Sacramento residents can look forward to a crisp, but gradually warming week ahead, according to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service in Sacramento. Starting with some locally foggy mornings through Sunday, better scarves and gloves will be put to good use, especially today, considered the week's coldest day. A forecast discussion released by the NWS early Saturday morning indicates dry and sunny skies are expected to persist, with temperatures slowly climbing through the following week.
However, visibility could be touch-and-go this morning, with the NWS noting chances of fog, which could dip visibility below a mile, "there's only a 15 to 30% chance of that predicament this morning" the report states with forecasting models showing a near-zero probability of such conditions after today at least until Tuesday morning. Those venturing out in the early hours might also encounter frost, and while widespread sub-freezing temperatures are not likely, some areas east of I-5 in the more rural parts of the Sacramento and northern San Joaquin Valley could experience a 10 to 40% chance of temperatures falling below the freezing mark this morning, while Sunday morning sees a reduced possibility of 5 to 25%.
VFR (Visual Flight Rules) conditions are set to dominate for aviation enthusiasts and professionals alike as surface winds stay docile, staying below 12 knots, the NWS confirms, local MVFR (Marginal Visual Flight Rules)/IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) with even isolated LIFR (Low Instrument Flight Rules) conditions "possible in BR/FG in S Sac/N San Joaquin Vly til 18z, and lcl MVFR/IFR possible again aft 08z Sun," after which pilots should enjoy clear skies for navigating the NorCal airspace.
Looking ahead to next week, the prevailing upper ridging pattern remains entrenched over Northern California, setting the stage for "slightly above normal high temperatures" according to the report, even as a short-wave trough passes through the Pacific Northwest; the expected outcome is dry weather for Sacramento and its surrounding areas, while that pesky patchy night and morning fog might sneak into the Central Valley, yet comfort in certainty lies with the forecast, which projects the ridge axis to steadily progress through the region by Saturday heralding continuity in pleasant late-fall conditions.
