this type of weather pattern is called a "pineapple express", coming more or less straight up from Hawaii to the coast. In the mornings, I swear I can smell tropical flowers. I think Tom said they get them in his area of California, too, depending on the jet stream.

You bet we do, and it's been like that since I moved here. I can't describe the actual smell or the feel of the air, but it's fresh, humid, warm, and unmistakable. It's got Hawaii written all over it. And it always brings a long, warm rain. In the Midwest it was the clouds that told the weather, not the feel of the air. Clouds around here lie in their teeth.

Let the rains come...I coughed up for a new roof this summer (a lot. Ouch ouch ouch). Got the one and only rain since last winter the one day my roof was open, too. Fortunately, a light one, but there were buckets in my office for a while.