Northern California Weather Blog

Monday, May 20, 2013

Weather Discussion for Monday May 20, 2013

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Normal high and low temperatures for this week May 20 - May 26 (high/low)...Redding/Red Bluff 82/55, Chico 83/52, Quincy 75/39, Chester 70/37, Susanville 73/41, Grass Valley 73/47, Weaverville 78/41, Mt. Shasta 71/41, Yreka 75/42 and Alturas 71/37.
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High pressure is still along the coast. Today will be sunny with temperatures 4 to 8 degrees warmer than yesterday. The gusty north winds will subside during the day. Tuesday a cold low pressure area will drop southward along the Canadian coast and move over the Pacific Northwest Wednesday where it will stay through the end of the week. Tuesday temperatures will drop back to near normal. Northern California will see a few clouds in the afternoon with the chance of an isolated showers over the northwest corner of the state. Gusty southwest to northwest winds are expected Tuesday afternoon and evening.

The low pressure area will bring colder air into the state but will not have much moisture associated with it. Wednesday and Thursday the north coast, Trinity, Siskiyou, northern Shasta, and Modoc counties will be partly cloudy with afternoon and evening showers. Precipitation amounts will be light but snow levels will be 5000 to 6000 feet. Lassen and Plumas counties and the higher elevations of Nevada county with see some afternoon clouds with the chance of an isolated shower. The valley will be mostly sunny with a few afternoon clouds. Temperatures Wednesday and Thursday will be 15 to 25 degrees below normal in the far north (near the Oregon border) and 10 to 15 degrees below normal elsewhere. Gusty southwest to northwest winds will continue during the afternoons and evenings.

Friday the low will still be over the Pacific Northwest (see map below), but it will be slowly weakening and moving eastward. Friday there will be afternoon and evening clouds over the northern mountains with a chance of a shower. The valley will stay mostly sunny with some afternoon clouds. Saturday will be sunny and warmer with a few afternoon clouds. Sunday another low pressure area will be off the coast. This will be a weak system but will cool temperatures to near normal and bring a chance of afternoon and evening showers to the mountains.

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Weather Outlook for Redding, Shasta Lake City, Anderson, Cottonwood, and Red Bluff

Today: Sunny. Max temps 89 to 93. North wind 12 to 22 mph decreasing in the afternoon..

Tonight: Clear. Min temps 52 to 59. Light north wind.

Tuesday: Sunny with a few afternoon clouds. Max temps 80 to 84. Southwest to northwest wind 12 to 24 mph with higher gusts..

Tuesday Night: Scattered clouds.. Min temps 53 to 59. Southwest to northwest wind 10 to 20 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny in the morning and party cloudy in the afternoon. Max temps 71 to 76. Northwest wind 14 to 28 mph with higher gusts.

Wednesday Night: Scattered clouds. Min temps 44 to 51. North wind 10 to 20 mph.

Thursday: Partly sunny with a few clouds.. Max temps 72 to 76. Northwest wind 12 to 24 mph with higher gusts..

Thursday Night: Scattered clouds. Min temps 48 to 54. Northwest wind 8 to18 mph.

Friday: Scattered clouds. Max temps 77 to 81. Southwest to northwest wind 10 to 20 mph

Friday Night: Scattered clouds. Min temps 49 to 56. Light wind.

Saturday: Sunny with a few clouds. Max temps 78 to 83. Light wind.

Saturday Night: Scattered clouds. Min 51 to 58. Light wind.

Sunday: Sunny with increasing clouds in the afternoon. Max temps 78 to 82. Southwest wind 10 to 18 mph.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy. Min temps 54 to 60. Light wind.

The Old Forecaster

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Sunday, May 19, 2013

Weather Discussion for Sunday May 19, 2013

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Normal high and low temperatures for this week May 13 - May 19 (high/low)...Redding/Red Bluff 81/54, Chico 82/51, Quincy 73/37, Chester 69/34, Susanville 71/39, Grass Valley 72/45, Weaverville 77/40, Mt. Shasta 70/41, Yreka 73/40 and Alturas 69/34.
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High pressure is rebuilding along the west coast. Today and Monday will be sunny and warmer with temperatures Monday 6 to 10 degrees above normal. Gusty north winds will continue through Monday afternoon with strongest speeds in the valley where gusts will be 30 to 35 mph.

