The Heat is ON!
SALINAS, Calif. (KION) – Summertime heat is on tap as a warming trend is underway for the rest of the week. Minor heat risk for the next few days inland for people very sensitive to the heat. High pressure to our south builds in strength. A northwesterly onshore flow may cool the peninsula a couple of degrees. The overall warming trend will continue as the ridge maxes out over the area with highs 10-15ºF above normal with a cooldown expected by Saturday.
Air Quality: Good
Overnight: Mostly clear skies, with lows in the 40s. Light winds. Few areas of patchy fog in low-lying, damp areas possible by sunrise.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny and warmer yet. Expect highs in the 60s-70s on the coast and 70s-80s inland. Breezy northwesterly onshore and up-valley winds in the afternoon.
Thursday: Sunny and very warm again with temps above average and a minor heat risk for interior locations. Highs 60-70s coastal and 70s-80s inland.
Extended: High pressure weakens by Thursday with a trough approaching from the west. Coastal areas will cool 4-5ºF while inland areas maintain the heat of Wednesday. Coastal winds will pick up and then strengthen with a more impressive cool-down on Friday. We’ll be cooler yet by Saturday with gusty northwesterly winds at times. Beyond the weekend, the forecast is less certain.
*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: 46ºF
HIGH: 64ºF
--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 42ºF
HIGH: 70ºF
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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for April 15th – 21st calls for the likelihood of ABOVE normal temperatures and BELOW normal precipitation.
- ENSO (El Niño/La Niña) STATUS: La Niña Advisory
- ENSO Forecast: Neutral conditions expected by April and then to persist into 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 April 7th: 56.0ºF (avg. of 7 buoys) [Historic March Avg. SST: 55.1ºF]
