Inland Heat Eases For Now

High pressure eases a bit on Saturday allowing for the deepening of the marine layer and cooling aloft. Clouds will be more likely around the bay and most areas will cool down anywhere from 2 to 10ºF. Northwesterly surface flow will be gusty at times and will also help concentrate any coastal clouds on the south side of the bay. Things look mostly the same for Sunday before the ridge strengthens again next week. All areas will warm up through Tuesday and the coastal winds will die down.

AIR QUALITY: Good to Moderate

Saturday: Cooler with lingering low clouds on the south side of the bay. Expect coastal highs in the mid 60s to upper 70s-warmest on the north side of the bay—and mid 70s to around 101ºF inland. Windy out of the northwest on the coast at times and then up-valleys late in the day. Some drizzle possible on the S/E sides of the bay again late.

***GALE WARNING***
…for the near-coastal waters from Point Pinos to Point Piedras Blancas in effect from 3PM Saturday until 3AM Sunday.

*Northwest winds 15 to 25 kt with gusts up to 35 kt expected.
 
*Strong winds will cause hazardous seas which could capsize or damage vessels and reduce visibility.

Mariners should alter plans to avoid these hazardous conditions. Remain in port, seek safe harbor, alter course, and/or secure the vessel for severe conditions.

Sunday: Patchy fog and coastal drizzle early, then becoming partly cloudy on the coast with clouds on the south side of the bay and sunny inland. A touch warmer with coastal highs in the mid 60s to upper 70s and mid 70s to around 102ºF inland. Gusty northwesterly onshore winds  moving up valleys late in the day.

Extended: Sunnier, warmer weather expected on Monday and then even sunnier and warmer on Tuesday! We’ll level off with above normal temps through mid-week, then cool toward the end of it.

*Note: Any alerts from the National Weather Service in Monterey will be noted in italics above. Alerts may be edited for brevity or local clarification (in parenthesis).

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This week's normal temperatures:
--COASTAL CITIES--
LOW: 54ºF
HIGH: 68ºF

--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 52ºF
HIGH: 85ºF
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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for July 27^th – August 2^nd calls for the likelihood of near normal temperatures and near normal* precipitation.
*Note: little to no precipitation typically falls this time of year

- ENSO (El Niño/La Niña) STATUS: La Niña Watch
- ENSO Forecast: Transition to La Niña by late summer.
- Area drought status: Currently drought-free
- Monterey Bay Sea Surface Temperature* as of July 19^th: 59.9ºF
(Historic June AVG: 58.4ºF) -- *average of three buoys