Tracking Two Wet Weather Makers
We have one more excessively cold night to get through before a noticeable warm-up. High pressure will strengthen over the region briefly Wednesday before the next weather system begins its approach on Thursday. Winds will pick up and clouds will increase Thursday ahead of the system with rain arriving Friday morning. Rain is likely to remain light as the system will likely dissipate as it reaches our area. A second system looks stronger, however—and may be speeding up. Latest model runs are showing it arriving late Saturday and lasting into Sunday with mainly light to briefly moderate rain expected. Some changes to the forecast area likely as the event approaches, so stay tuned to the forecast.
AIR QUALITY: Good to Moderate
Overnight: Clear and cold. Coastal lows in the low 30s to low 40s with patchy frost, mid 20s to low 30s inland with widespread frost and a hard freeze for the higher valleys.
**FROST ADVISORY**
… for the Santa Cruz Mountains, the KION coverage area in Santa Clara County, San Benito County, and all of Monterey County except for the coast overnight tonight into Wednesday morning.
*Temperatures as low as 34 will result in cold conditions and possible frost formation.
*Frost could kill sensitive outdoor vegetation if left uncovered.
Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny with a few high clouds passing through. Slightly warmer with highs in the upper 50s to low 60s.
Thursday: Increasing clouds and increasing southerly winds. Mild, with highs in the upper 50s to low 60s.
Extended: A cold front will bring rain to the region into Friday with mainly light rain. We’ll get a break early Saturday with mild temperatures, then another weather system brings rain to the region late Saturday into Sunday. Rain looks more widespread with ths system but does not appear to be heavy at this point.
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This week's normal temperatures:
--COASTAL CITIES--
LOW: 44ºF
HIGH: 62ºF
--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 39ºF
HIGH: 62ºF
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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for February 8th – 14th calls for the likelihood of BELOW normal temperatures and ABOVE normal precipitation.
- El Niño/La Niña STATUS: La Niña Advisory
- Forecast: Weak La Niña continues through winter, becomes neutral by Spring
-Area drought status: Moderate Drought (D1) for San Benito County, southeastern Monterey County, and northern Santa Cruz County. Abnormally Dry (D0) for the remainder of those counties. Moderate Drought (D1) for the KION coverage area in Santa Clara County.
