Holy Smokes!

Smoky conditions are likely to continue around the Monterey Bay Region for the next couple of days, through the air quality will fluctuate. In the meantime, low clouds and a bit of drizzle will be possible into Thursday along with below normal temperatures. We’ll warm slowly as we head through the weekend, though highs are likely to remain slightly below normal. Next week looks interesting as we may see a weak weather system bring light rain chances to the area Tuesday.

AIR QUALITY (12AM): 

UNHEALTHY for the Santa Cruz area
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups for the rest of the Monterey Bay Area and northern valleys
Moderate for areas south of Monterey Bay

Overnight: Low clouds for the coast and valleys with patchy drizzle possible. Areas of smoke & reduced air quality. Lows in the 50s for most areas, 40s for higher, clear southern valleys.  

Thursday: Becoming partly cloudy and hazy. Reduced air quality. Cool with coastal highs in the 60s to low 70s and mainly 70s inland. Breezy southwesterly onshore winds becoming windy for the valleys late.

Friday: Partly cloudy & hazy with reduced air quality. A touch warmer with coastal highs in the 60s to low  70s and 70s to low 80s inland. Windy for inland valleys late in the day.

Extended: Temperatures warm slowly into and through the weekend with the potential for some light rain around Tuesday.

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This week's normal temperatures:
--COASTAL CITIES--
LOW: 53ºF
HIGH: 70ºF

--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 50ºF
HIGH: 84ºF
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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for September 28^th – October 4^th calls for the likelihood of BELOW normal temperatures and ABOVE normal precipitation. Note: Little to no precipitation typically falls this time of year.

- ENSO (El Niño/La Niña) STATUS: El Niño Advisory
- Forecast: Strong to Very Strong El Niño expected this winter.
-Area drought status: Currently drought-free