May 3, 2018 – Dry and warm through the end of the week. A slight cooling next week with a chance of light showers northern California interior at times mainly over the mountains.
Discussion
An upper level high pressure ridge now centered along the west coast will dominate the weather pattern over the next several days. Dry and warm conditions will be in store for NorCal through the end of the week as the upper ridge slides across the region and into the Great Basin. Daytime highs today through Saturday are forecast to range from a few to several degrees above normal.Friday and Saturday look to be the warmest days with highs throughout the valley in the 80s. A moderate delta breeze today will keep daytime highs in the mid 70s in the delta but a lighter onshore flow Friday and Saturday will allow temperatures up close to 80s there as well.
The upper ridge shifts into the Great Basin by Saturday night allowing a Pacific Low to push onto the coast. Models are in pretty good agreement on this timing but differ a bit on depth.Either way, impacts will be fairly minimal with a slight threat of showers coast range Saturday night then a slight threat of showers over the northern mountains on Sunday. Otherwise, main impact of this Pacific low will be some variable cloud cover and slightly cooler temperatures.
Extended discussion (Monday through Thursday)
Ridge of high pressure will keep conditions dry Monday with fairly warm temperatures across the interior. A series of disturbances for the middle/end of next week will rotate through the PacNW,which will bring chances for showers and isolated thunderstorms for the northern mountains and north Sacramento Valley.Temperatures will cool a few degrees due to the passing disturbances to the north, but overall afternoon high temperature swill continue to range between 5 and 10 degrees above normal.