
Full moon: The evening moon rises above Mountain View High School in San Jacinto. Photo courtesy of Denise Leonard.

Cloud Above: Sun rays shine around a storm cloud. Photo courtesy of Ethan Leonard.

Wet Weather: This black and white photo captures conditions after a morning of constant rain. Photo courtesy of Jerry.

Red Sunrise: The reddish hue of dawn over the San Jacinto Valley. Photo courtesy of Mitch McGee.

Colored Clouds: The red-orange glow of sunrise on some passing clouds. Photo courtesy of Mitch McGee.

Eastern Clouds: A bank of clouds to the east of this hilltop home, among the Valle Vista citrus groves. Photo courtesy of Tom Quinn.

East Grove: From a wind machine, Mt. San Jacinto sits in the distance across a citrus grove. Photo courtesy of Craig Brudin.

Dust storm: Strong winds conjure up a dust storm in the northern San Jacinto Valley. Photo courtesy of Rodrigo Zuazua.

Blowing Dust: Dust obscures the roadway in the late afternoon, the result of strong northeast winds. Photo courtesy of Rodrigo Zuazua.

Damaging Winds: Cold northeast winds gust at Hemet High's tennis courts. Photo courtesy of Sarah Mitchell.

Colorful Sunrise: The sun illuminates some passing clouds in this November sunrise. Photo courtesy of Randy Gibson.

Sunshine after Rain: Sunset amongst the clouds, following a rainy day. Photo courtesy of Lisa Soto.

Picnic Area: Trees at Simpson Park, silhouetted by sunset after a good rain. Photo courtesy of Lisa Soto.

Lake at Sunset: Diamond Valley Lake from Simpson Park, at sunset after a rainy day. Photo courtesy of Lisa Soto.

Mountain Rain: Rain falls in the distance in this view of the San Jacinto mountains. Photo courtesy of Monty Parrott.

Fog over Hemet: Ground fog stretches across the San Jacinto Valley, as seen from Red Mountain. Photo courtesy of Ed Hunter.

August Night: Colored clouds stream across the valley sky at sunset. Photo courtesy of Troy Standard.

Grapefruit Groves: Wispy summer clouds float above a grapefruit grove in Valle Vista. Photo courtesy of Robert Leonard.

Exiting Storm: Clouds from a recent spring storm flow eastward over a Valle Vista orange grove. Photo courtesy of Robert Leonard.

Full Rainbow: Wet weather and a bit of sunshine begets this full rainbow over some of Hemet's shopping. Photo courtesy of Connie Carlton.

Overcast Lake: Storm clouds loom over Diamond Valley Lake. Photo courtesy of Lisa Cherbone Soto.

Mountain Peek: Snowfall on the San Jacinto mountains after a very cold storm. Photo courtesy of Lisa Cherbone Soto.

North Mountains: North of the valley, the mountains gleam white from overnight snow. Photo courtesy of Lisa Cherbone Soto.

Colored Clouds: Crimson clouds after sunset in the valley sky. Photo courtesy of Troy Standard.

Before Sunset: Wispy clouds in the valley sky are a golden glow before sunset. Photo courtesy of Troy Standard.

Vista Sunset: A vivid sunset across the San Jacinto Valley, from the Valle Vista area. Photo courtesy of Rob Davis.

Sonar Image: An underwater view of the dam at Lake Hemet, taken with side-scanning sonar. Photo courtesy of Pete Wynn.

Sunset Reflection: Fair weather clouds reflecting the recently set sun. Photo courtesy of Mike Wilson.

Light Dusting: The lower slopes of Mt. San Jacinto following recent light snow at low elevations. Photo courtesy of Troy Standard.

Sunset Stream: A stream of clouds flows from the west at sunset. Photo courtesy of Richard Lopez.

Raging River: Runoff from heavy rains rushes down the San Jacinto River, in this scene from Valle Vista. Photo courtesy of Mike Wilson.

Marine Layer: Creeping up the mountains from the San Jacinto Valley, marine layer is on the way. Photo courtesy of Mike Wilson.

