Stormy Weather

Air Quality (as of 12:30AM):
Good for all reporting stations.

Weather Story: A broad trough of low pressure will slowly move over the area over the next couple of days throwing waves of showers our way. This is a cold weather system that will be packed with chilly temperatures, mountain snow, and the potential for thunderstorms with small hail. We’ll get a bit of a break toward the end of the week with dryer weather and a slight warm-up. There is some potential for another weather system this weekend, however, roughly in the Sunday/Monday timeframe.

Overnight: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Isolated thunderstorms possible. Expect lows in the 40s for most areas, with some inland areas dipping into the 30s. Breezy onshore winds along the exposed coast.

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy with rounds of showers and thunderstorms. Thunderstorms could have lightning and small hail. The snow level will drop to around 3,000ft. Chilly with highs in the low to mid 50s and 40s up in the hills.

Thursday: Partly to mostly cloudy with isolated shows redeveloping in the hills in the afternoon. A few of these showers may drift over more populated valleys. Cool and breezy with highs mainly in the 50s.

Extended: Expect dryer weather Friday/Saturday with seasonable to slightly cool temperatures. The next weather system arrives on Sunday and could bring rain to the region.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
This week's normal temperatures:
--COASTAL CITIES--
LOW: 45ºF
HIGH: 62ºF
 
--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 40ºF
HIGH: 67ºF

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for March 17^th – 23^rd calls for the likelihood of near normal temperatures and near 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.