Читать книгу Hiking & Backpacking Big Sur. Your complete guide to the trails of Big Sur, Ventana Wilderness, and Silver Peak Wilderness онлайн

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Fall

Indian summer brings warmer temperatures to the coast in fall. As the North Pacific High dissipates, nearshore cold-water upwelling stops, lowering humidity and driving fog well offshore. Views from high mountain peaks are outstanding in the crisp, clear air. Northwesterly winds diminish, and coastal waters become flat, calm, and warm (upper 50s instead of low 50s Fahrenheit). Deep within the riparian woodlands, deciduous trees change color and shed their kaleidoscopic leaves on the canyon floors.

Winter

Winter storms generally approach the central California coast from the northwest or southwest. Forming in the cold regions of the North Pacific and Bering Sea, northern fronts bring cold air masses and moderate rainfall. Forming over warm water in the South Pacific, southern storms typically bring extensive rainfall.

Arriving on the Big Sur coast, the moisture-laden air lashes the steep terrain and is forced upward. As the air rises, it cools and condenses, releasing moisture as rain or snow. When the North Pacific High lingers into winter, it prevents storms from reaching the coast and often leads to severe winter droughts.