calmer but colder

This latest storm brought Chico an inch and a quarter of rain, along with winds gusting to over 30 mph late last evening. Today has been mainly sunny, with brisk northwest winds gusting to 35 mph. It's forecast to get colder over the next few days as a piece of Arctic air plunges down from western Canada. High temps will be mainly in the 40s with lows in the 30s. Bundle up if you're heading out for New Year's celebrations on Friday night; temps will be in the lower to mid 30s. Temps should warm back to normal levels by Sunday. Other than a slight chance of rain this weekend, it'll be mainly dry over the next several days- a much- deserved break from all the storminess! Here's the detailed forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. North northwest wind between 8 and 14 mph.

Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 50. Northwest wind between 3 and 6 mph.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 31. Light and variable wind.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 47. East wind between 3 and 5 mph.

Friday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Light east southeast wind.

New Year's Day: A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49.

Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35.

Sunday: A slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 53.

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 53.

Monday Night: A slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36.

Tuesday: A slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 54.

Tuesday Night: A slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.

Wednesday: A slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 54.

Flood Advisory and Wind Advisory in effect

From the National Weather Service:

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED AN

* URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR...
SACRAMENTO VALLEY...NORTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND SURROUNDING
FOOTHILLS.

* UNTIL 100 PM PST WEDNESDAY

* MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED TONIGHT. THE PERIOD OF THE
HEAVIEST RAINFALL WILL BE AFTER 8 PM. RAINFALL RATES OF UP TO A
HALF AN INCH AN HOUR WILL BE POSSIBLE DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.
STORM TOTAL RAIN AMOUNTS WILL BE AROUND AN INCH IN THE
VALLEY...WITH 1 TO 2 INCHES...LOCALLY HIGHER...IN THE FOOTHILLS.

* HEAVY RAINS WILL CAUSE AREAS OF URBAN FLOODING AND MAY GENERATE
MINOR SMALL STREAM FLOODING. EXPECT RAPID RISES ON AREA STREAMS
AND PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. STREAMS WILL CONTINUE TO RISE
AFTER THE RAIN HAS ENDED AS RUNOFF WORKS ITS WAY DOWN TO THE
VALLEY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

A WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM PST WEDNESDAY.

* WINDS: SOUTHERLY WINDS INCREASE TO 15 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO
50 MPH.

* TIMING: TONIGHT. THE PERIOD OF STRONGEST WINDS IS EXPECTED TO
OCCUR FROM MID-EVENING INTO THE PRE-DAWN HOURS WEDNESDAY.

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: REDDING...CHICO...MARYSVILLE...YUBA CITY...
SACRAMENTO...VACAVILLE...FAIRFIELD...STOCKTON...MODESTO

* IMPACTS: DOWNED TREES AND POWER OUTAGES WILL BE POSSIBLE.
DRIVING WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES AND
SMALL CARS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT WIND GUST OF UP TO 40 MPH ARE
EXPECTED. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT...
ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION.

synopsis of next storm

From the National Weather Service:

ANOTHER STORM WILL TAKE AIM AT NORTHERN CALIFORNIA...AND COULD
BRING SNOW TO THE FOOTHILLS WEDNESDAY

A STRONG POLAR JET STREAM WILL DRIVE ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM
INTO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TOMORROW NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. SCATTERED
SHOWERS WILL RETURN LATER TONIGHT OVER THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND
RAIN WILL BECOME STEADY IN THE MORNING OVER THE NORTHERN
SACRAMENTO VALLEY AND SURROUNDING FOOTHILLS...AND THEN SPREAD
SOUTH AND EAST INTO SOUTHERN SACRAMENTO AND NORTHERN SAN JOAQUIN
VALLEY AND MOTHERLODE IN THE AFTERNOON. THE MAIN PART OF THE STORM
WILL MOVE THROUGH THE INTERIOR TUESDAY EVENING INTO EARLY
WEDNESDAY MORNING WHEN MODERATE TO LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL
LIKELY OCCUR WITH GUSTY WINDS AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH.

PRECIPITATION WILL TURN MORE SHOWERY BEHIND THE COLD FRONT
WEDNESDAY...AS MUCH COLDER AIR WILL SPILLS INTO NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA. SNOW LEVELS WILL DROP TO 1000 FEET IN SHASTA
COUNTY...TO 2500 FEET IN THE MOTHERLODE AND SOUTHERN LAKE COUNTY
HILLS DURING THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY.

