Big, Slow Warming Trend
Warmer weather is on the way eventually.
Another weak disturbance passes by on Tuesday and won’t really have any surface features. Still, it may be enough to generate a shower or two over the inland mountains. There will be some instability, so it is also possible that one shower may evolve into a weak, brief thundershower. High pressure will then slowly build in for the rest of the week, but onshore flow will also strengthen initially, cooling and clouding coastal areas. By the weekend, most areas will see seasonable to warm temperatures—it may even feel hot inland. Interestingly, there is a high model consensus of mid level moisture being drawn in from the south starting Sunday—looking like some sort of early monsoonal pulse. That could make things really interesting, so stay tuned!
AIR QUALITY: Good
Overnight: Increasing low clouds with fog possible for inland valleys. Lows in the 40s to around 50ºF. A few southern valleys may dip into the upper 30s.
Tuesday: Partly cloudy with an isolated shower or thundershower over the inland mountains. Coastal areas will remain dry with a few low clouds lingering. Expect coastal highs in the upper 50s to mid 60s with mainly 60s inland. Gusty northwesterly onshore winds at times.
Wednesday: A little cooler on the coast with some low cloudcover and breezy northwesterly onshore winds. Mostly sunny and slightly warmer inland, however, with highs in the 60s to low 70s.
Extended: Temperatures slowly rise through Saturday with occasional passing high clouds and the daily cycle of low clouds on the coast. By Saturday, inland highs may be as much as 10ºF above normal while onshore flow will keep coastal areas seasonable. There may be a chance of mountain showers/storms Sunday-Tuesday as moisture streams in from the south.
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This week's normal temperatures:
--COASTAL CITIES--
LOW: 49ºF
HIGH: 66ºF
--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 46ºF
HIGH: 75ºF
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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for May 16th – 22nd calls for the likelihood of ABVOVE normal temperatures and ABOVE normal precipitation.
- El Niño/La Niña STATUS: El Niño Watch
- Forecast: Neutral through the end of spring with El Niño developing this summer.
-Area drought status: Currently drought-free
