Staying Sunny
After a chilly start, expect more sunshine to kick off the work week with breezy offshore winds. High pressure remains in control over the West Coast leading to dry conditions. While the air mass is “warm” and afternoon temperatures have been above normal, mornings have been cool and may actually get a bit chillier into the work week. The ridge breaks down by mid-week, which will usher in the return of wet weather. See the extended section below for more details.
AIR QUALITY: Good to Moderate
Today: Mostly sunny with a few thin high clouds. Expect highs in the 60s to low 70s. Breezy offshore winds at times, especially early in the day and then again late in the evening.
Overnight: Mostly clear and chilly with frost possible inland. Expect lows in the upper 30s to mid-40s on the coast and low 30s to low 40s inland.
**FROST ADVISORY**
…for the interior areas of Monterey County, the southern valleys & higher terrain of San Benito County, the Diablo Range, and the Santa Clara Valley in effect from 12AM Tuesday until 9AM Tuesday.
*Temperatures as low as 32 will result in frost formation.
*Cold conditions will be hazardous to sensitive populations such as unhoused individuals. Cold Conditions can lead to hypothermia with prolonged exposure.
Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.
Be sure to cover or tend to sensitive plants and vegetation as they may be damaged by frost.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny with a few high clouds passing through. Light offshore winds early. After a chilly morning, highs return to the 60s to around 70ºF—well above normal for this time of year.
Extended: After another chilly morning on Wednesday, clouds will be on the increase in advance of the next of several weather systems. The first will likely “die on our doorstep” late Wednesday but may bring some drizzle late. It will be quickly followed by a more substantial system into Thursday. While this system’s may impacts will be felt to our north, we’ll likely see a cold front with breezy conditions and light to moderate rain early on Thursday with showers tapering off late. After a break on Friday, another system—potentially stronger—arrives on Saturday. More wind and light to moderate rain expected. It looks like the “storm door” may remain open into the next week.
*Note: Any alerts from the National Weather Service in Monterey will be noted in italics above. Alerts may be edited for brevity or local clarification
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This week's normal temperatures:
--COASTAL CITIES--
LOW: 42ºF
HIGH: 60ºF
--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 37ºF
HIGH: 62ºF
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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for December 16th – 22nd calls for the likelihood of ABOVE normal temperatures and near normal precipitation.
- ENSO (El Niño/La Niña) STATUS: La Niña Watch
- ENSO Forecast: Transition to La Niña into the fall and persist through the winter months.
- Area drought status: Abnormally dry for areas around Monterey Bay northward. Drought-free elsewhere.- Monterey Bay Sea Surface Temperature as of December 8th : 54.8ºF (avg of 6 buoys) [December Average: 55.0ºF]