RAINFALL TOTALS FROM THIS STORM WILL RANGE FROM ONE HALF INCH TO
AN INCH IN THE VALLEYS. ONE TO TWO INCHES OF RAIN WITH LOCAL
HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE FOR THE NORTHERN FOOTHILLS. A COUPLE OF
INCHES OF SNOW MAY FALL OVER THE ELEVATIONS BETWEEN 2000 AND 3000
FEET OF SHASTA COUNTY AND LAKE COUNTY ON WEDNESDAY WITH LIGHT
AMOUNTS OF SNOW THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE MOTHERLODE. UNSTABLE
AIR COULD CAUSE SHOWERS WITH SMALL HAIL OR SLEET ON WEDNESDAY.

CLEARING SKIES AND COLDER TEMPERATURES ARE LIKELY WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
NORTH WINDS MAY PREVENT TEMPERATURES FROM FALLING BELOW FREEZING
IN MANY VALLEY AREAS...BUT IT WILL FEEL QUITE CHILLY. WIND CHILLS
TEMPERATURES IN THE TEENS AND 20S ARE POSSIBLE FOR FOOTHILL AND
CENTRAL VALLEY LOCATIONS. WIND SHELTER AREAS IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY
WILL LIKELY HAVE TEMPERATURES DIP INTO THE UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S
WHILE IN THE FOOTHILLS WIND SHELTERED LOCATIONS WILL LIKELY DIP
INTO THE MID 20S. ICY ROADWAYS WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS TEMPERATURES
COOL MAY ALSO BECOME A PROBLEM...MAINLY FOR THE FOOTHILLS.

CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTS
FOR UPDATES ON THIS DEVELOPING STORM.

And for those of you either living in or travelling to the mountains:

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A WINTER
STORM WARNING ABOVE 4500 FEET FOR HEAVY SNOW AND/OR BLOWING SNOW
WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM TUESDAY TO 10 AM PST WEDNESDAY FOR
WESTERN PLUMAS COUNTY AND LASSEN PARK. THE WINTER STORM WATCH
IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.


* TIMING: SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS MAY BEGIN LATE TONIGHT WITH
STEADY SNOW EXPECTED BY TOMORROW AFTERNOON. PERIODS OF HEAVY
SNOW ARE LIKELY TOMORROW NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. SNOW
LEVELS... INITIALLY NEAR 5000 FEET IN LASSEN PARK... WILL FALL TO
NEAR 2500 FEET BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. COLD AND ICY CONDITIONS
ARE LIKELY TO PERSIST INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

* SNOWFALL: 1 TO 2 FEET OF NEW SNOW IS POSSIBLE ABOVE 7000
FEET...WITH 6 TO 12 INCHES ABOVE 4500 FEET BY WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON. SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW MAY FALL DOWN TO AROUND 3000
FEET ON WEDNESDAY.

* WINDS: SOUTHWEST WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS
HIGHER MOUNTAIN PASSES TOMORROW EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY
MORNING.

* MAIN IMPACTS: HAZARDOUS TRAVELING CONDITIONS. HAZARDOUS BACK
COUNTRY CONDITIONS AND AVALANCHE DANGER. VERY COLD WIND
CHILLS TOWARD THE END OF THE EVENT.

one storm exits, another one on the way

The parade of storms continues for Northern California. The most recent storm we experienced (that is now departing) gave Chico over an inch of rain and wind gusts near 30 mph. Temps have been mild this weekend, with highs mainly in the low to mid 50s, right about where we should be. However, another storm is on its way, developing currently over the Gulf of Alaska, and should arrive by Tuesday. Storms that originate there are usually colder storms, and this one will be no exception. Prepare for lower snow levels, down to 2000 feet by Wednesday in the Sierra Nevada foothills. A couple of inches of snow are possible down to that elevation, while nearly two feet of snow are possible above 5000 feet in the Sierras between Tuesday and Wednesday. In the valley, expect anywhere from .75" and 1.25" of rain. Right now the National Weather Service isn't saying much about wind speeds, but I expect at least 25 mph gusts in the valley and nearly 50 mph gusts in the mountains. Thursday and Friday look fairly calm, but cold, with highs only in the 40s in Chico. It looks like another weak system will pass through on New Year's Day, bringing with it a chance of showers. Colder than normal temps will last through next weekend. Here's the detailed forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: A slight chance of sprinkles before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38. South southeast wind between 3 and 8 mph.

Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 55. Southwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm.

Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. North northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Tuesday: Rain. High near 53. Calm wind becoming south southeast around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Tuesday Night: Rain. Low around 43. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Wednesday: Showers likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 51. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Wednesday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32.

Thursday: A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 45.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 29.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 45.

Friday Night: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35.

New Year's Day: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 45.

Saturday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34.

Sunday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48.

Merry Christmas!

For everyone celebrating today- Merry Christmas! Unfortunately, the weather won't be too Christmas-y in Chico this year, what with the rain and wind. It's probably best to stay indoors today. More from the National Weather Service:

GUSTY WINDS...RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW EXPECTED TODAY...

