May 7, 2018 – Dry and warm weather continues. A few showers or thunderstorms possible across northern mountains late Tuesday and Tuesday night this week.
Discussion (Today through Wednesday)
Morning lows will be a little cooler over the northern Sacramento Valley, with light winds and mostly clear skies. It will be a little warmer in Delta breeze influenced areas(Delta, southern Sacramento Valley, northern San Joaquin Valley), though, due to a weaker breeze overnight. Highs this afternoon will be noticeably warmer than yesterday as upper level ridging develops, 5 to 10 degrees higher than yesterday. The Valley will reach around 90 for the northern Sacramento Valley, mid to upper 80s elsewhere. The foothills will see mid 70s to lower 80s, 60s and 70s in the mountains.
A weak shortwave will move through the area late Tuesday afternoon and evening. This may bring a few showers and isolated thunderstorms along the coastal range before spreading through the northern areas Tuesday evening. Highs will be slightly less warm than those of Monday. Winds through the delta should increase by Tuesday evening and become breezy to locally windy, sustained up to 25 mph, with gusts to around 35 mph. The shortwave moves through Tuesday night and sightly cooler air is expected over the interior for Wednesday, especially in Delta breeze areas. Thursday will see dry weather and some warming as ridging rebounds.
Extended discussion (Friday through Monday)
Ridging from the eastern Pacific is forecast to build across NorCal late this week as a trough digs through the Rockies. Breezy north winds are expected Friday and Saturday with less wind by Sunday. Temperatures will be well-above average with highs in the Central Valley warming into the upper 80s to mid 90s over the weekend.