Warm Weekend Ahead

Air Quality (as of 12:00PM)
MODERATE for most reporting stations, UNHEALTHY for sensitive groups in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Gilroy, and Hollister locations.

WEATHER STORY
High pressure nudges back in from the west as we head into the weekend. This will mean warmer, sunnier weather for our area as the ridge compresses the marine layer. The warming trend is already underway, but will certainly be felt Friday and Saturday with above normal highs. The only complication may be smoke returning to the region from the north. Onshore flow will begin to strengthen on Sunday, cooling coastal areas and sending clouds back into the forecast. Most of next week looks seasonable with our normal cycle of low clouds

Saturday: Mostly sunny but hazy. Low clouds could make an appearance near the peninsula. Warm, with coastal highs in the 70s to low 80s and 80s to around 105ºF inland. Winds pick up in the afternoon and evening for valleys, light breeze along the coast.

Overnight: A well-compressed marine layer will mean a more minimal reach for low clouds. The Monterey Bay peninsula and the lower east side of the bay should see a dusting of clouds with patchy fog in the early hours.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, the hazy will diminish throughout the day. Few more low clouds lingering along the coast. Another warm day, however a few degrees cooler from the previous day. Coastal highs in the upper 60s to low 80s, and 80s to around 100ºF inland. Winds pick up in the afternoon and evening for valleys.
 
Extended: Expect another toasty day inland on Sunday, but the coast will begin to cool down—a trend that will continue into the workweek. Most areas will see normal highs and the daily cycle of winds and clouds by Monday or Tuesday.

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This week's normal temperatures:
--COASTAL CITIES--
LOW: 55ºF
HIGH: 72ºF
 
--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 52ºF
HIGH: 86ºF

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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for September 3^rd – 9^th calls for the likelihood of ABOVE normal temperatures and near normal precipitation*. 
*Note: little to no precipitation usually falls this time of year.
-El Niño/La Niña STATUS: Neutral
-Forecast into Winter: La Niña Watch

-Area drought status: “Extreme Drought” for the entire viewing area with the far southeastern corner of Monterey County and far eastern San Benito County considered “Exceptional Drought” Video / Video / Weather / Weather Video