Warm and dry conditions continue into next week. Gusty north winds through today will bring critical fire weather conditions for the Sacramento Valley, northern San Joaquin Valley, and parts of the adjacent foothills and mountains. Dry conditions with lighter north winds continue through the weekend, with hot weather possible by the middle of next week.
Discussion
Low pressure area moving into the Great Basin this morning with a strong jet stream is increasing subsidence and pressure gradients over the region this morning. This is setting up critical fire weather conditions today. Strong winds for this time of year has prompted a wind advisory for many locations. The strongest winds in the mountains will be this morning and then ease up enough by afternoon to drop the advisory with the valley winds decreasing during the afternoon but remaining breezy into the evening hours.
The strongest winds so far have been at Red Bluff with a peak wind of 48 mph at 11:40 PM and Jarbo Gap has a wind gust of 58 MPH at 1:13 AM.
The low is also bringing in some cooler air which for today will bring temperatures down to near seasonal normals. A much weaker northerly flow will continue through the weekend that will help to keep fire weather concerns elevated through the weekend but not at the critical levels expected today.
Temperatures will begin to warm back into the low 90s in the valley for Sunday after cooling into the 80s today and Saturday. Today will be the coolest day of the next several.
Another system will drop into the Great Basin on Sunday increasing winds late Sunday into Monday and likely fire concerns as well. This system currently does not look like it will bring the strong winds this current system has with it. Temperatures are also expected to continue to warm on Monday well into the 90s.
Extended Discussion (Tuesday through Friday)
A ridge will build over the region Tuesday and Wednesday bringing hot temperatures to the region. Most valley locations could be around 100 degrees both days. Clusters are also supporting a ridge over the region both days. Winds should be light around the region with the ridge over us but at some point the Delta breeze will likely kick in with models still favoring Wednesday. A trough will deepening along the coast by Thursday to help shift the high to the east and bring cooler air to the interior. As the trough moves through it will not only bring cooler temperatures for late next week but also a chance of showers. At this point shower chances look to be north of I-80 for the mountains and over the northern half of the Sacramento valley next Friday.