Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center

Clouds dark and light

clouds and mist on the mountain flanks. Ocotillos on ridge in front.

First light on Peninsular Range with dark clouds in background. Orchard new in front.

The rain bands coming in waves and wetting the steep and rocky east flanks of the Peninsular Ranges can be mesmerizing to watch, and all so fleeting.

A few more moody impressions of Anza-Borrego Desert during the recent storms. The rain bands coming in waves and wetting the steep and rocky east flanks of the Peninsular Ranges can be mesmerizing to watch, and all so fleeting... (Photos: Sicco Rood)

Palm trees stand in front of a spectacular sunrise with various fascinating cloud formations.

One more view from an earlier storm that led to this intense sunrise in Anza-Borrego Desert (Photo: Sicco Rood).

A raven on a rock in Borrego Palm Canyon.

A raven on a rock in Borrego Palm Canyon (Photo: Sicco Rood).

coyote looking somewhat suspiciously with ears down. He's standing on some dead trees.

coyote in the grass.

Two coyotes in dead trees.

Closeups of the 3 coyotes trotting through the wide open abandoned farmlands around Borrego Valley Sunday morning (Photos: Sicco Rood).

A coyote trotting through the wide open abandoned farmlands around Borrego Valley Sunday morning. Toro Peak shown here with snow on top rises up to 8,717 ft (2,657 m) in the background.

A coyote trotting through the wide open abandoned farmlands around Borrego Valley Sunday morning. A powerline and Coyote mt in the background.

A coyote trotting through the wide open abandoned farmlands around Borrego Valley Sunday morning. Toro Peak shown here with snow on top rises up to 8,717 ft (2,657 m) in the background (Photo: Sicco Rood).

Snow capped Toro Peak and fields of purple hairy verbena and desert sunflowers can be seen in the same view.

Anza-Borrego Desert is one of those special places where a snow capped Toro Peak and fields of flowers can be seen in the same view. From this morning (Photo: Sicco Rood).

Storm clouds hanging on the mountain slopes.

Storm clouds hanging on the mountain slopes.

Storm clouds hanging on the mountain slopes.

Storm clouds lenticular above the mountains

A few pics from the recent storm (Photos: Sicco Rood).

Fish Creek and Split Mountain shown here from a ridge view. Elephant Knees can be seen in the middle with the Lagunas in the distance. Jeeps can be seen way into the canyon when zoomed in.

Fish Creek and Split Mountain shown here from a ridge view earlier today. Elephant Knees can be seen in the middle with the Lagunas in the distance (Photo: Sicco Rood).

A rain shower yesterday afternoon with crepuscular rays filtering through the mist.

A rain shower yesterday afternoon with crepuscular rays filtering through the mist (Photo: Sicco Rood).

farm worker statues in the rain and last of the sun rays.

farm worker statue in the rain and last of the sun rays. A bird on top of the head.

farm worker statue in the rain and last of the sun rays. A bird on top of the head.

farm worker statue in the rain and last of the sun rays. several birds fluttering around and on top of the head.

The farm worker statues, a reminder of Borrego's history of grape farming in the storm and rain this afternoon (statues by artist Ricardo Breceda).

Desert sunflower above the sand ripples.

Hairy sand verbena on the sand ripples.

single sand verbena flower

Sand verbena flower showing sand clinging to stems.

There will be quite a few flower pics from Anza-Borrego shared here in the foreseeable future :-). Still catching up from last week before the storm (Photos: Sicco Rood).

Flyer describing the same with pics of sahara mustard and Syd holding a shovel.

Dec 15th join Syd to help pull Sahara mustard and other invasive plants in Anza-Borrego Desert SP as part of a new Adopt A Wash program. During the presentation he will discuss what invasive plants are being targeted, where, and how you can get involved.

Hope to see you there!

Hi Josh, we don't publish anything through the Research Center. These are just pics staff (mostly me) takes, and occasionally we have guests who take pics which we might share.

