Seasonable Friday, Warming Through Holiday Weekend

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) –  Temperatures will continue to cool Friday as a weak trough passes over the West Coast, returning to seasonal averages, if not slightly below in a few spots near the coast. As we continue to transition into a cooler air mass, winds will become gusty over the next couple of days. Clouds will also be on the increase. Still, you can expect pleasant weather to end the work week.

Air Quality: Good to Moderate     

***GALE WARNING***  
... for coastal waters from Coastal Waters from Point Pinos to Point Piedras Blancas California out to 10 NM, until 3AM Saturday.
 
*West-Northwest winds 20 to 30 kt with gusts up to 45 kt. 
 
*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.
 
Friday: Partly cloudy on the coast and mostly sunny inland. Cooler yet with highs in the upper 50s to upper 60s on the coast—warmest on the north side of the bay—and low 70s to low-80s inland. Northwesterly onshore winds becoming windy on the coast and in the valleys by afternoon.

Overnight: The marine layer will deepen along for low clouds to become widespread, moving into most valleys by sunrise. Becoming partly to mostly cloudy. Light drizzle possible for coastal cities/ coastal mountains. Areas of patchy fog possible. Lows will be mild, in the upper 40s to low 50s for most. Mainly 40s inland.

Saturday: Morning clouds/ patchy fog and damp conditions along the coast. Becoming partly cloudy. Gradually transitioning to mostly sunny, inland. Warmer afternoon with highs in the upper 50s to low 70s along the coast, 70s to low mid 80s inland - warmest in southern Monterey County. Northwest winds will pick up in the afternoon, becoming gusty along the immediate coast and up valley.

Extended: A short ridge will build back in on Saturday, sending temperatures back upward. Temps warm further into Sunday then level off. The next trough arrives Monday and there may be some chance for precip in the Monday/Tuesday timeframe, but it remains a low probability event. Beyond that, inland heat is looking likely again next week.  

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This week's normal temperatures:  
--COASTAL CITIES--  
LOW: 50ºF  
HIGH: 66ºF  
--INLAND CITIES--  
LOW: 47ºF  
HIGH: 76ºF 
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The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for May 29^th – June 4^th calls for the likelihood of ABOVE normal temperatures and near normal precipitation. 
- ENSO (El Niño/La Niña) STATUS: Neutral 
- ENSO Forecast: Neutral conditions persist through summer & possibly into next winter.   
-Area drought status: Abnormally dry for portions of southern San Benito and southeastern Monterey Counties. Drought-free for the remainder of the KION coverage area.    
-Monterey Bay Sea Surface Temperature as of May 22^nd : 55.7ºF (avg. of 7 buoys) [Historic May Avg. SST: 55.8ºF]