It still looks like we start to see a change in the weather Tuesday as a cold low pressure area drops southward along the Canadian coast and then ends up over the Pacific Northwest by Wednesday and Thursday. (see map below) This system will bring a colder airmass into our area but because is so close to the coast as it drops southward and then ends up over land....it will not have much moisture with it. Tuesday temperatures will cool 5 to 10 degrees. We will see a few clouds and there could be isolated showers along the Oregon Border. Gusty southwest to northwest winds will occur Tuesday. Wednesday and Thursday the coastal and northern mountains will be partly cloudy with a few light showers. Lassen and Plumas counties with see a few clouds with isolated showers possible in the afternoon. The valley and Nevada county will stay partly to mostly sunny with a few clouds. Temperatures over the areas north of Redding will be 10 to 20 degrees below normal with snow levels 5000 to 6000 feet in the showers. The areas to the south will be 6 to 14 degrees below normal. The gusty afternoon and evening southwest to northwest winds will continue Wednesday and Thursday.

Friday and Saturday the low will weaken and slowly shift eastward and as it does it will pickup a little moisture. The coastal and northern mountains will be partly cloudy with a few showers. There could also be isolated afternoon and evening showers over Lassen, Plumas, and Nevada counties. The valley will be partly to mostly sunny and dry. Gusty southwest to northwest winds will continue over the north state.

So next week looks cooler and windy but at this time not much precipitation.

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Weather Outlook for Redding, Shasta Lake City, Anderson, Cottonwood, and Red Bluff

Today: Sunny. Max temps 81 to 86. North wind 15 to 25 mph with higher gusts..

Tonight: Clear. Min temps 59 to 67. North wind 10 to 18 mph.

Monday: Sunny. Max temps 86 to 90. North wind 12 to 24 mph.

Monday Night: Clear. Min temps 57 to 65. Light north wind.

Tuesday: Sunny with a few afternoon clouds. Max temps 80 to 84. Southwest to northwest wind 12 to 24 mph with higher gusts..

Tuesday Night: Scattered clouds.. Min temps 53 to 59. Southwest to northwest wind 10 to 20 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny in the morning and party cloudy in the afternoon. Max temps 71 to 76. Northwest wind 14 to 28 mph with higher gusts.

Wednesday Night: Scattered clouds. Min temps 44 to 51. North wind 10 to 20 mph.

Thursday: Partly sunny with a few clouds.. Max temps 72 to 76. Northwest wind 12 to 22 mph.

Thursday Night: Scattered clouds. Min temps 48 to 54. Northwest wind 8 to18 mph.

Friday: Scattered clouds. Max temps 75 to 79. Southwest to northwest wind 10 to 20 mph

Friday Night: Scattered clouds. Min temps 49 to 56. Light wind.

Saturday: Partly cloudy. Max temps 75 to 79. Southwest wind 8 to 18 mph.

Saturday Night: Scattered clouds. Min 51 to 58. Light wind.

The Old Forecaster

Click on images below to enlarge them..

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Weather Discussion for Saturday May 18th, 2013

This morning's satellite picture shows a weak storm or low pressure trough moving into the Pacific Northwest with southern end brushing the north end of the state. The north coast, Trinity, Siskiyou, northern Shasta, Modoc, and northern Lassen counties will be partly cloudy today with a few light showers. The rest of the north state will be partly to mostly sunny and warmer with temperatures near or a little above normal for this time of year. Gusty southwest to northwest wind will occur this afternoon with gusts over 30 mph over eastern Siskiyou and Modoc counties.

Sunday and Monday the high pressure ridge will be along the west coast and we will have sunny skies and warmer temperatures. Daytime temperatures Monday will be 6 to 10 degrees above normal. Gusty north winds are expected Sunday and Monday.

Tuesday the weather begins to change as a cold low pressure area drops southward along the Canadian Coast. It now looks like this system will end up over the Pacific Northwest late Wednesday and Thursday and remain there into the weekend. This means most of the cold air and moisture will stay north of our area. Tuesday we will be sunny with a few clouds in the afternoon. Wednesday and Thursday the counties along the Oregon border will be partly cloudy with isolated light showers. The rest of the north state will remain partly to mostly sunny with a few clouds. Friday there will be a few more clouds with a chance of isolated showers over the higher elevations. Daytime temperatures will cool slightly Tuesday with more cool Wednesday and Thursday. Thursday and Friday look to be the coolest days with high temperatures in the counties near the Oregon Border 10 to 20 degrees below normal and 6 to 10 degrees below elsewhere. Gusty southwest to northwest will occur every afternoon and evening Tuesday through Friday.

