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

High Tides and Logs Galore

Over the past few days I’ve noticed how many logs and driftwood seem to be out in the ocean this time of year. I’ve heard its significantly worse than previous years but thankfully not too much has been accumulating at the jetty (as I’ve been told it can). Until today. 

Yesterday afternoon there were a few small bits of driftwood/logs but nothing out of the ordinary, however the tides and wind must have been combined in all the right (or maybe wrong) ways over night. This morning when I woke up there was enough logs and debris around the jetty to open up my own lumber mill. I’ve never seen anything like it. For the better part of the day the waves have been crashing directly into the jetty making it impossible for any of it to be pushed out. In the afternoon I pulled a few of the reachable logs up to use for future firewood but it barely made a dent in whats there. Hopefully some of it gets pushed out tonight! 

The fur seal has not shown up again, so I guess he was just passing by, although I’m hopeful we’ll see him again one day! Ollie is still around and a few humpbacks are passing by each day. 

I haven’t seen the entangled sea lions today, but the Cali was around yesterday and the Steller the day before. 

Vessels:

  • Ecotourism: 2

Facility Work:

  • Topped up battery electrolytes 
  • Cleaned/organized inside main house 
  • Hauled in logs for firewood 
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