More Rain & Wind Overnight

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) – Rain persists overnight as a frontal system moves through the area. We’ll get a brief break late morning between the front and the encroaching upper level trough. It will arrive late morning into the afternoon and help destabilize the atmosphere for shower and potentially thunderstorm formation. It will clear out by evening giving us a bit more of a break before the next weathermaker arrives late Wednesday.

Air Quality: Good

***GALE WARNING***
… for the near coastal waters from Pigeon Point to Point Pinos outside of Monterey Bay in effect until 3AM Monday.

*South winds 20 to 30 kt with gusts up to 35 kt and seas 8 to 10 ft expected.

*Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.

Mariners should alter plans to avoid these hazardous conditions. Remain in port, seek safe harbor, alter course, and/or secure the vessel for hazardous conditions.

Overnight: Light to moderate rain at times, tapering off before dawn. Gusty southerly winds on the exposed coast and in the hills, also tapering off by around 3AM or so. Lows in the upper 40s to around 50ºF.

Monday: Partly cloudy with showers and a few thunderstorms possible. Winds pick back up into the afternoon and will be gusty out of the northwest at times. Highs in the 50s. Showers end by late afternoon.

Tuesday: Morning fog in the valleys, then becoming mostly sunny. Slightly warmer, but chilly northwest winds persist and will remain gusty at times. Highs in the 50s to low 60s.

Extended: The next system arrives late Wednesday as a weak cold front arrives after dark. Light rain is the most likely scenario with some lingering showers into Thursday morning. Northwest winds will pick backup Thursday afternoon in the wake of the system. High pressure will the build in for the weekend. After a couple of cold mornings—potentially frosty inland on Friday—temps will warm into the weekend with dry conditions expected through Sunday at least.

*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: 45ºF
HIGH: 63ºF

--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 41ºF
HIGH: 68ºF
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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for March 24^th – 30^th  calls for the likelihood of ABOVE normal temperatures and near normal precipitation.
- ENSO (El Niño/La Niña) STATUS: La Niña Advisory
- ENSO Forecast: Neutral conditions expected by April and then to persist into summer.
- Area drought status: Moderate drought for far southeastern Monterey County. Abnormally dry for southeastern Monterey County and eastern San Benito County. Drought-free for the remainder of the KION coverage area.
 Monterey Bay Sea Surface Temperature as of March 17^th: 53.5ºF (avg of 7 buoys)
[Historic March Avg. SST: 55.3ºF]