Hot Thursday
WEATHER STORY
A strong ridge of high pressure will settle in over the region Thursday, its hot dome of air pushing down on us from above. Temperatures will likely be the hottest Thursday afternoon before slowly cooling into the weekend. Another interesting feature of the high is that some mid to high level moisture is stuck within its grip. This appeared on Wednesday as some high cloudcover. However, there may be enough instability Thursday into Friday to get a few extremely high based (dry) showers going. The unfortunately side effect of these showers may be a dry lightning strike or two. Two waves in particular look to have the best chance for this lightning—one early Thursday morning and then another early Friday—though probability remains low. The ridge will ease as we head into Father’s Day weekend, allowing for deeper, cooler onshore flow. We may see the return of some low cloudcover as early as late Friday and it will be more of a fixture on the coast as we head through the weekend.
FORECAST & ALERTS
***HEAT ALERTS***
… for the Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Clara Valley, northern valleys of San Benito County, the northern Salinas Valley, Carmel Valley, and the highway 68 corridor east of Monterey…
**HEAT ADVISORY**
in effect until 9PM Friday
-Temperatures 92 to 100 expected.
- Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses to occur.
… for the Diablo Range, the mountains and southern valleys of Monterey & San Benito Counties…
**HEAT ADVISORY**
in effect until 11AM Thursday
***EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING***
in effect from 11AM Thursday until 9PM Friday
-For the Heat Advisory, temperatures up to 94 to 99 expected. For the Excessive Heat Warning, dangerously hot conditions with temperatures from 98 to 108 expected.
-Extreme heat will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities.
-Temperatures will increase on Wednesday, with the hottest day of the week on Thursday. While temperatures reduce on Friday, they will still be hot.
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles
under any circumstances.
Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.
Overnight: Passing high clouds. An isolated dry thunderstorm possible around dawn. Lows in the 50s for most areas, but 60s in the higher elevations. Breezy northerly winds over the hills at times.
Thursday: Partly cloudy with scattered high clouds. Hot. Expect coastal highs in the low 70s to upper 90s—hottest on the north side of the bay—and 90s to around 109ºF inland. Winds pick up for inland valleys in the afternoon.
Friday: Another round of DRY showers/thundershowers possible early in the day, then becoming sunny. Slightly cooler with highs in the 60s to 80s on the coast—warmest on the north side of the bay—and 90s-100s inland. Winds pick up for inland valleys in the afternoon. Some low cloudcover possible on the coast late.
Extended: The cooling trend will then continue through the weekend with increased low clouds on the coast. High temperatures should be close to seasonal normals by Monday and then level out for most of next week.
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This week's normal temperatures:
--COASTAL CITIES--
LOW: 52ºF
HIGH: 69ºF
--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 50ºF
HIGH: 82ºF
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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for June 24th – 30th 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 Summer: Neutral
-Area drought status: “Extreme Drought” for the entire viewing area with the far southeastern corner of Monterey County considered “Exceptional Drought”
