The California Current’s influence on San Francisco’s weather, people, & plants

For 5 months of the year, the California Current plays a significant role in the weather San Francisco experiences. Our notorious microclimates, our picturesque fog, our summer lifestyle, and the unique adaptations of our native plants: all of these are under the influence of a fascinating phenomenon occurring right off our coast. Yet for something so influential, many people only have a “surficial” understanding of what the California Current is, how it is produced and what it can teach us about how our planet is so interconnected. After a “deep dive” into the California Current we will also discuss several other unique qualities of San Francisco weather as we transition to fall, winter and back to spring.
Darren Peck has been a meteorologist with CBS News Bay Area KPIX5 for 6 years and has worked in the field for over 25 years. He is a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist from the American Meteorological Society and holds a Bachelor’s degree from Cal State Northridge in Physical Geography with an emphasis in climatology and geomorphology.