August 16, 2016 – Warm and mainly dry weather continues. Isolated mountain thunderstorms possible this week.
Discussion
Clear skies across the region early this morning. Temperatures are generally running within a few degrees of readings from 24 hours ago. The marine layer remains around 1.5K feet deep and the Delta Breeze is still going pretty well at Travis AFB.
Hot and dry weather will continue for the region the next several days. The Delta Breeze is expected to slacken, but not completely disappear, today and Wednesday resulting in a warmup for the Sacramento region. Further inland, triple digit heat will continue for most of the Sacramento Valley. Some modest relief will be possible beginning Thursday as a little stronger Delta Breeze is expected to return.
Appears that enough moisture and instability will accompany a very weak mid/upper low that moves over NorCal today through the end of the week. This will give the mountains a chance for seeing a few late day thunderstorms each day resulting in the potential for new fire starts due to lightning with erratic winds possible with any storm that forms.
Extended Discussion (Saturday through Tuesday)
A building upper level high pressure system in the eastern Pacific will continue to influence northern California in the extended forecast. The positioning of the upper high will cause an easterly wind component to develop and tap into areas of higher atmospheric moisture in the Great Basin and desert southwest. Moisture advection over the higher terrain will create slight chances for showers and thunderstorms to the mountains during the afternoon and evening hours this weekend and early next week.
The valley is expected to remain warm and dry with temperatures near to slightly above normal in the mid to upper 90s. Higher elevations will reach the 70s and 80s.