December 13, 2023 – Dry weather with mild days and cool nights this week. Locally breezy today. Precip chances return early next week.
Discussion
Upper trough continues to move southeast of the region toward the Desert Southwest. Offshore flow persists across NorCal in the wake of the system, but northerly surface gradient has already slackened while easterly gradient remains. The result is northeast to east gusts of 25-45 mph over the northern Sierra while gusts have mainly diminished across the Central Valley (10-15 mph gusts linger across the northern Sacramento Valley).
Skies are clear across most of the region early this morning, but high clouds are spilling through the approaching ridge into far northern California. Current temperatures are in the mid 30s to around 50 in the Central Valley with the mildest readings over the north end of the Sacramento Valley where northerly breezes are keeping temperatures up. Readings in the mountains are mainly in the 20s and 30s. Temp/dew point spreads are narrowing across portions of the Central Valley, and we’ll likely see some patchy fog again early this morning from about the Sacramento area southward.
Otherwise, dry weather with mild days and cool nights will persist through the remainder of the week as the next upstream trough closes off well to the west allowing for ridging to remain over NorCal.
Extended Discussion (Sunday through Wednesday)
Series of Pacific storms progged through Sunday into Wednesday bringing periods of rain, mountain snow, and gusty wind.
Snow levels expected to be at or above 6500 feet Sunday into Tuesday, lowering to 5500 to 6500 feet Wednesday.
WPC liquid storm total through midweek looks around 1-2 inches in the Central Valley and 1.5-4+ inches in the foothills/mountains.