as a predictor of what I’d be experiencing in two or three days. Stay warm, and thanks for the great wishes!
Blue skies this morning, all standing water gone, at least at my house. There was a moment yesterday afternoon, standing on the porch, where the rain literally became deafening and I couldn’t hear the person standing two feet away. Great photo-journey, James.
I guess I must be subconsciously quite worried about you folks down there in paradise (California). I dreamt last night of floods, driving along with a friend the water level of the river next to the road getting higher and higher until it covered the road. We were out walking then and I was snapping photos of plants.
You guys need 4 wheel drive, now! Mother Nature does her thing while we all expect evrything to be status quo, huh? And that is shocking about the parking spaces. Merry Christmas, James.
Denise, enjoy the blue. Maybe more on the way by Sunday, though probably nothing like we’ve experienced! I’m glad you came through okay.
Loree, thanks for worrying about us. Interesting dream. I managed to snap a few plants-in-the-water photos myself.
Sue, figures I sold my 18-year old 4×4 last summer… For the worst of the storm it wouldn’t have helped. One of the local news feeds has shots of a guy trying to challenge the river with a Hummer. The Hummer lost.
Impressive. I was really glad we were just on the fringe of that last storm. That looks like a lot more water than I want to endure. Have a good holidays, I hope this next one coming in isn’t so bad.