Dry weather returns this week with cold nights and below normal highs. Cold temperatures will impact persons living with homelessness and those without adequate heating. Sensitive plants left outdoors may be damaged or killed.
Discussion
NorCal will be on the backside of the trough today as it moves to the south and east through the southwest. Vort is currently dropping south of the Bay Area, and most of the remaining showers are heading south with it. Snow has nearly ended across the northern Sierra and the Winter Storm Warning will expire at 4 AM, however travel impacts from the weekend storm will likely linger well into the morning.
Cloud cover will clear from north to south today as upper level ridging builds. This will bring dry conditions through most of the week with cold overnight temperatures (around, or slightly below, the freezing mark in the Central Valley, and single digits and teens in the mountains).
We will also see better chances for morning valley fog starting Tuesday morning with the clear skies and lighter winds. Some of the fog could be locally dense in the southern Sacramento and northern San Joaquin Valley. Clouds may increase Thursday as flow begins to break under the strong block off the PacNW coast into NorCal. At this point, it doesn’t appear there will be sufficient moisture for showers, but the increase in clouds may reduce nighttime fog potential late in the week.
Extended Discussion (Friday through Monday)
Models point to drier weather through the extended forecast period. System off the CA coast Friday, which models have struggled with, looks now to weaken as it moves into SoCal. Upper riding then progged to be major synoptic feature for NorCal into early next week. Slightly below normal high temperatures expected through the extended with some morning frost and fog possible in portions of the Central Valley.