Hairy desert verbena at sunrise with plenty of room to spread out on this sand dune.

Hairy desert verbena at sunrise with plenty of room to spread out on this dune (Photo: Sicco Rood).

Storm clouds building showing between a cluster of palm trees.

Storm clouds building above Whale Peak just before sunrise Friday (Photo: Sicco Rood).

Desert sunflowers and purple verbena on a wet sand dune at sunrise.

Desert sunflowers and purple verbena on a wet sand dune this morning (Photo: Sicco Rood).

Clouds and mountains with sunlight.

Clouds and mountains with sunlight.

Clouds and mountains with sunlight.

Wavy clouds lit up by the last sunlight.

A few of the clouds lit up beautifully at sunset after the rains this afternoon. The official Anza-Borrego Desert State Park weather station storm total was 0.81" for today (Photos: Sicco Rood).

A rainbow above a patch of desert sunflowers and purple desert sand verbena this morning with dark cloudy skies.

A rainbow above a patch of desert sunflowers and purple desert sand verbena this morning (Photo: Sicco Rood).

A double rainbow by Toro Peak this morning at sunrise. Citrus orchard in the foreground.

A double rainbow by Toro Peak this morning at sunrise. Citrus orchard in the foreground (Photo: Sicco Rood).

Beautiful cloudy sunrise this morning from the upcoming weekend storm. Seen here with palm trees in the foreground and Sunset Mountain in the background.

Beautiful cloudy sunrise this morning from the upcoming weekend storm. Some rain already has fallen in the northern part of Borrego Valley this morning keeping the flowers going! (Photo: Sicco Rood)

Dune "evening" primrose flowering in the morning sunlight.

Dune "evening" primroses are flowering (in the mornings too) at the Henderson Canyon flower fields. Ravens have been gorging on, and keeping in check the caterpillar population (Photo: Sicco Rood).

Not sure if visible down here tonight. We also have quite a bit more overcast this evening.

The Northern Lights were visible all the way from Anza-Borrego Desert with the eyes yesterday evening. Two Mexican fan palms in the foreground. There was some overcast as well.

The Northern Lights were visible all the way from Anza-Borrego Desert with the eyes yesterday evening. The camera sees better in this case. This was about 9 pm yesterday evening looking towards the Santa Rosa Mountains. Note that the sun sets here at 4:45 pm, so these were not sunset colors!

People enjoying the views from Fonts Point. View from the Borrego Badlands up towards the point during blue hour.

People enjoying the views from Fonts Point (Photo: Sicco Rood).

Hairy sand verbena and Spanish needle yesterday morning in profile with early morning sun.

Hairy sand verbena and Spanish needle yesterday morning in profile (Photo: Sicco Rood).

The waning gibbous moon setting behind two agave stalks on San Ysidro Mountain just after sunrise today.

The waning gibbous moon setting behind two agave stalks on San Ysidro Mountain just after sunrise today (Photo: Sicco Rood).

Lone bighorn sheep standing on rock outcrop at sunrise.

Lone bighorn sheep on rock outcrop of San Ysidro Mountain this morning (Photo: Sicco Rood).

Moonrise showing above date palms and mountains with some haze.

Moonrise above the Santa Rosa Mountains yesterday evening (Photo: Sicco Rood).

Desert sunflower with some barely opened buds.

Desert sunflower with unopened buds.

Hairy purple verbena growing on a small dune surrounded by dead wood branches from old tamarisks.

Hairy sand verbena growing with purple flowers standing out on the dried mud.

Desert sunflowers starting to pop up along with the hairy sand verbena purple flowers in part of the Coyote Creek watershed (Photos: Sicco Rood).

Desert hairy sand verbena flowers on a dune with ripples.

This picture does not carry the wonderful fragrance that goes with these hairy sand verbena flowers! (Photo: Sicco Rood).