Author: Skye Blackwell

On April 15, around 6:30 p.m. Monday evening, a fire erupted in the attic of famed Parisian cathedral Notre Dame. It then quickly spread to the roof and spire, integral sections of the establishment. Major parts of the structure did not survive the blaze, among them the lead-and-wood spire, built in 1860 by Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc, and the ceiling of the nave (the long main section of the building).

The Gothic-style landmark, eight hundred and fifty-six years old, began construction in the center of Paris, France, during the reign of Louis VII. The first stone of the building was laid in 1163, and the beams and exterior of the roof date from between 1220 and 1240. Through the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, major restorations and additions were made. The stonework and iconic stained glass windows depict scenes from the Bible, and the three hundred and eighty-seven steps up to the famed towers take visitors past stone chimeras and gargoyles, highlights of the architectural masterpiece.

Thankfully, the main structure, including the two bell towers, have been saved, along with the trio of immense stained-glass designs known as the Rose Windows. The Crown of Thorns, considered the cathedral’s most precious relic, was rescued, as well as the Great Organ which still contained pipes from the Middle Ages.

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Lots of rain and incoming warm weather make up the perfect recipe for a high pollen count this year, so grab your tissues.

In the Bay Area, where trees and flowers are blooming in excess, this season promises to be a tough one for allergy sufferers. “The pollen is able to travel sometimes 20 miles and it is certainly being spread evenly around the county,” says allergy specialist Dr. Bruce Paterson. He recommends allergy shots, a form of immunotherapy that lessens the effects of the various pollens.

If you’re not up to that, there are other ways to protect yourself (and your credit card, namely from tissue purchases) this season. First, the pollen count is often highest in the morning, so try to stay inside as much as possible then. Keep yourself protected indoors by keeping doors shut and using air conditioning instead of opening a window to cool down, both at home and in the car. In the chance that Walnut Creek gets more rain, the air is often cleanest and free of pollen right after a heavy downpour.

Allergy relief medication can also be a lifesaver – the local CVS often stocks nasal sprays, antihistamines, eye drops, and decongestants to relieve suffering and perhaps make spring a little more enjoyable.

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Skiers, snowboarders, and snow lovers unite – this 2019 winter has been quite a white one, and the snowstorms aren’t projected to stop any time soon.

Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows, both prominent ski resorts in the Sierra Nevadas, have gotten 503 inches of snow this season – that’s 42 feet of much-needed precipitation.  According to the Sacramento Bee, Squaw received 246 inches, or 20 ½ feet, in February alone. That breaks the record for the month by 50 inches and is only 3 feet less than the snowiest month ever recorded.

California’s snowpack, referring to the amount of snow on the ground at a given time, is at 141% percent so far, which is already way above the April 1st benchmark when the snowpack is typically at its highest. The National Weather Service reported that California has received about 18 trillion gallons of water this month, enough to fill up 45% of Lake Tahoe.

Much of this beneficial precipitation can be attributed to the atmospheric rivers, narrow bands of concentrated moisture in the atmosphere that have been dumping rain along coastal California and massive amounts of snow in the mountains. This has helped replenish our water supply and pull most of the state out of drought. Even more storms are projected to pass through in coming weeks.