A few days ago it looked like this low would sink further south. It now looks like it will stop just north of us. The main effect this system will have on the north state is cooler and windier weather Tuesday through the weekend.

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Weather Outlook for Redding, Shasta Lake City, Anderson, Cottonwood, and Red Bluff

Today: Sunny with a few clouds. Max temps 75 to 80. Southwest to northwest wind 10 to 20 mph.

Tonight: Clear. Min temps 53 to 60. Light wind.

Sunday: Sunny. Max temps 82 to 87. North wind 15 to 25 mph with higher gusts..

Sunday Night: Clear. Min temps 59 to 67. Light north wind.

Monday: Sunny. Max temps 86 to 90. North wind 10 to 20 mph.

Monday Night: Clear. Min temps 57 to 65. Light north wind.

Tuesday: Sunny with a few afternoon clouds. Max temps 79 to 83. Southwest to northwest wind 12 to 24 mph.

Tuesday Night: Scattered clouds.. Min temps 53 to 59. Southwest to northwest wind 10 to 20 mph.

Wednesday: Partly cloudy. Max temps 71 to 76. Northwest wind 14 to 28 mph with higher gusts.

Wednesday Night: Scattered clouds. Min temps 44 to 51. North wind 10 to 20 mph.

Thursday: Partly sunny with a few clouds.. Max temps 72 to 76. Northwest wind 12 to 22 mph.

Thursday Night: Scattered clouds. Min temps 48 to 54. Northwest wind 8 to18 mph.

Friday: Scattered clouds. Max temps 75 to 79. Southwest to northwest wind 10 to 20 mph

Friday Night: Scattered clouds. Min temps 49 to 56. Light wind.

The Old Forecaster

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Friday, May 17, 2013

Weather Discussion for Friday May 17, 2013

The low pressure trough is now moving out of our area. Clouds and isolated showers will continue over Siskiyou, northern Shasta, Modoc, Lassen, and Plumas counties until late afternoon. The rest of the north state will partly to mostly sunny, today, with a few clouds. Saturday there will be partly cloudy skies north of Redding with mostly sunny skies elsewhere. Isolated afternoon showers are possible over Siskiyou, Modoc, and northern Lassen counties. Temperatures Saturday will be near normal. Sunday and Monday high pressure will be back along the west coast. The north state will be mostly sunny with temperatures 4 to 8 degrees above normal. Gusty north winds will start late Saturday and continue until Monday afternoon.

Tuesday the weather pattern will change. A cold low pressure area will drop southward along the coast. (see map below). Tuesday will be mostly sunny with a few clouds in the afternoon, but temperatures will begin to cool. Gusty southwest to northwest winds will occur. Wednesday the low will continue along the coast but will still have limited moisture. Skies will be partly cloudy along the areas near the Oregon border with a few light showers. Snow levels will be 5000 to 6000 feet. The areas to the south will be partly sunny with a few clouds. Gusty southwest to northwest winds will continue and temperatures will drop to below normal. Thursday the low will pickup up a little more moisture the showers will increase but still be confined to the coastal and northern mountains.

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Weather Outlook for Redding, Shasta Lake City, Anderson, Cottonwood, and Red Bluff

Today: Partly sunny with a few clouds. Max temps 72 to 76. Southwest to northwest wind 10 to 20 mph.

Tonight: Clear. Min temps 50 to 57. Light wind.

Saturday: Sunny with a few clouds. Max temps 75 to 80. Southwest to northwest wind 10 to 20 mph.

Saturday Night: Clear. Min temps 59 to 64. Light wind.

Sunday: Sunny. Max temps 82 to 87. North wind 15 to 25 mph with higher gusts..

Sunday Night: Clear. Min temps 59 to 67. Light north wind.

Monday: Sunny. Max temps 86 to 90. North wind 10 to 20 mph.

Monday Night: Clear. Min temps 57 to 65. Light north wind.

Tuesday: Sunny with a few afternoon clouds. Max temps 79 to 83. Southwest to northwest wind 12 to 24 mph.

Tuesday Night: Scattered clouds.. Min temps 53 to 59. Southwest to northwest wind 10 to 20 mph.

Wednesday: Partly cloudy. Max temps 65 to 70. Northwest wind 14 to 28 mph with higher gusts.

Wednesday Night: Scattered clouds. Min temps 44 to 51. North wind 10 to 20 mph.

