It’s Complicated
The weather this week will be a little complex… A cut-off area of low pressure will continue to draw in monsoon moisture from the east, though its position to our west will keep the direct flow away from us. With that said, there may be just enough moisture to help destabilize our inland mountains over the next few days, so we're keeping a slight chance of a thunderstorm in place for the Diablo Range through at least Thursday. Activity may become a bit more widespread as early as Thursday into Friday as a shortwave moves in from the northwest and, well, agitates the low to our south to some extent, so we’ll have to watch that. The shortwave will act to then deepen the low which will lead to cooler temperatures for us this weekend. It looks like the low will finally get kicked out (absorbed into the upper level flow) by early next week, just in time to make way for a future tropical cyclone to make an approach up the coast of Baja, so that could be interesting. I told you it would be a little complex. In the meantime, expect above normal highs for the next few days.
AIR QUALITY: Good to Moderate
Tuesday: Low clouds retreat the coast and break up a bit. Mostly sunny elsewhere with afternoon cumulus buildup, especially over the Diablo Range. There is a slight chance of a shower or thunderstorm over the mountains of southern San Benito County. Coastal highs in the 60s to low 70s with low 80s to around 107ºF inland. Westerly onshore winds becoming breezy at the river mouths and then stronger for the valleys late in the day.
Overnight: Low clouds will fill in the Monterey Bay and northern parts of the Salinas Valley. Low clouds are not expected to be widespread, thus, most interior locations will remain clearer. Fog is possible near the coast and nearby valleys. Lows in the mid to upper 50s for the coast and lower elevation valleys, 60s for higher elevation valleys, and 70s up in the hills.
Wednesday: Low clouds retreat the coast and break up a bit. Mostly sunny elsewhere with afternoon cumulus buildup, especially over the Diablo Range. There is a slight chance of a shower or thunderstorm over the mountains of southern San Benito County. Coastal highs in the 60s to low 70s with low 80s to around 108ºF inland. Westerly onshore winds becoming breezy at the river mouths and then stronger for the valleys late in the day.
Extended: Onshore flow will deepen a bit on Thursday cooling temperatures a few degrees, otherwise expect partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies with an isolated thunderstorm possible over the inland mountains. Clouds will thicken a bit on Friday with perhaps a higher chance of showers. Temps cool into the weekend, but warm starting Monday. Watching the tropics.
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This week's normal temperatures:
--COASTAL CITIES--
LOW: 55ºF
HIGH: 69ºF
--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 53ºF
HIGH: 86ºF
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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for August 22nd – 28th calls for the likelihood of ABOVE normal temperatures and ABOVE normal precipitation. Note: Little to no precipitation typically falls this time of year.
- ENSO (El Niño/La Niña) STATUS: El Niño Advisory
- Forecast: Moderate to strong El Niño expected this winter.
-Area drought status: Currently drought-free
