Rainfall as an Abiotic Factor at Race Rocks

Rainfall  at Race Rocks. Recorded by a Davis Instruments tipping bucket rain gauge. These graphs are made possible by the website victoriaweather.ca

Hourly Rainfall today at Race Rocks

 

 

Rainfall for the past week at Race Rocks

 

 

Rainfall for the past month

Rainfall for 2020 at Race Rocks

 

 

Rainfall graph for 2019

Rainfall graph for 2018

Rainfall graph for 2017

 

ARCHIVES
2016 Rainfall for 2016
NOTE MISSING DATA in 2016 due to equipment failure
2015: Monthly Totals are shown. ( Includes data and graphs at this site.) 2014: Monthly Totals are shown. ( Includes data and graphs at this site.) 2013: Monthly Totals are shown. ( Includes data and graphs at this site.) 2012: Monthly Totals are shown. ( Includes data and graphs at this site.) 2011: Monthly Totals are shown. ( Includes data and graphs at this site.) 2010: Monthly Totals are shown. ( Includes data and graphs at this site.) 2009: Monthly Totals are shown. ( Includes data and graphs at this site.) Note : Jan to July.. equip failure. 2008: Monthly Totals are shown. ( Includes data and graphs at this site.) equipment failure gives blank records for several days 2007: Monthly Totals are shown. ( Includes data and graphs at this site.) Equip failure February March and part of April of 2007 2006: Monthly Rain Totals (includes data and graphs for part of 2006:  

Extreme values since 2006

 

 

 

The Adaptations and Response of Organisms to the Abiotic factor of Rainfall

Canada geese are dependant on the availability of fresh water at Race Rocks. During the winter, the higher level rock pools are refreshed by rainfall. There is no other natural source of water on the island. By the time their eggs hatch in June, most of the pools have dried up, so they have to take their young off the island and over to the mainland. They may make it past the eagles….(Photo by PB)

Juvenile bald eagles in very wet weather.( Photo by Pam Birley)
The availability of water for vegetation on Race Rocks has major implications for the species of plants which can survive on the island. Not only do they have to survive dessication from salt spray, but abundant water in the winter months and almost a total lack of water from June to September. One of the best grasses to tolerate these conditions is Fescue. Here you can see it growing on the natural rock outcrops on the island. 


Go to this exercise on the Water Cycle , along with other biogeochemical cycles.

Other references:  Google Climate change and Rainfall patterns

Global warming already changing rainfall... 

Wetland Conservation – Threatened by Climate Change


Rainbow West of Great Race Rocks from the remote camera 5. Image by Garry Fletcher,

Recent Posts

Taking Advantage of the Sun

This morning when I looked out the window, I saw a large humpback pectoral fin sticking out of the water. Since, I hadnt seen any humpbacks for a couple days I quickly grabbed the camera! Looking closer, It seemed like the humpback was rolling around and playing with a Sea Lion! They kept at it for almost an hour!

Today was the first fully sunny day in a while, and for a while.. so I decided to take advantage.

I sprayed down as many algae ridden surfaces as I could (Before and After Pics coming soon), and I cleaned the windows on the main house and the student house.

Greg and Rich also came today for a diesel run. We filled the large Tidy tank in the main shed. They also sectioned out some of the logs that had been pulled out over the summer. I will keep chipping away at chopping them so we have more wood for the winter.

Facilities (Today and Yesterday)

  • Mopped the desal and battery rooms
  • Fixed the fence
  • Cleaned pathways
  • Washed windows
  • Sprayed down staircases and pathways
  • Filled generator
  • Ran Desal (200 L)

Weather:

  • Sky: Clear and Sunny
  • Wind: SSE 3 kts
  • Sea Conditions: Calm
  • Air Temp: 9 C
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