Thursday: Partly cloudy with slight chance of a shower. Max temps 65 to 70. Northwest wind 12 to 22 mph.

Thursday Night: Scattered clouds. Min temps 48 to 54. Northwest wind 8 to18 mph.

The Old Forecaster

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Thursday, May 16, 2013

Weather Discussion for Thursday May 16, 2013

A weak low pressure trough is now moving across Northern California. This system will bring partly cloudy to cloudy skies to all of Northern California, today, with showers and possible thunderstorms. Most of the showers will be over the foothills and mountains with isolated activity in the valley. Moderate to heavy precipitation will be associated with the thunderstorms. Gusty southwest to west winds and below normal temperatures are expected today. The low will move east of our area on Friday and the showers will be ending from the west. The coast range and valley will be partly to mostly sunny by midday but the showers will continue over the areas east of the valley until late afternoon. Saturday there will be a few clouds north of Redding, but the rest of the north state will be mostly sunny with temperatures back to normal or slightly above.

Sunday and Monday high pressure will be back along the coast for sunny skies and above normal temperatures. Gusty north winds will occur Sunday and most of Monday.

Tuesday we will begin to see a change that could bring cooler and wetter weather to the north state for the last part of May. A cold low pressure area will drop southward along the Canadian Coast (see map below). This will push the high pressure area that has been off our coast back to the west and by the end of next week the low will be parked off the California coast. Initially this system won't have a lot of moisture associated with it but it will bring a colder airmass into Northern California. Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday we have partly cloudy skies with scattered light showers mainly over the mountains. Snow levels will be 5000 to 5500 feet. Strong and gusty southwest to northwest winds Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday. The low will remain along the coast for several days and wetter weather is expected by the weekend.

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Weather Outlook for Redding, Shasta Lake City, Anderson, Cottonwood, and Red Bluff

Today: Partly cloudy to cloudy with the chance of a shower or thunderstorm.. Max temps 67 to 72. South wind 12 to 22 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy with the chance of a shower. . Min temps 52 to 58. Light wind.

Friday: Partly sunny with a few clouds. Max temps 72 to 76. Southwest to northwest wind 10 to 20 mph.

Friday Night: Clear. Min temps 50 to 57. Light wind.

Saturday: Sunny with a few clouds. Max temps 79 to 84. Southwest to northwest wind 10 to 20 mph.

Saturday Night: Clear. Min temps 59 to 64. Light wind.

Sunday: Sunny. Max temps 84 to 88. North wind 15 to 25 mph.

Sunday Night: Clear. Min temps 59 to 67. Light north wind.

Monday: Sunny. Max temps 86 to 90. North wind 6 to 12 mph.

Monday Night: Clear. Min temps 57 to 65. Light north wind.

Tuesday: Increasing clouds in the afternoon.. Max temps 79 to 83. Southwest to northwest wind 15 to 25 mph.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy.. Min temps 53 to 59. Southwest to northwest wind 10 to 20 mph.

Wednesday: Partly cloudy with the chance of a shower. Max temps 62 to 67. Northwest wind 15 to 25 mph with higher gusts.

Wednesday Night: Scattered clouds. Min temps 44 to 51. North wind 10 to 20 mph.

The Old Forecaster

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Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Weather Discussion for Wednesday May 15, 2013

The high pressure ridge is weakening. This morning's satellite picture, below, shows a series of weak storms moving across the Pacific toward the west coast. The first of these will bring clouds to Northern California today with a few showers and possible thunderstorms on the north coast and across Trinity, Siskiyou, Northern Shasta, and Modoc counties. Gusty southwest to northwest winds will precede this system. A stronger low pressure area will move across Northern California Thursday and early Friday. This system will bring partly cloudy to cloudy skies to our area with showers and thunderstorms over the foothills and mountains with isolated showers and thunderstorms in the valley. Moderate to heavy rainfall with be associated with some of the thunderstorms. Gusty south to southwest winds are expected Thursday. Temperatures Thursday will drop to below normal. Friday the activity will end from the west during the day with clearing skies over the coast range and valley by afternoon. The showers will continue over Modoc, Lassen, Plumas, and Nevada counties until sunset.

Saturday high pressure returns to the west coast. There will be a few clouds over the northern mountains until early afternoon...but the rest of the north state will be partly to mostly sunny. Temperatures will be warming and gusty north winds will be moving over the area in the afternoon. Sunday and Monday will be mostly sunny and warmer with temperatures back above normal. The north winds will decrease Sunday afternoon.

