The National Weather Service in Sacramento is forecasting a mild weather pattern for Northern California starting today. According to their latest Area Forecast Discussion, we can expect light showers mainly targeting the Coast Range, Shasta county, the southern Cascades and adjacent foothills, tapering off by this afternoon. Rainfall will be modest, with Shasta County seeing about a quarter-inch or less, while the mountainous areas might see up to three-quarters of an inch. But it doesn't stop there; another system lurks around the corner for tomorrow, though with even less rainfall expected.
While the weekend ends with a sprinkle, the start of the work week promises to add a gusty element to the mix. Breezy southerly winds are anticipated on Monday, with gusts ranging from 15 to 35 mph in the northern and central Sacramento Valley and neighboring foothills, and even higher gusts up to 45 mph in parts of the Sierra and southern Cascades. But don't break out your winter boots just yet; with high snow levels expected above 8,000 feet, the upcoming systems won't be packing much in the way of snow.
Temperatures are set to persist slightly above average, with valley regions experiencing the mid 60s to low 70s today. But looking further ahead, it seems the rain gear can be tucked away as dry conditions and warm temps take center stage. The extended forecast points to an upper-level ridge taking a firm stance over NorCal right through next week, nudging daytime highs into the cozy 70s for much of the Valley.
Fancy hitting the eighties in February? It might not be a pipe dream for some of us. The National Weather Service's forecast discussion hints at a "10-35% probability of temperatures exceeding 80 degrees F across portions of the northern/central Sacramento Valley on Friday." Yet the weather will do another shuffle as the weekend winds down, with hints of a new trough that could spatter light precipitation across our area later Saturday night and Sunday. But as for the specifics, well, those details are still up in the air.
For those taking to the skies, aviation reports suggest mostly VFR (Visual Flight Rules) conditions across our region, apart from brief MVFR (Marginal Visual Flight Rules) conditions due to scattered showers. Pilots should brace for some added excitement with those breezy conditions rolling in after 18z Monday, possibly impacting some flights with gusts up to 35 kts over mountainous terrain.
