Enjoy The Warm, Dry Conditions–They Won’t Last

We’re still a few days out from the major change in our weather pattern, so there is still time to prepare. High pressure will remain in control with a warm air mass in place Friday and Saturday. Southerly winds will begin to develop Saturday and will be much more noticeable on Sunday as the first round of precipitation arrives. The latest trends are showing only light rain for Sunday with light to moderate rain on Monday and occasionally gusty southerly winds. The first system will be absorbed into the flow Monday into Tuesday, but moist onshore flow along with the deepening low to our west will probably keep the rain machine going for the coastal mountains. A stronger system will arrive on the West Coast mid-week, though timing, exact intensity, and location are still a bit up in the air. One thing’s for sure, next week will be a lot different than this week.

AIR QUALITY: GOOD to MODERATE

Overnight: Scattered high clouds. Lows in the upper 30s to mid 40s at the coast, 30s inland with valleys dipping into the mid to upper 20s. Winds remain light.

Friday: Mostly sunny with a few passing high clouds. Slightly warmer yet with coastal highs in the mid 60s to upper 60s and mid 60s to mid 70s inland.

Saturday: High clouds increasing from the west, otherwise sunny and warmer with highs in the 60s-70s. Southerly winds pick up later in the day.

Extended: We’ll have rain chances every day from Sunday through Thursday and perhaps Friday. There will be gaps in the rain and it may start out slow, but there is potential for heavier rainfall mid-week, along with the likelihood of gusty winds.

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This week's normal temperatures:
--COASTAL CITIES--
LOW: 42ºF
HIGH: 60ºF

--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 36ºF
HIGH: 60ºF
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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for December 21^st – 27^th calls for the likelihood of ABOVE normal temperatures and ABOVE normal precipitation.

- ENSO (El Niño/La Niña) STATUS: El Niño Advisory
- ENSO Forecast: Strong to Very Strong El Niño expected this winter.
-Area drought status: Currently drought-free