Dry Into The Weekend, Wet Out
Air Quality (as of 6:30PM):
Good to moderate for all reporting stations.
Weather Story: The weather becomes more tranquil as this week’s storm departs. Still, there is an isolated threat of a shower in southern Monterey County through Friday afternoon. A weak ridge of high pressure will move over Friday into Saturday and then will be followed by the next wet weather system Sunday into Monday. The latest timing has a cold front bringing rain to the region late Sunday night with rain lasting into Monday morning. Then, high pressure nudges in from the south which should warm us up. However, a few weather systems may skim across the top of the ridge and could be close to impacting us.
Overnight: Mostly clear to start, then low clouds & fog developing in the valleys. Expect lows in the low 40s on the coast and 30s to around 40ºF inland.
Friday: Mostly sunny for most areas. A few extra clouds and an isolated shower or thundershower possible across our far southern hills (southern Monterey County). Expect highs in the upper 50s to low 60s. Breezy for inland valleys in the afternoon.
Saturday: Patchy low clouds near the coast, otherwise mostly sunny. A bit cooler on the coast with highs in the mid 50s to around 60ºF. A bit warmer inland with mainly 60s. Breezy at times in the afternoon.
Extended: After a mild day Sunday, rain arrives in the evening and will last into the overnight. Rainfall will generally be light to moderate and clear out Monday during the day. Temperatures warm next week as high pressure builds in from the south. A weather system passing by to our north on the 18th may have to be watched, however.
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This week's normal temperatures:
--COASTAL CITIES--
LOW: 45ºF
HIGH: 62ºF
--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 40ºF
HIGH: 67ºF
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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for March 19th – 25th calls for the likelihood of ABOVE normal temperatures and BELOW normal precipitation.
-El Niño/La Niña STATUS: Weak La Niña
-Forecast into Summer: Neutral
-Area drought status: Abnormally dry for most of the viewing area, moderate drought for most of Santa Clara County outside of the Santa Cruz Mountains and the northeastern sections of San Benito County.
