Sprinkles Today, Rain and Wind Tomorrow
A few light showers will be possible mainly over the south on Tuesday as a cut-off low pressure moves by. The next storm system will be here on Wednesday, and this one won’t miss! A potent cold front will bring moderate to heavy rain along with gusty winds Wednesday afternoon. Rounds of showers and embedded thunderstorms will be possible into Thursday along with lowered snow levels. High surf is also likely. Several more storm systems will line up behind, making for an active couple of weeks!
Air Quality: Good
Tuesday: Partly cloudy to mostly cloudy with a chance for a very light shower south of Monterey Bay. Breezy onshore winds in the afternoon with slightly cooler highs—mainly upper 50s to mid-60s.
Overnight: Mostly cloudy, with lows in the upper 40s to low 50s near the coast. Upper 30s to mid-40s inland. Breezy, occasionally gusty. Chance of drizzle/ light rain showers before dawn.
Wednesday: Rain becoming more persistent and moderate toward lunchtime. Southerly winds increase, becoming gusty by late morning. Moderate to heavy rain possible in the afternoon, along with the potential for a few damaging wind gusts. Street flooding possible. Widespread rain moves to the east by the evening with showers possible thereafter. Highs in the 50s.
***GALE WARNING***
… for Coastal Waters from Pigeon Point to Point Pinos California out to 10 NM, Coastal Waters from Point Pinos to Point Piedras Blancas California out to 10 NM.
*In effect from 9am-9pm Wednesday.
*South winds 20 to 35 kt with gusts up to 45 kt expected.
… for the Monterey Bay in effect from 9am-9pm Wednesday.
*South winds 20 to 30 kt with gusts up to 45 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 hazardous conditions.
Extended: The cold core of the storm system passes by early Thursday with rounds of showers and embedded thunderstorms possible. Small hail is likely. Snow levels dip to around 2,500ft. Showers then come to an end by sunset. The next weather system then follows on Friday with more widespread light to moderate rain and brief wind gusts. Showers then linger into early Saturday morning before a break for most of Saturday and most of Sunday. Another system arrives late Sunday into Monday with a cold front, then rounds of showers & storm possible.
*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.
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This week's normal temperatures:
--COASTAL CITIES--
LOW: 45ºF
HIGH: 63ºF
--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 41ºF
HIGH: 66ºF
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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for March 18th – 24th calls for the likelihood of BELOW normal temperatures and near normal precipitation.
- ENSO (El Niño/La Niña) STATUS: La Niña Advisory
- ENSO Forecast: La Niña persists into spring, then transitions to neutral by summer.
- Area drought status: Moderate drought for far southeastern Monterey County. Abnormally dry for southeastern Monterey County and eastern San Benito County. Drought-free for the remainder of the KION coverage area.
Monterey Bay Sea Surface Temperature as of March 11th: 53.2ºF (avg of 7 buoys)
[Historic March Avg. SST: 55.3ºF]
