Springtime brings extravagant wild poppy blooms to the hillsides of Big Sur

EXPLORE BIG SUR

Big Sur is a thinly-settled region of the central California coast where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. This geology produces stunning views and has become a magnet for global tourism. Although Big Sur has no specific boundaries, most definitions of the area include the 90 miles (145km) of coastline between Carmel and San Simeon, and extend about 20 miles (32km) inland to the eastern foothills of the Santa Lucias. Cone Peak, the second-highest mountain in the Santa Lucias, features the steepest coastal elevation increase in the lower 48 states, ascending nearly a mile (5,155 feet/1.6km) above sea level, only 3 miles (4.8 km) from the ocean. The mountains trap most of the moisture out of the clouds, often in the form of morning fogs, creating a favorable environment for forests, including the southernmost habitat of the coast redwood. Farther inland, in the rain shadow, the conifer forests disappear and the vegetation becomes open oak woodland, then transitions into the more familiar fire-tolerant California chaparral scrub.

CLIMATE

It is impossible to generalize about the weather in Big Sur, because the jagged topography causes many separate microclimates. This is one of the few places on Earth where redwoods grow within sight of cacti. Still, Big Sur typically enjoys a mild climate year-round, with a sunny, dry summer and fall, and a cool, wet winter.

Coastal temperatures vary little during the year, ranging in the 50's to 70's (Fahrenheit) from June through October, and in the 40's to 60's from November through May. Farther inland, away from the ocean's moderating influence, temperatures are much more variable.

Annual precipitation in the Big Sur Valley is about 40 inches (100cm), but the rainfall diminishes further to the south to about 25 inches. More than 70% of the rain falls from December through March, while the summer brings drought conditions.

Snow is uncommon during the winter months in the coastal areas, although the mountaintops can receive heavy snowfalls. During winter, the abundant rains cause rock and mudslides that can cut off portions of Highway 1, but the road is usually quickly repaired.