Tuesday the high pressure area will begin to weaken as a low pressure area drops southward from Alaska. We will still be partly to mostly sunny but temperatures will begin to cool. It now looks like this cutoff low could end up along the west coast late next week and stay there for 5 to 7 days. This means below normal temperatures and periods of showers....Should have more on this tomorrow.

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Weather Outlook for Redding, Shasta Lake City, Anderson, Cottonwood, and Red Bluff

Today: Sunny with some afternoon clouds. Max temps 82 to 86. Southwest to northwest wind 10 to18 mph

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Min temps 53 to 59. Light wind.

Thursday: Partly cloudy to cloudy with the chance of a shower or thunderstorm.. Max temps 67 to 72. South wind 12 to 22 mph.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy. Min temps 49 to 55. Light wind.

Friday: Partly sunny with a few clouds. Max temps 72 to 76. Southwest to northwest wind 10 to 20 mph.

Friday Night: Clear. Min temps 50 to 57. Light wind.

Saturday: Sunny with a few clouds. Max temps 82 to 86. North wind 10 to 18 mph.

Saturday Night: Clear. Min temps 59 to 64. Light wind.

Sunday: Sunny. Max temps 84 to 88. North wind 15 to 25 mph.

Sunday Night: Clear. Min temps 59 to 67. Light north wind.

Monday: Sunny. Max temps 86 to 90. North wind 6 to 12 mph.

Monday Night: Clear. Min temps 57 to 65. Light north wind.

Tuesday: Partly sunny with a few clouds. Max temps 80 to 84. Southwest wind 10 to 18 mph.

Tuesday Night: Scattered clouds. Min temps 53 to 59. South wind 10 to16 mph.

The Old Forecaster

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Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Weather Discussion for Tuesday May 14, 2013

The high pressure ridge continues to hold strong along the coast. The past couple of days I thought it would weaken slightly...however as has been the case for the past several months it remains in place. Today will be sunny with a few high clouds and temperatures about like yesterday or slightly cooler. Gusty west to northwest winds will occur in some areas.

I do think the high will temporarily weaken Wednesday through Friday as the series of weak low pressure troughs, shown on this morning's satellite picture (below) out in the Pacific, move into and over it. One of these systems will brush the north end of the state Wednesday afternoon with a stronger system Thursday and early Friday. The areas north of Redding will become partly cloudy Wednesday afternoon with a few light showers and thunderstorms. Thursday all of the north state will be partly cloudy with scattered showers and possible thunderstorms over the foothills and mountains with isolated activity over the valley. Isolated showers and thunderstorms will continue through Friday afternoon over the areas east of the valley (Modoc, Lassen, Plumas,and Nevada counties). The rest of the area will see clearing skies on Friday. Temperatures will drop to near normal Wednesday and a few degrees below normal on Thursday and Friday.

Saturday will be sunny with a few clouds along and east of the Sierra Crest with warmer temperatures. Sunday and Monday will be sunny with gusty north winds and above normal temperatures.

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Weather Outlook for Redding, Shasta Lake City, Anderson, Cottonwood, and Red Bluff

Today: Sunny. Max temps 86 to 90. Northwest wind 10 to 20 mph.

Tonight: Clear. Min temps 55 to 62. Light wind. .

Wednesday: Sunny with some afternoon clouds. Max temps 80 to 85. Southwest to northwest wind 8 to15 mph decreasing in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy. Min temps 51 to 57. Light wind.

Thursday: Partly cloudy with the slight chance of a shower or thunderstorm.. Max temps 73 to 78. South wind 10 to 18 mph.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy. Min temps 55 to 62. Light wind.

Friday: Partly sunny with a few clouds. Max temps 77 to 81. Light wind.

Friday Night: Clear. Min temps 57 to 64. Light wind.

Saturday: Sunny with a few clouds. Max temps 82 to 86. North wind 10 to 18 mph.

Saturday Night: Clear. Min temps 59 to 64. Light wind.

Sunday: Sunny. Max temps 84 to 88. North wind 15 to 25 mph.

Sunday Night: Clear. Min temps 59 to 67. North wind 10 to 15 mph.

Monday: Sunny. Max temps 86 to 90. North wind 12 to 22 mph.

Monday Night: Clear. Min temps 57 to 65. Light north wind.

The Old Forecaster

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