A FAST MOVING COLD FRONT WILL SPREAD MORE RAIN AND SNOW ACROSS
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TODAY AND TONIGHT. SNOW WILL BECOME STEADY
ABOVE 4500 FEET LATE THIS MORNING ALONG THE COASTAL RANGE...AND
OVER THE SHASTA COUNTY MOUNTAINS BY EARLY AFTERNOON. SNOW WILL
MOVE INTO THE MOUNTAINS SURROUNDING THE BURNEY BASIN BY LATE
AFTERNOON.

AT THIS TIME IT LOOKS LIKE THE CENTRAL VALLEYS WILL SEE STEADY
RAINFALL THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL
INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH LATER THIS MORNING. A COLD FRONT WILL
MOVE THROUGH LATER THIS AFTERNOON. WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH ARE
POSSIBLE JUST AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THUNDERSTORMS MAY OCCUR IN
UNSTABLE AIR ALONG AND JUST BEHIND THE COLD FRONT LATE THIS
AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING.

TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL RANGE BETWEEN THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH
TO AN INCH FOR THE CENTRAL VALLEYS. SIMILAR AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED
IN THE FOOTHILLS. HIGHER RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE
SHASTA DRAINAGE AREA...BUT THE FAST MOVING NATURE OF THE FRONT
WILL LIMIT OVERALL RAINFALL.

PERIODS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE HIGHER
PEAKS OF THE COASTAL MOUNTAINS THIS EVENING. SNOW LEVELS WILL
DROP TO 2500 TO 3500 FEET EARLY SUNDAY MORNING ALONG THE COASTAL
RANGE AND SHASTA COUNTY MOUNTAINS AS SNOW TAPERS OFF TO SCATTERED
SNOW SHOWERS. LITTLE ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED AT THESE LOWER ELEVATIONS.

SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 45 MPH MAY CAUSE
REDUCED VISIBILITY OVER MOUNTAIN PASSES SUCH AS MENDOCINO PASS
TONIGHT. TRAVELERS HEADING NORTH ON INTERSTATE 5 MAY ENCOUNTER
WINTER WEATHER SUNDAY MORNING AS THEY HEAD NORTH OF SIMS.

HAZARDOUS BACK COUNTRY TRAVELING CONDITIONS MAY EXIST SUNDAY.

IF YOU PLAN TO TRAVEL THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND...BE PREPARED FOR UNSETTLED
WEATHER. IF TRAVELING TO THE MOUNTAINS...CARRY TIRE CHAINS AND
EMERGENCY SUPPLIES AND CHECK THE LATEST WEATHER AND ROAD REPORTS
BEFORE DEPARTURE.

soggy Christmas

The weather forecast has changed somewhat over the past 24 hours. Instead of stormy conditions tomorrow night into Sunday, now most of the heavier rain and breezy conditions will occur Christmas Day. The rain will taper to showers by Saturday night and linger into Boxing Day (Canadians know what I'm referring to; it's the day after Christmas for us Americans). Another cold front arrives late Tuesday, ushering in colder air from (I'm assuming) Canada. Computer models differ on the timing and severity of the cold weather, so, again, check back for updates. With this next storm, expect up to an inch of rain in some valley locations, while 5-10 inches of snow are possible in the Sierras above 4000' through Sunday evening. Over a foot of snow is likely above 5000'. Be careful if visiting friends or relatives this weekend in the Sierras; prepare for inclement weather. Here are the details for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: A 10 percent chance of rain after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40. East southeast wind around 6 mph.

Christmas Day: Rain, mainly after 10am. High near 51. South southeast wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Saturday Night: Showers, mainly before 10pm. Low around 42. South southeast wind between 15 and 21 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Sunday: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 51. South southeast wind between 13 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Sunday Night: A 10 percent chance of rain after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.

Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55.

Monday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44.

Tuesday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54.

Tuesday Night: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44.

Wednesday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 52.

Wednesday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35.

Thursday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 46.

get ready for more stormy weather

Just in time for Christmas. From the National Weather Service:

ANOTHER PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING MORE RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW
TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA DURING THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY WEEKEND. THIS
STORM IS EXPECTED TO APPROACH THE CALIFORNIA COAST FRIDAY NIGHT
AND EARLY SATURDAY THEN SPREAD PRECIPITATION ACROSS NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AT THIS TIME...IT
APPEARS THAT CHRISTMAS EVE WILL REMAIN DRY WITH ONLY LIGHT RAIN OR
MOUNTAIN SNOW POSSIBLE CHRISTMAS MORNING. HEAVIER RAIN AND
MOUNTAIN SNOW ARE EXPECTED BY SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING AS
THE MAIN FRONTAL SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH. SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY SUNDAY ESPECIALLY OVER THE MOUNTAINS SO TRAVEL
DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE WEEKEND IS LIKELY TO BE IMPACTED AS WELL.

