Chilly Night Ahead
Cold air settles in overnight as dry, offshore flow continues. Widespread frost possible for inland valleys with some higher valleys in the south experiencing a deep freeze. Offshore winds will weaken but continue into Tuesday all as high pressure dominates the region. The ridge (of high pressure) will break down finally on Wednesday, opening the door for a series of storm systems.
AIR QUALITY: Good to Moderate
***FREEZE WARNING***
…for the southern valleys of Monterey County in effect from 12AM Tuesday until 9AM Tuesday
*Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 27 expected.
*Cold conditions will be hazardous to sensitive populations such as unhoused individuals. Cold Conditions can lead to hypothermia with prolonged exposure.
*Coldest conditions will be across the far southern Salinas Valley close to the town of Bradley and Fort Hunter Liggett region. Temperatures will be closer to freezing around and north of King City.
Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.
Be sure to open sink cabinet doors and/or drip faucets. This may help reduce or prevent damage to uninsulated pipes and other plumbing.
**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.
Overnight: Mostly clear with a few high clouds passing through. Some fog possible in southern valleys, especially around Lake San Antonio, Bradley, and Parkfield. Expect lows in the low 30s to mid-40s on the coast with patchy frost possible and low 20s to low 30s inland with widespread frost likely and areas of hard freeze in the south. Breezy offshore winds in the hills and in some major valley outlets.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny with a few high clouds passing through. Warm, with highs in the mid-60s to low 70s. Light offshore winds at times.
Wednesday: After another cold and potentially frosty start, expect highs to return to above normal territory, though cooler than Tuesday. Highs mainly in the 60s. Clouds increase with a chance of light rain on the coast late.
Extended: Rain is likely early Thursday as a weather system passes through. Rainfall should remain light and will be accompanied by breezy onshore winds. Expect partial clearing into the afternoon. The next system will take aim at our area late Friday into Saturday. Timing is all over the place for this one—some models as early as Friday afternoon and some holding off a full 24 hours later! I think the mostly likely time to see rain will be early in the day on Saturday. Moderate rain and gusty winds will be possible with this system. Showers could linger into Sunday and a trailing system is then possible early next week. There is also some potential for high surf in combination with king tides this coming weekend which could result in some minor coastal flooding. Lots to keep track of, so stay tuned to the forecast!
*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: 60ºF
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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for December 17th – 23rd calls for the likelihood of ABOVE normal temperatures and ABOVE 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 9th : 53.9ºF (avg of 6 buoys) [December Average: 55.0ºF]