Banning Pass: From 8,000 feet up on Fuller Ridge, marine layer fills the Banning Pass. Photo courtesy of Mike Wilson.

Summer Palms: Tall palm trees silhouetted against the Valle Vista sunset. Photo courtesy of Ara Witmer.

Mountain Clouds: Clouds gather atop Mt. San Jacinto, courtesy of monsoonal moisture. Photo courtesy of Rodrigo Zuazua.

Blooming Cactus: A prickly pear cactus in full bloom, with purple flowers. Photo courtesy of Joe Sulak.

Flash Flooding: Thunderstorms leads to a flooded road in Homeland. Photo courtesy of Robert Leonard.

Hot August Night: Cloud remnants at sunset mark the passing of summer thunderstorms. Photo courtesy of Troy Standard.

Ranch Fire: A Neptune P2V-7 (Tanker 10) making a drop on the Ranch fire, June 22, 2010. Photo courtesy of Ian Schoenleber.

Air Drop: A CalFire S2 air tanker making a drop on the Ranch Fire, south of Hemet on June 22, 2010. Photo courtesy of Ian Schoenleber.

Lenticular Clouds: Mounds of clouds loom over the San Jacinto mountains before the recent rain storms. Photo courtesy of Rodrigo Zuazua.

West Valley Sunset: Light glows off an array or clouds at sunset. Photo courtesy of Crystal Lopez.

Snowpack: The San Gorgonio snowpack after the January storms, from the citrus groves in Valle Vista. Photo courtesy of Tom Quinn.

Snow Peaks: A view of snow capped Mt. San Jacinto and Tahquitz Peak, from the Valle Vista citrus groves. Photo courtesy of Tom Quinn.

Setting Sun: The setting sun illuminates the last post-frontal cumulus as they leave the area. Photo courtesy of Mike Wilson.

Beaumont Snow: A road in the pass area after January snow. Photo courtesy of Rick Leonard.

Clouds and Sunset: The sky darkens above Mary Henley Park in the west Hemet area. Photo courtesy of Rachel Patterson.

Valley Virga: A few virga cones over the San Jacinto Valley on an autumn evening. Photo courtesy of Robert Leonard.

Seven Hills Sunrise: Small clouds curve across the sky sunrise over the Seven Hills community. Photo courtesy of Susan Roberts.

Parting Clouds: Evening clouds appear to part above a valley orange grove. Photo courtesy of Ara Witmer.

Illuminated Clouds: Clouds are like red and orange bumps and funnels in the sky at sunset. Photo courtesy of Debbie Brookshier.

Sunset Palms: Palms line the sky at sunset. Photo courtesy of Jane Holguin.

Morning Clouds: An array of clouds over the valley in the early morning. Photo courtesy of Ara Witmer.

Santiago Peak: A view to the west of Santiago Peak and the foothills lining the San Jacinto Valley at sunset. Photo courtesy of Robert Leonard.

Extraordinary Sunset: A streetlight puncuates the fading sunlight. Photo courtesy of Rachel Patterson.

Cottonwood Fire: A view of the flames from August's fire in Cottonwood Canyon. Photo courtesy of Cindy Kincaid.

Sunset Lights: Car lights mixed with the fading colors of dusk on the Domenigoni Highway. Photo courtesy of Liz Rojas.

Bumper Crop: It was a great year for tomatoes in the San Jacinto Valley. Photo courtesy of Don Richards.

Palms at Dawn: Palm trees in the foreground of a dawn sky in Hemet. Photo courtesy of Ara Witmer.

Pass and Valley: A morning view of Banning Pass in the foreground and the San Jacinto Valley in the background, from the summit of Mt. San Gorgonio. Photo courtesy of Mike Wilson.

Sky Shine: Sun shines through some valley clouds as seen from San Jacinto. Photo courtesy of Liz Rojas.

Driveway Sunset: The setting sun obscures groves of trees with orange light. Photo courtesy of Craig Brudin.

Sky Trails: Contrails mix with the sun, clouds and mountains in the morning sky. Photo courtesy of Liz Rojas.

Mountain Snow: A tranquil valley scene looking east to the snow-capped Mount San Jacinto. Photo courtesy of Don Richards.

