The Calm Before the Storm at Pacheco Pass

I took these photo yesterday afternoon while driving through  Central California’s Pacheco Pass.  The drought-parched hills had hints of green a few hours before the first round of El Nino slammed our coast. I woke to an explosion of thunderstorms at 4 a.m. and pounding sheets of rain in Carmel. Glad I cleaned the gutters and outdoor drains last week. Three more storm fronts lined up in the Pacific. Still, the scene here pales in comparison to the flooding in Missouri and Illinois. Extreme weather is here to stay.