More Heat, Possible Upper-Level Impacts
Air Quality (as of 7:30 AM)
GOOD to MODERATE
WEATHER STORY
High pressure continues to meander around the Great Basin in the coming days. It’s proximity to our area will keep temperatures above normal. As it digs a bit south late Wednesday into Thursday, it will scoop up some high level moisture, pushing it into our area Thursday into Friday AM. An approaching trough to the west may contribute enough instability to cause some high-based showers/thunderstorms to develop within the region of moisture. Because of a deep, dry later between the moisture and the surface, little to no rainfall would likely reach the ground. However, there may be a threat of isolated lightning strikes.
The ridge will move far enough away that weak troughing over the West Coast will be a bigger player in our forecast into the weekend. This will likely bring cooler, closer to seasonal-normal temperatures to the region and will probably keep some low clouds on the coast.
Wednesday: A few low clouds on the coast during the day, otherwise sunny and warmer. Expect coastal highs in the upper 60s to low 80s and low 80s to 107ºF inland. Winds pick up for valleys in the afternoon and early evening.
Overnight: Low clouds will hold off until the early hours of Thursday morning, however inland areas may see a sweep of high clouds during the night. Winds at higher elevations remain active overnight as well. Expect lows in the 50s for most areas but some 60s up in the hills.
Thursday: Patchy fog on the coast in the morning, then high clouds increasing from the south during the day. The chance of isolated, dry thunderstorms will increase in the evening. Expect highs in the mid 60s to mid 70s on the coast and 80s to low 100s inland. Winds pick up for valleys in the afternoon and early evening.
Extended: The lightning thread winds down Friday morning, then expect seasonable temperatures into the weekend with a few low clouds on the coast.
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This week's normal temperatures:
--COASTAL CITIES--
LOW: 54ºF
HIGH: 72ºF
--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 52ºF
HIGH: 86ºF
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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for September 15th – 21st calls for the likelihood of ABOVE normal temperatures and near normal precipitation*.
*Note: little to no precipitation usually falls this time of year.
-El Niño/La Niña STATUS: Neutral
-Forecast into Winter: La Niña Watch
-Area drought status: “Extreme Drought” for the entire viewing area with the far southeastern corner of Monterey County and far eastern San Benito County considered “Exceptional Drought”
