Calm Before the Next Round of Rain
Our dry weather pattern changes on Tuesday. Well, late Tuesday anyway. A cut-off area of low pressure out over the Pacific will move in from the west-northwest. Tuesday will start out decent—dry conditions, mostly sunny skies, and seasonable temperatures. Clouds and south-southwesterly flow will then increase ahead of the system Tuesday afternoon with some light precipitation possible on the coast (outside of the bay) before midnight. Several rounds of showers are then looking likely as the system passes through into Wednesday afternoon with perhaps the highest probability of precipitation coming Wednesday morning during the commute. Slick roads will be the main hazard. Winds may be occasionally gusty but won’t be a major concern. Precipitation should come to an end Wednesday afternoon with only a few remaining sprinkles. Precip amounts are likely to remain on the low side with most coastal areas seeing less than a quarter of an inch and likely less than a tenth inland, especially in rain-shadowed areas.
AIR QUALITY: Good to MODERATE
Tuesday: Mostly sunny early, then increasing clouds in the afternoon with the return of low clouds to coastal areas, especially those that face south/west. Slightly cooler but still slightly warm for this time of year with highs in the 60s. Breezy south-southwesterly onshore winds late in the day.
Overnight: Becoming mostly cloudy, with rain chances beginning for coastal areas just before midnight. More widespread light to moderate rain showers by early morning into dawn. Lows will be warmer, with mostly 40s across the region, and a few 50s near the coast. Valleys will be cooler, with lows in the upper 30s.
Wednesday: Mostly cloudy early with rounds of light to moderate showers. Breezy at times. Decreasing clouds later in the day with dry conditions returning. Highs in the 50s-60s.
Extended: Moist northwesterly flow will ensue into Saturday. Small disturbances in the flow may help generate a few showers in the Thursday through Saturday timeframe, but only light rain is likely (at best). Temperatures will be cooler than normal during the period along occasionally gusty northwesterly winds. Some warming then expected Sunday into Monday.
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This week's normal temperatures:
--COASTAL CITIES--
LOW: 43ºF
HIGH: 61ºF
--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 38ºF
HIGH: 63ºF
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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for December 5th – 11th calls for the likelihood of ABOVE normal temperatures and ABOVE normal precipitation.
- ENSO (El Niño/La Niña) STATUS: El Niño Advisory
- ENSO Forecast: Strong to Very Strong El Niño expected this winter.
-Area drought status: Currently drought-free