Cloud Formations: Different cloud formations, shaped by prevailing winds, in the San Jacinto Valley sky. Photo courtesy of Troy Standard.

Patio Sunset: Trees and pastel clouds at sunset from San Jacinto. Photo courtesy of Betty Dowell.

Morning Fog: Low-lying fog retreating at the west end of the valley. Photo courtesy of Liz Rojas.

Highway Sunset: A pine tree and the San Jacinto Valley on the way back from Idyllwild. Photo courtesy of Deb Brookshier.

Garden Buzz: A bee at work near a local Hemet hotel. Photo courtesy of Brian Darnell.

Moon Ring: Autumn clouds create a ring around the moon, as seen from Valle Vista. Photo courtesy of Deb Brookshier.

Porch Sunrise: Morning sunrise behind neighborhood rooftops. Photo courtesy of Carol Sulak.

Grapefruit Orchard: Rows of grapefruit trees against the dry foothills of Valle Vista. Photo courtesy of Sydney Stackhouse.

Beautiful Morning: Clouds and mountains at sunrise from San Jacinto Tamarisk Ranch. Photo courtesy of Liz Rojas.

Twilight Color: Wispy bands of color over the valley at sunset. Photo courtesy of Tom Quinn.

Moon Rise: The moon rises over the San Jacinto mountains and Valley Vista citrus groves. Photo courtesy of Tom Quinn.

Sunset Shades: Clouds, sky and hills are shades of orange and yellow for a valley sunset. Photo courtesy of Robert Leonard.

Light Hole: Sunlight finds its way through a break in the clouds. Photo courtesy of Mike Wilson.

Summer Evening: The setting sun on a summer evening, illuminating clouds and contrails. Photo courtesy of Liz Rojas.

Summit View: Diamond Valley Lake and citrus groves are visible in this picture from the summit of Mt. San Jacinto, elevation 10,834 feet. Photo courtesy of Tom Quinn.

Valley Clouds: A view of foothills and thunderheads in around the San Jacinto Valley, from Diamond Valley Lake. Photo courtesy of Sandy Wood.

Summer Sky: A colorful set of clouds at sunset, contrasted against a San Jacinto Valley meadow. Photo courtesy of Deb Brookshier.

Giant Swallowtail: A Giant Swallowtail butterfly visits lantana blossoms in a Valle Vista yard. Photo courtesy of Ara Witmer.

Dawn Clouds: The red glow of morning sunrise on some clouds in the valley sky. Photo courtesy of Ara Witmer.

Garden Lord: This lizard commands the garden from a fancy lookout. Photo courtesy of Robert Leonard.

Home Grown: This bountiful tomato harvest comes from a West Hemet backyard. Photo courtesy of Don Richards.

Antenna Attraction: A dragonfly rests from fitful flight on an East Hemet car antenna. Photo courtesy of Heidi Wastradowski.

Cooling Off: A hot dog cools off in a wading pool in a triple digit day in the San Jacinto Valley. Photo courtesy of Ara Witmer.

Bygone Days: A reflection of slower days at the Hemet Museum. Photo courtesy of Lisa Draper.

Storm View: A pleasant backyard view of a rainbow and clouds from the May thunderstorms. Photo courtesy of Deb Brookshier.

Silk Moth: A large Ceanothus Silk Moth, common in the area, clings to a ceiling. Photo courtesy of Deb Brookshier.

Valley Ladybug: Sitting on leaf, this ladybug was feasting on some aphids in an East Hemet backyard. Photo courtesy of Heidi Wastradowski.

Rustic View: Springtime flowers and tree moss on the Crest Trail in Simpson Park. Photo courtesy of Lisa Draper.

Simpson Park: A view of Mt. San Jacinto and wild daisies from Simpson Park in East Hemet. Photo courtesy of Lisa Draper.

Spring Color: Flowers blooming in Valle Vista add seasonal color to the valley. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Apffel.

Spring Bloom: A flower opens to the San Jacinto Valley sky. Photo courtesy of Jason Gallant.

White Surprise: Frozen rain and hail accumulates on some patio furniture in Valle Vista. Photo courtesy of Tom Quinn.

