In The Midst

WEATHER STORY
A complex weather system is currently impacting the West Coast. The shower & thunderstorm threat will taper off overnight into Friday, through there still may be one or two organized lines of showers during that period. High pressure builds in through the weekend with warmer, dryer weather expected.

AIR QUALITY: GOOD

*Beach Hazards* (via NWS)
… for all local beaches from late tonight through Friday night.

A long period swell of 18 to 20 seconds arrives early Thursday morning with swell heights over 12 feet from coastal Sonoma County to coastal Monterey County. The swell arrives over the northern waters early Thursday morning, moving southward impacting area beaches through Thursday evening into Friday morning, resulting in a high risk of sneaker waves and strong rip currents. Swell periods will diminish slightly to 15 to 17 seconds on Friday, but the risk for sneaker waves and rip currents will persist. Additionally during this time period, the high energy of this swell may result in larger breaking waves in the surf zone from 14 to 18 feet. Swell heights and periods are expected to diminish below risk threshold Friday overnight into Saturday.

*A strong northwest swell at 18 to 20 seconds associated with swell heights over 12 feet arrives early Thursday morning, impacting area beaches with breaking waves of 14 to 18 feet possible through Friday.

*.High risk of sneaker waves and strong rip currents. Larger breaking waves in the surf zone may be possible.

* Stay well away from the shoreline, expect dangerous, potentially deadly high risk of sneaker waves and strong rip currents. Stay off coastal rocks and jetties. Keep children close, keep pets on leashes, and never turn your back to the ocean. This swell may also provide occasional larger
breaking waves in the surf zone from 14 to 18 feet..

Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions.

Overnight: Expect partly to mostly cloudy skies with a few more rounds of showers. An isolated thunderstorm will be possible. Lows mainly in the 40s. Breezy at times. Patchy fog.
Friday: Mostly cloudy early, then becoming partly cloudy with just an isolated shower possible over the inland hills. Cooler and windy at times with highs in the 50s-60s.

Saturday: Mostly sunny and warmer with highs in the upper 50s to 60s on the coast and 60s to 70s inland. Gusty onshore winds at times.

Extended: Expect mostly sunny skies with building high pressure through the weekend. Temperatures will warm closer to normal on the coast and above normal inland by Sunday then level off there into early next week before some cooling mid-week.

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This week's normal temperatures:
--COASTAL CITIES--
LOW: 47ºF
HIGH: 66ºF

--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 43ºF
HIGH: 72ºF

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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for April 29^th – May 5^th calls for the likelihood of near normal temperatures and near normal precipitation.
- El Niño/La Niña STATUS: La Niña Advisory
- Forecast: Weak La Niña into the Fall

-Area drought status: “Severe Drought” for most of the viewing area with the far eastern fringes of Santa Benito and southeastern corner of Monterey County in “Extreme Drought.”