Less hot with a cooling trend into the weekend. Critical fire weather conditions today and Friday in the central and northern Sacramento Valley and adjacent terrain, with low humidity and gusty southerly winds.
Key Points
- A Red Flag Warning has been issued for much of the central and northern Sacramento Valley and northern foothills, from 1 PM this afternoon to 11 PM Friday.
- Cooling trend continues today and into the weekend, with gradual warming trend by mid-next week.
Discussion
Smoke from the Park Fire, which began Wednesday afternoon to the north/northeast of Chico, can be seen over northeastern California on GOES West Satellite imagery this afternoon.
While conditions are beginning to cool a bit from the most recent heat event, critical fire weather conditions will continue to occur in a large portion of the Sacramento Valley and northern foothills today and Friday, with breezy to gusty southerly winds, low daytime relative humidities, poor to moderate overnight recoveries, and seasonable to slightly higher than normal temperatures.
Probabilities are around 50 to 80% for the potential concurrent combination of temperatures over 95 degrees, wind gusts over 15 mph, and daytime relative humidities under 15%; these conditions are generally expected to occur in the central and northern Sacramento Valley and adjacent terrain east of the I-5 corridor.
On a lighter note, temperatures are expected to continue to cool today and into the weekend, with coolest conditions expected Saturday. Highs will be slightly below normal on Saturday, with Valley temperatures ranging from the mid 80s to low 90s, foothills from the mid 70s to mid 80s, and mountains from the high 60s to low 80s.
Extended Discussion (Monday through Thursday)
Current ensemble guidance and cluster analysis indicate that high pressure over the Desert Southwest will build northwestward into California over the extended forecast period resulting in a gradual warming and drying trend next week. Relative humidity trends lower each day. Mainly Minor HeatRisk with localized Moderate HeatRisk is in the current forecast through Wednesday with more widespread Moderate HeatRisk returning on Thursday. Periods of locally breezy conditions may continue in the afternoon and evening hours.