The National Weather Service in Sacramento has provided an update on the upcoming weather, forecasting a dry period with brisk winds. Early this morning, residents experienced clear skies, with temperatures ranging from the 20s to 40s in the mountains, foothills, and valley. The latest NWS report indicates calm winds and good visibility, except for a patch of mist near KMOD, where visibility was reduced to 4 miles.
With an upper-level pattern featuring troughing to the east and ridging off the West Coast, the forecast calls for stable and seasonable temperatures in the coming days. Highs in the valley and foothills are expected to range from the 50s to low 60s, while mountain temperatures will be in the 30s to 50s, consistent with mid-January averages. Mornings may bring patchy frost and fog, and it’s recommended to take precautions for plants, pets, and people due to the cooler morning lows expected across the valley, foothills, and mountains.
Attention is turning to the wind patterns that are expected to pick up starting Sunday night into early Tuesday. The Valley, particularly along and west of Interstate 5, may experience gusts of up to 40 MPH, a 15-35% probability according to NWS projections. The mountains and northeast wind-prone gaps and canyons face a higher probability, clocking in at 40-60% chances of similar wind speeds.
Looking ahead, dry conditions and above-average warmth are expected as upper-level ridging takes hold. Daytime highs in the valley and foothills will range from the 50s to 60s, with temperatures in the 40s to 50s in the mountains. However, cool nights are likely to continue, with valley lows forecasted to remain in the mid-30s. Breezy north to east winds are expected to persist into next week, with the National Blend of Models indicating a 15-30% chance of gusts exceeding 30 mph in the western Central Valley, and a 45-65% chance over the mountains each day.
As for flying conditions, locally reduced visibilities due to mist are expected in Southern Sacramento and Northern San Joaquin Valleys early Friday and Saturday mornings until about 07z to 18z. "Otherwise VFR conditions are expected over interior NorCal," the NWS states, mentioning that surface winds will largely stay below 12 knots.
