Gray Skies & Wet Weather Return
SALINAS, Calif. (KION) – We’re back to cooler weather for the foreseeable future. Southerly onshore flow will continue on Wednesday as the big, hot ridge moves to the east. Onshore flow will actually deepen Wednesday pushing clouds and cooler temperatures much farther inland. Drizzle may be possible at times as the marine layer deepens. Two weather systems will then pass by to our north Thursday into Friday, perhaps throwing a few light showers our way.
Air Quality: Good
Wednesday: Mostly cloudy early, then becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon—well, kind of. The southerly flow will likely clear out the south side of the bay while clouds will remain on the north side. Southerly onshore winds could be gusty at times, both on the coast and in the hills. Drizzle possible in the coastal mountains, especially late. Highs in the upper 50s to upper 60s on the coast—warmest on the south side of the bay—and 60s to mid-70s inland.
*BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT*
… in effect from late Wednesday night through Friday morning for Northern Monterey Bay.
*Long period high northwesterly swell will result in breaking waves between 15 to 20 feet along favored break points.
*Sneaker waves can unexpectedly run significantly farther up the beach than normal, including over rocks and jetties. These waves can suddenly knock people off their feet and quickly pull them into the cold ocean waters, where currents will be stronger than normal. These waves can also carry driftwood logs and other debris.
*Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions.
Overnight: Mostly cloudy with a mix of high and low clouds. Light, scattered rain showers possible after midnight with the better chance of showers along the coast and for the coastal mountains. Lows mainly in the 50s, with a few mid to upper 40s inland. Patchy fog possible in low-lying areas and sheltered valleys. Breezy at times.
Thursday: Overcast early with a few light showers possible, especially in the north. Then, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon. Breezy southwesterly onshore winds becoming windy up valleys and in the hills. Clouds thicken again late with a drizzly, light rain possible, especially in the north.
**HIGH SURF ADVISORY**
… in effect 5am Thursday to 11am Friday for Southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast.
*High Surf Advisory, long period very high northwest swell will result in large breaking waves between 25 to 30 feet on north and west facing beaches.
*Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions and localized beach erosion. Sneaker waves can unexpectedly run significantly farther up the beach than normal, including over rocks and jetties. These waves can suddenly knock people off their feet and quickly pull them into the cold ocean waters, where currents will be stronger than normal. These waves can also carry driftwood logs and other debris.
*Inexperienced swimmers should remain out of the water due to dangerous surf conditions. Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions.
Extended: Additional light precipitation is possible early on Friday before gradual clearing late. We’ll likely get a break in “the weather” on Saturday with seasonable temps (for coastal cities). Then, the active weather pattern returns with a weather system on Sunday, followed by a second Monday into Tuesday. There is some potential for heavier rainfall, but there is also a lot of uncertainty still.
*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 April 2nd – 8th calls for the likelihood of near normal temperatures and ABOVE 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 26th: 56.0ºF (avg. of 7 bouys)
[Historic March Avg. SST: 55.3ºF]
