November Weather Report -- Fair Weather Continues

We experienced three weather patterns during November. At the outset west winds brought rain and fog, dumping seven inches of rain during the first five days. Then the winds shifted around to the northeast, bringing mostly sunny weather with periods of calm alternating with light breezes. The month finished with stronger northeast winds, with alternating periods of sun, and light showers. The showers sometimes lasted most of the day, but were hardly measurable on the rain gauge. This last period was more like typical December weather hereabouts: gusty northeast trade winds with light to very light (spray) showers, with the sun shinning the whole time. Rainbows are common, as are beautiful sunsets. The Ticos call these moderate showers with gusty winds, "garubas del Niño" (rains from the Christ child) in anticipation of the Christmas season. Lighter showers with stronger, gusty winds (what I call spray precipitation) are called pelo del gato (cat hair), a very apt term. Total rainfall for the month was 9.8 inches.The high temperature was 78.

Tithonia diversifolia

Our good friend Louis Bregger arrived from the States on November 21, bringing with him an anemometer (wind gauge) that I'd ordered over the internet. The highest wind speed I've recorded so far is 18 mph. Last December and January were extremely windy here, which prompted me to purchase the anemometer, so that we could see exactly how strong the winds blow. So far, it seems less windy this year.

Yours truly standing next to our Dahlia imperialis.

I've included photos of two wild flowers that bloom here this time of year: Tithonia diversifolia (tree marigold or Bolivian sunflower) and Dahlia imperialis (tree dahlia). They're both in the aster family and are native species. They grow wild along the roadsides, but are occasionally grown by homewners as ornamentals. The tithonia can grow to over 12 feet tall and the dahlia to as much as 10 feet. Some of the dahlia flowers are doubles, others singles. We've become interested in the small, black stingless bees (called "congas" by the Ticos) who like to eat the sap of the dahlia, chewing at the leaves or at the leaf stems.

Happy gardening!