February 7, 2018 – Dry and unseasonably mild this week. A little cooling over the weekend with breezy northerly winds into early next week.
Discussion
Upper ridge over the eastern Pacific will push inland a bit today bringing a little warming and lighter northerly winds as surface pressure gradients relax. With the slight warm up, A few locations are in jeopardy again of setting daytime high temperature records. Warm and dry conditions continue on Thursday. The dry conditions will limit morning fog but some patchy valley fog may still be possible from about Sacramento southward. High temperature records run a little higher Thursday so records will be a little harder to hit. An upper trough dropping into the Pacific Northwest will bring a little cooling on Friday but highs will still remain well above normal. This inside slider type system will drop into the Great Basin on Saturday ushering in a cooler air over northern California with another period of breezy north winds. Daytime high temperatures will take a significant drop but still remain well above normal. Models have been trending weaker and farther east with this system so cooling impact will not be as great as earlier predicted.
Extended discussion (Sunday through Wednesday)
Shortwave ridge of high pressure Sunday will give way to another upper level disturbance approaching northern California early next week. Main flow aloft will be north to northwesterly, so the atmosphere is not anticipated to have much moisture in front of the incoming system. A stray mountain shower cannot be ruled out, but otherwise dry conditions will continue Monday. The main sensible weather will be afternoon breezy winds on Monday and Tuesday. Once the upper trough passes, another high pressure system will keep conditions dry. Afternoon temperatures through mid week will continue to trend above normal.