Storm Chances Increasing
WEATHER STORY
Monsoon moisture will continue to move through the area out of the weekend. For the most part, you may not notice much. Most of the moisture will be above us and appear as occasional mid to high level clouds. However, even in the low levels, moisture levels will increase slightly, so it may feel a bit muggy at times. The moisture will become more focused over our area late Sunday into Monday as several nearby weather systems help to funnel it in from the southeast. This concentration along with being in an area favorable for broad but weak lift is likely to help showers and possibly thunderstorms develop. We may see a few light showers Sunday with a better chance for embedded thunderstorms overnight into Monday. Showers could have light to moderate rain, but may also contain lightning. There is no guarantee that the rain will completely deter lightning-sparked fires, so we have to be on alert during the period.
Monsoon moisture will linger over the area for the next week and could possibly be accompanied by tropical (cyclone) moisture late in the week. Additional storm chances will have to be monitored but at the moment, no particular days stick out. In the meantime, expect mostly seasonable and slightly muggy conditions under partly cloudy skies.
AIR QUALITY: GOOD
Sunday: Partly to mostly cloudy at times. Isolated light showers possible. Muggy and seasonable with highs in the 60s-70s on the coast and 70s-90s inland. Winds pick up for inland valleys in the afternoon/evening. Shower chances will increase in the evening.
Overnight: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. Lows mainly in the 50s with 60s in the eastern mountains.
Monday: Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers & isolated thunderstorms. Highs in the 60s-70s on the coast and 70s-90s inland. Becoming windy for inland valleys in the afternoon/evening.
Extended: Monsoon moisture will continue to stream through the region through the rest of the week. I’m watching Tuesday for additional shower/storm development and there may be additional chances for the rest of the week. You can expect seasonable temperatures in the meantime.
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This week's normal temperatures:
--COASTAL CITIES--
LOW: 55ºF
HIGH: 69ºF
--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 53ºF
HIGH: 86ºF
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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for August 7th - 13th calls for the likelihood of ABOVE normal temperatures and ABOVE normal* precipitation.
*Note: Little to no precipitation typically falls this time of year.
- 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 “Extreme Drought” in southern San Benito and southeastern Monterey Counties. The southeastern third of San Benito County has been upgraded to “Exceptional Drought”
