Seasonable Start to the Weekend
Air Quality (as of 7AM)
GOOD for all reporting stations
WEATHER STORY
There is a threat of dry lightning in the region overnight. High level monsoonal moisture continues to stream in from the south, interacting with a trough of low pressure moving in off of the Pacific. The two features will interact to produce high-based showers and thunderstorms across the state. Locally, we’ll likely see a few high-based showers continuing overnight with little to no rainfall reaching the ground. As the trough gets closer overnight, more widespread showers/thunderstorms will erupt to our north. We just happen to be at the southern end of this development, which means any shift southward could mean an increase in lightning threat. Activity should move on from our area by dawn.
We will then enter a tranquil weather pattern with low clouds and seasonably cool temperatures on the coast and mostly sunny, seasonable weather inland.
Friday: Moist conditions are likely on the peninsula and inland as far as Salinas proper until mid afternoon when the sun will shine on the Santa Cruz area and all inland spots. A few low clouds on the coast throughout the afternoon. There may be a few additional high clouds passing through. Seasonable, with coastal highs in the 60s-70s and mainly 80s-90s inland. Winds pick up for most areas in the afternoon and early evening.
Overnight: Low clouds thicken around the peninsula and swirl back into the east side of the bay as well as partway down the Salinas Valley. Patchy fog is possible; most overnight temperatures will sit in the 50s.
Saturday: Low clouds for the coast and valleys in the morning, breaking to partly cloudy skies on the coast and sunny skies inland during the afternoon. Cooler, with highs in the 60s to low 70s on the coast and mainly 80s-90s inland. Winds pick up for the valleys in the afternoon and evening.
Extended: A persistent weather pattern will set up through the weekend into early next week with partly cloudy skies on the coast and mostly sunny skies inland through most of next week. High temperatures will remain seasonable to slightly cool on the coast and seasonable inland.
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This week's normal temperatures:
--COASTAL CITIES--
LOW: 54ºF
HIGH: 72ºF
--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 52ºF
HIGH: 86ºF
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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for September 17th – 23rd calls for the likelihood of near 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”Local Forecast / Video
