Sacramento is enjoying spring warmth, with temperatures in the mid-70s to 80s to start the week. However, the National Weather Service warns that cooler, unsettled weather is expected to arrive by Wednesday.
The forecast points to a trough from the Gulf of Alaska moving closer to the West Coast, spreading cooler air and some moisture our way, and while Wednesday's temperatures will still feel relatively warm, the coming days may usher in a mixed bag of weather conditions. According to the National Weather Service, we're looking at a "broad area of available instability during the afternoon and evening hours" midweek, with solo thunderstorm probabilities hovering around 15 to 25 percent, mostly in the northern Sacramento Valley and adjacent higher elevations, though this weather dance might not bring downpour to every neighborhood, ensemble predictions suggest a 30 to 60 percent chance of notable rain nodding toward the northern Sierra and southern Cascades.
Thunderstorms and gusty winds are possible midweek, with gusts up to 25-35 mph in the Sacramento Valley, and even 45 mph in the mountains. Along with these short-term storms, expect temperatures to cool down to more typical spring levels as the weekend approaches.
"Ensemble guidance differs on the exact progression of additional waves through the upper-level flow pattern," says the NWS report, forecasting that unsettled weather conditions could carry through into the early days of April, the precise amounts and frequency of rain are yet to be pinned down, though the northern sections of our area seem to be the favored recipients of any incoming downpours.
For aviation enthusiasts, VFR conditions should remain stable across interior Northern California for the next 24 hours, with light northerly winds under 12 knots. However, gusts up to 20 knots could hit mountainous areas until early Tuesday morning.
