Wind Continues To Fan Flames Despite Other Improvements
As wildfires continue to rage across the Central Coast, weather conditions will continue to improve slightly. Working for firefighters will be cooler temperatures and higher humidity associated with a deeper marine layer. Working against them will be continued bursts of wind in the afternoon and evening—and looking into the future, the potential for additional dry lightning. Air quality will remain unhealthy and skies shrouded in smoke for the next few days. Do what you can to limit time outdoors and any strenuous activities.
Currently, high pressure to our east is lessening its grip. This is why we are seeing a slightly deeper marine layer and even the return of some low cloudcover at night. The ridge won’t move all that much over the next week and will continue to hold court over the American West. High temperatures will return to seasonal normal, plus or minus a few degrees. Unfortunately, the high will likely pump moisture into our area from Tropical Cyclone Genevieve starting with high clouds on Saturday and a deeper, more unstable plume of moisture Sunday/Monday. This could bring the return of elevated, high-based thunderstorms to the region. As with the last round(s), not much rainfall is likely but lightning is possible. Unlike the last round, the overall air mass won’t be near as warm/dry in the mid to low levels, so fire danger will be lower. There is no guarantee of thunderstorms at the moment, but there is certainly some potential worth monitoring.
Friday: A few low clouds to start the day, but otherwise overcast with smoke. A few low clouds may linger on the southern end of the bay throughout the day. Temperatures return to seasonal normal with coastal highs in the 60s to mid-70s and a range of mid-70s to around 100ºF inland. Breezy conditions in the afternoon and early evening. High clouds will also begin to drift in from the south late.
Saturday: Low clouds on the coast early, with widespread smoke throughout the day. Scattered high clouds on top of that. Coastal highs in the 60s to mid-70s and a range of mid-70s to upper 90s inland. Breezy conditions in the afternoon and early evening.
Extended: We will likely continue to see smoke out of the weekend, but added in is the chance of (mostly) dry thunderstorms. Temperatures will remain seasonable to slightly cool. The tropical moisture will likely leave the region by Tuesday, with partly cloudy, seasonable (and likely smoky) conditions lingering thereafter.
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This week's normal temperatures:
--COASTAL CITIES--
LOW: 54ºF
HIGH: 71ºF
--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 51ºF
HIGH: 86ºF
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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for August 28th – September 3rd calls for the likelihood of ABOVE normal temperatures and near normal precipitation. Note: Little to no precipitation typically falls this time of year.
-El Niño/La Niña STATUS: Neutral
-Forecast into Winter: La Niña Watch
-Area drought status: Moderate drought for much of Santa Cruz & Santa Clara Counties, Abnormally dry on the east shore of the bay into San Benito County. No drought classification for much of Monterey County outside of the Gabilan Range.