Lake Trail: Diamond Valley Lake and the local foothills unfold from an adjacent trail. Photo courtesy of Deb Brookshier.

Flower Hill: From Diamond Valley Lake, one of the hills is packed with myriad blooming wildflowers. Photo courtesy of Deb Brookshier.

Hummingbird Perch: A content, well-fed hummingbird takes a rest. Photo courtesy of Robert Leonard.

Snowstorm: The final remnants of a Valentine's Day snow storm on the foothills above Valle Vista. Photo courtesy of Deb Brookshier.

Foothill Snow: Snow covers the foothills south of Valle Vista after the cold Valentine's Day storm. Photo courtesy of Mike Wilson.

Mountain Vista: Clouds preceeding the latest storm begin to fill the sky. Photo courtesy of Mike Wilson.

Bowl View: A look at Mt. San Antonio across the valley from the Ramona Bowl parking lot. Photo courtesy of Tacklebox.

Stormy Sky: At dusk, multiple layers of storm clouds and a glimpse of daylight over the San Jacinto Valley. Photo courtesy of Sarah Mitchell.

Gorgonio View: A view of the snow-topped San Gorgonio Mountains, as seen from Diamond Valley Lake's west dam overlook. Photo courtesy of Lisa Draper.

Lake Overlook: An eastern look at blue Diamond Valley Lake, to Mt. San Jacinto in the distance. Photo courtesy of Lisa Draper.

Hanging On: Sun shines through the last leaves of the season on this Liquid Amber tree. Photo courtesy of Robert Leonard.

Local Flooding: A storm drain in Hemet can't handle the runoff from a November drenching. Photo courtesy of James Reno.

CDF Squadron: S2-Trackers and CDF Tankers lined up at Hemet-Ryan Field, as seen from the control tower. Photo courtesy of Don Richards.

From Space: Smoke winds across the Pacific Ocean in this view of the Southern California wildfires from space. Photo courtesy of NASA/U.S. Forest Service.

Uprooted Tree: One of many in San Jacinto after a Santa Ana-induced sandstorm. Photo courtesy of Becky Griffith.

Sunset Glow: Clouds on the western horizon glow at sunset. Photo courtesy of Deb Brookshier.

Dawn Blooms: Backyard scenery greets an autumn morning. Photo courtesy of Robert Leonard.

Backyard Sunset: The evening sun shines between exiting storm clouds. Photo courtesy of Jason Gallant.

Looming Storm: A severe thunderstorm over Palm Springs, as seen from central San Jacinto. Photo courtesy of San Jacinto Weather.

Spooky Moon: Moonlight eerily permeates leftover cirrus clouds from monsoonal moisture. Photo courtesy of Mike Wilson.

Morning Thunderheads: Remnants of a nighttime lightning show exit the San Jacinto Valley to the west. Photo courtesy of Ara Witmer.

Patio View: Wispy clouds draft the local mountains on a summer evening. Photo courtesy of Debbie Brookshier.

Sunset Colors: The last rays of sunlight pierce a cloud formation in the valley sky. Photo courtesy of Debbie Brookshier.

Enlightened Sky: Sunset light colors clouds to the horizon. Photo courtesy of Debbie Brookshier.

African Bloom: A white African Daisy opens to daylight. Photo courtesy of Debbie Brookshier.

Solstice Sunflower: A single sunflower greets the Summer Solstice from a garden in Valle Vista.
Photo courtesy of Ara Witmer.

Spring Pollinator: Daylily blossoms aren't yet revealing their treasures to this impatient wasp. Photo courtesy of Debbie Brookshier.

Misty Sunrise: Sunrise above the San Jacinto mountains glows through the morning fog. Photo courtesy of Ara Witmer.

Alert Predator: A Cooper's Hawk resolutely looks for food in Valle Vista. Photo courtesy of Debbie Brookshier.

Lake Panorama: A view from the trail at Diamond Valley Lake. Photo courtesy of Debbie Brookshier.

Apple Blossoms: Blooms on an apple tree signal summer fruit. Photo courtesy of Debbie Brookshier.