Green desert and adobe ranch house between La Paz and Todos Santos
San Antonio in the Sierra Laguna mountains south of La Paz
Tres Virgenes is a series of three semi-inactive volcanos. The last known eruption was in the time of the first Spanish Jesuits
The desert takes just a few days after a good soaking rain to begin to show green
In 2019 we have received almost the annual rainfall for the southern portions of the peninsula in the last two weeks of November. These late season rains will augment the rains that greened up the peninsula in September. The average seasonal rainfall for November in La Paz is .05" and in the past two storms we have receiver more than 7".
The rain we have received caused the cactus to swell with the intake of fresh water and soon the beautiful blooms of the San Miguel will add yellows and reds to the desert pallet.
Baja California Sur receives a bulk of the annual precipitation during the late summer and early fall. Tropical cyclones are our major source of that rainfall, so when we see these systems approaching not even half of it is bad news. The average rainfall numbers in Baja California Sur can be mind boggling different. In the desert regions inland, north and south of Guerrero Negro, they are almost in between climate zones and receive the least rain averaging about 3.4" per year. The average rainfall is about 7.5" per year. This was a little difficult for me to comprehend, coming from the "Green Mountain State" where we received that much rain in the month of June. (Usually on your day off.) But to my surprise I found some places in the mountainous region of BCS received as much as 32" of rain per year. These rains feed the arroyos and create the mountain waterfalls you should explore during our wet season.
The rains that usually start by mid July waited until late August, but are now a possibility nearly every afternoon at the southern end of the peninsula.
If you are visiting Baja Sur during the next month or so we highly recommend you rent a car and take a tour of the Baja Sur Loop. In a quick day trip or a leisurely two day tour you can see the various wonders the tip of the peninsula has to offer. From Todos Santos on the Pacific to La Paz, El Triunfo, San Bartolo and Los Barriles, you can enjoy the beautiful and diverse rural environment this unique region has to offer.
The diving, fishing , kayaking and boating are the best at this time of year due to the predominantly calm seas and clear, warm water. This weather continues until about Thanksgiving or thereabouts when the “Northers” begin to blow on a more daily basis. Up until then we have almost spring like conditions with long grasses and flowers in full bloom. This will only last for a few more weeks as the winds begin to dry out the vegetation that has grown so intensely since the two hurricanes and latest rainstorms.
The Sierra de la Laguna usually receive rainfall almost daily. Usually, you can see the black clouds blanketing the mountains as you drive from Todos Santos to Cabo. But that has been a rarity this season, yet. And it may not happen for man-made reasons as well. The improvements to Highway 1 from the border to Los Cabos and to Hwy 19 along the Pacific coast have made storm road closures much less likely. Yet there are some places the surface water flows year round, like Aguas Calientes, San Bartolo and San Pedro Frijolar.
Summer storms are what usually feed the giant aquifers under areas like Pescadero, San Jose del Cabo, La Ribera and Santiago where there is water flowing underground year round. Water is always a precious commodity in our desert environment and we encourage all visitors and residents of Baja to use water wisely. Since it takes time for the grounds water to enter the aquifer system the rainfall over a five year period is important.
In the more Northern part of Baja Sur around Guerrero Negro the desert plains will sprout grasses and meadow like flowers in bloom. The Volcanoes “Tres Virgines” are already light green and covered with swollen cactus. There are Century plants and Boojums will soon be in full bloom throughout the Vizcaino Desert around Catavina.
If you have never seen the Baja during this time you are really missing out on something. This last drive I did had to be the most beautiful out of 15 years of driving the Baja!
The heat will break, usually around the middle of October and planning a trip through the green deserts of Baja is a great idea for both tourists and those of us that live here - particularly if green is your favorite color!
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