February 8, 2018 – Dry and unseasonably warm this week. A little cooling over the weekend with breezy northerly winds into early next week.
Discussion
High pressure over the eastern Pacific and west coast bringing fair and dry conditions this morning with just a few high clouds spilling over the ridge and into far northern California. Clearer skies have allowed for a little light fog in the northern San Joaquin valley this morning. Overall airmass today will be similar to Wednesday so expecting similar daytime highs. This puts maximums just a bit under records valley locations but a weaker record or two could still fall. A weak system dropping into the Pacific Northwest will bring a little cooling on Friday. Fair skies will prevail going into the weekend but some light morning fog will remain possible south of about Sacramento. Northerly flow develops on Saturday as the weak system drops into the Great Basin. The resulting breezy north winds on Saturday will usher in cooler air bringing down daytime highs several degrees from what they have been over the last several days. Despite the cooling, daytime highs will remain above normal. A second disturbance is forecast to drop into the Pacific Northwest on Sunday keeping daytime temperatures from climbing again and bringing weaker surface gradients for lighter winds during the second half of the weekend.
Extended discussion (Monday through Thursday)
Upper level disturbance will slide through northern California bringing slight chances for mountain precipitation and a valley pressure gradient that increase chances for breezy winds Monday afternoon into Monday night. High pressure will return for the middle of the week and provide warm and dry conditions for the forecast area. Afternoon high temperatures will continue to range on the warm side of normal.