Cooler at the Coast, Still Warm Inland

Here’s a look at your forecast for Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito, and southern Santa Clara Counties!

The next seven days will be dynamic in terms of temperatures! After experiencing the warmest day since October, temperatures will slide down through mid-week as our ridge moves east and a trough digs in. We’ll catch the tail end of the initial cold front late Monday into Tuesday AM which will bring low clouds and perhaps a little coastal drizzle. Temperatures bottom out Wednesday with gusty northwest winds, then we’ll slowly warm back up into next weekend.

AIR QUALITY: Good

Monday: Mostly clear early, then some low cloud cover/fog possible on the coast, especially on the south side of the bay. Clouds thicken on the coast late with fog also possible. Temperatures will be cooler for most areas, especially near the coast, but some inland areas will be as warm or even a touch warmer than Sunday. Expect coastal highs in the upper 50s to around 70ºF—warmest on the north side of the bay—and 70s to low 80s inland. Breezy northwesterly winds at times becoming windy for inland valleys into the early evening.

Overnight: Low clouds will filter into the valleys, bringing with it a chance of patchy fog and drizzle. Lows will once again be mild mainly upper 40s to mid 50s.

Tuesday: Widespread low clouds early, then partial clearing in the afternoon. Cooler with gusty northwest winds at times. Highs in the 50s-60s on the coast and 60s to low 70s inland.

Extended: Temperatures will bottom out on Wednesday and then slowly climb into the weekend under mostly sunny skies. Winds remain gusty Wednesday, then slowly ease by Friday. Temperatures next weekend may be just as warm as we just experience on Easter!

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This week's normal temperatures:
--COASTAL CITIES--
LOW: 46ºF
HIGH: 65ºF

--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 43ºF
HIGH: 71ºF

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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for April 17^th – 23^rd calls for the likelihood of BELOW normal temperatures and BELOW normal precipitation.

- El Niño/La Niña STATUS: Neutral
- Forecast: Neutral through the summer with eventual development of El Niño
-Area drought status: Currently drought-free.