Rain Returns this Weekend
The ridge of high pressure that brought us calmer, drier weather and slightly warmer temperatures will begin to weaken on Friday making room for a storm system to move in from the north. The system will bring a few waves of showers starting Saturday and lasting into the early part of next week. Expect light to moderate rain, some individual cells could produce brief heavy downpours and small hail given the colder air aloft. Additional snow accumulation is possible in the higher peaks around the Central Coast.
AIR QUALITY: Good to Moderate
Friday: Low clouds will gradually clear, to mostly sunny skies by lunchtime. A couple of low clouds could linger near the immediate coast. Highs, a touch warmer, with mid to upper 50s. Few low 60s inland.
Overnight: Increasing clouds overnight. Thus, mostly cloudy with lows in the upper 30s to mid-40s near the coast, mainly 30s inland.
Saturday: Early part of the day will remain dry, but showers will move in by early afternoon. The front will bring light to moderate rain across the region throughout the day. Southwest winds will become gusty as it passes. Expect partly cloudy conditions, with highs in 50s.
Sunday: A second wave of showers will move through early Sunday morning bringing moderate to at times heavy rain showers. By sunrise, the front will have passed but expect rounds of showers to continue throughout the afternoon. Highs will be cooler, mainly low to mid 50s. Winds will be gusty.
Extended: A weak cold front sitting to our north will dip south into the state this weekend. Ahead of it, clouds will be on the increase late Friday into the early part of Saturday. The system will be somewhat slow moving bringing with it a chance of light to moderate rain. Another shortwave comes through Sunday with a better chance of moderate to locally heavy rain. Though snow is less likely compared to that of the last system, the higher peaks in our area could pick up another inch, give or take. Stay tuned to the forecast.
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This week's normal temperatures:
--COASTAL CITIES--
LOW: 45ºF
HIGH: 63ºF
--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 41ºF
HIGH: 65ºF
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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for March 10th – 16th calls for the likelihood of BELOW normal temperatures and ABOVE normal precipitation.
- El Niño/La Niña STATUS: La Niña Advisory
- Forecast: Transition to neutral with possible El Niño developing this summer
-Area drought status: Abnormally Dry (D0) for the northern Santa Cruz Mountains, San Benito County, southeastern Monterey County and southern Santa Clara County. None for the rest of Monterey & Santa Cruz Counties.
