Murphy's Law + Much Needed Rain = "Crosby Conditions" at Pebble Beach

At Pebble Beach for LexusC4C,  December 2013          ©GolfGirlMedia

A couple of months ago, I was getting ready for my first ever trip to the hallowed fairways of Pebble Beach, for the Lexus Champions for Charity... and people were advising me to be prepared for erratic weather.

December through March, according to golf travel experts, is when one runs the greatest risk of a rainy, windy, chilly round; something they refer to as Crosby Weather.

So I packed rain gear and wind shirts... but never took them out of my suitcase.  In the end, it was balmy and beautiful for my entire visit... which isn't surprising when you consider that California is in the throes of a severe drought.  The state witnessed its driest year on record in 2013, according to National Weather Service statistics, caused by a stubborn ridge of high pressure that's been diverting the jet stream... and any accompanying storm track...up into Canada.

Until very recently, there was little confidence on the part of meteorologists, that the pattern would be turning around any time soon, but along came a certain version of Murphy's Law from the era of Bing Crosby and his Clambake. It dictates that that rain, wind, fog... or some combination of the three... will come to Pebble Beach at the time of this tournament: the meteorological phenomenon known as Crosby Weather.

That's what's happening now as the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am gets underway on rain soaked Monterey Peninsula. A weather delay interrupted Thursday's first round... it'll resume at 7:45am on Friday despite a somewhat dicey forecast. Fortunately Pebble Beach... and those who come to the clambake... know just how to handle that kind of thing.