December 8, 2020 – Above average high temperatures continue with a gradual cooling trend starting midweek going into the weekend. A pattern change is possible early next week, stay tuned for details.
Discussion
The upper low that brought strong and gusty winds to the area Monday has pushed well off the SoCal coast. This has allowed the pressure gradient to weaken and diminish winds, with just the typical night time breezy drainage winds continuing. Northern California will be between systems over the next couple of days, as main jet stream remains to the north over the Pacific Northwest and cut-off low to the south over Baja Mexico.
Dry weather with temperatures 5 to 10 degrees above normal through Friday. A weak system will drop southeast through the area late Wednesday into Thursday, as jet sags a bit south with northwest flow developing. Just some increased clouds and a slight enhancement to north surface winds is expected with speeds in the 10 to 15 mph range. This could bring slightly elevated fire weather conditions to the north Sacramento valley, but seems like a very low impact/short duration situation at this time.
Extended discussion (Saturday through Tuesday)
Models suggesting unsettled weather over the weekend as Pacific frontal system moves through. Bulk of system’s precip is focused into the PacNW, but models showing light precip extending into interior NorCal, mainly over the foothills and mountains, north of I-80. Drier weather expected Monday into Tuesday with some locally breezy northerly wind as EPAC upper ridging builds inland.