March 12, 2021 – Other than a few lingering showers over the Sierra today, dry and milder weather through Saturday. Next chance for precipitation is Sunday into Monday.
Discussion
Radar shows a few wrap-around showers persisting across the Sierra to the south of Lake Tahoe as the cold low drifts across SoCal. The remainder of the region has finally cleared out. North to east surface pressure gradients have tightened resulting in a few gusts in the teens to lower 20s mph across the northern half of the Sacramento Valley, while local gusts in the 30s to mid 40s mph are occurring over the foothills and northern Sierra. Current temperatures range from the 20s to lower 30s across the mountains to the mid 30s to mid 40s over the Central Valley.
Other that a few showers lingering across the far southeast corner of the forecast area, today and Saturday will be dry and and considerably milder than Thursday. Some patches of early morning frost and ground fog are possible, but north winds should limit widespread formation.
Another cold system is forecast to move across the area later Sunday into Monday. This one will be a quick-hitter compared to this week’s, so overall QPF will be less. Mountain areas will likely see some travel impacts Sunday night into Monday.
There may be some thunder potential Monday, but current timing is not ideal with the bulk of the trough forecast to move through early Monday. Stay tuned for details.
Extended discussion (Tuesday through Friday)
Dry weather expected Tuesday into early Wednesday as upper level ridging moves through. Models then indicating series of vorticity maxima moving through CWA Wednesday afternoon into Friday as zonal flow sets up across the Pacific. This result in possible periods of light precipitation, mainly north of I-80, beyond midweek.
High temperatures expected to be near to slightly above normal.