IT IS TOO EARLY TO TELL JUST HOW MUCH PRECIPITATION WILL BE
GENERATED FROM THIS SYSTEM. CURRENT PROJECTIONS HOWEVER INDICATE
AN INCH OR MORE OF RAIN COULD FALL ON THE VALLEY FLOOR OVER THE
WEEKEND...WHILE THE MOUNTAINS COULD SEE ONE TO TWO FEET OF SNOW
ABOVE 7000 FEET BY MONDAY MORNING.

MODERATE SNOW LEVELS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. THEY WILL RANGE
FROM 3000 TO 4000 FEET OVER THE SHASTA COUNTY MOUNTAINS...TO 4000
TO 5000 FEET OVER THE NORTHERN SIERRA. THE MAJOR MOUNTAIN PASSES
OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WILL LIKELY BE IMPACTED WITH CHAIN CONTROLS
AND TRAVEL DELAYS SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY AFTERNOON. PERIODS OF
HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS MAY LEAD TO WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS AT TIMES.

IF YOU PLAN TO TRAVEL THROUGHOUT NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THIS HOLIDAY
WEEKEND...BE PREPARED FOR UNSETTLED WINTER WEATHER. IN THE
MOUNTAINS...CARRY TIRE CHAINS AND EMERGENCY SUPPLIES AND CHECK THE
LATEST WEATHER AND ROAD REPORTS BEFORE DEPARTURE.

winter weather

Well, winter weather as it pertains to our region, anyway. More valley rain and mountain snow is on the way for tonight as another storm system crashes ashore from the Pacific. This storm will be a bigger headache for Southern California than for us here in Northern California. Here, expect some nuisance rain and snow showers for the mountains above 3500 feet. This storm will move out quickly tomorrow, leaving behind some scattered light rain showers. We get a bit of a break Thursday and Friday before another storm impacts our area on Christmas Day and Sunday. It's still too early to tell how big of an impact we'll get from this weekend's storm, so check back as I make updates. For now, enjoy the wet and winter-like weather. Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Rain, mainly after 10pm. Low around 41. Southeast wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Wednesday: Showers, mainly before 4pm. High near 55. East southeast wind between 7 and 10 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers before 10pm. Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. Calm wind.

Thursday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 55. Calm wind becoming south southeast around 6 mph.

Thursday Night: Areas of fog after 4am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. Southeast wind around 7 mph.

Friday: Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 56.

Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.

Christmas Day: A chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 52.

Saturday Night: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 41.

Sunday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54.

Sunday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.

Monday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 55.

Monday Night: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.

Tuesday: A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 54.

Climate Normals for December 21st:

Normal High: 53 degrees
Normal Low: 35 degrees
Sunset: 4:46 pm
Sunrise: 7:26 am

gray, dreary weather

Tomorrow is the first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, and it already looks and feels like it here in Northern California. The high temperature in Chico today struggled to get above 50 degrees, and it's been raining off and on throughout the day. There were some brief sunny breaks earlier this morning, but currently the showers are falling, and temps are stuck in the 40s. This pattern is expected to continue over the next several days, with the next major storm due Wednesday, followed by an even stronger storm on Christmas day. In fact, this entire weekend looks stormy, and we may see more flooding rains for both Saturday and Sunday. As usual, check back for updates, as this may change. For now, here's the latest forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. Southeast wind between 13 and 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 53. Southeast wind around 10 mph.

Tuesday Night: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a low around 43. Southeast wind around 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Wednesday: Showers likely, with thunderstorms also possible after 10am. Cloudy, with a high near 54. East southeast wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Wednesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.

Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55.

Thursday Night: A slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.

Friday: A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 55.

Friday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.

Christmas Day: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 52.

Saturday Night: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 42.

Sunday: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55.

Sunday Night: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 41.

Monday: A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 55.

here we go again

I was awoken (awakened?) by the sound of heavy, wind-whipped rain beating against my sliding glass door, so I thought I would check current weather conditions. A wide swath of moderate to occasional heavy rain is streaming over the Sacramento valley currently. This is courtesy of a second cold front pushing through the region, which will also bring gusty winds. The National Weather Service has posted another Wind Advisory for the area beginning at 8 am this morning and ending at 4 pm this afternoon. The Flood Advisory is still in effect until 1:45 pm today for small stream and urban flooding. Looking ahead towards the upcoming week, it looks like rain will stick around, exacerbating the flood potential. If you live near a creek or stream, especially in the valley, keep an eye on those water levels and be prepared to move to safer ground. Meanwhile, a Winter Storm Warning has been issued for the Sierra Nevada and Lassen Volcanic Park area through tomorrow afternoon. Elevations above 7000 feet (that's you, Lake Tahoe) could get over eight feet of snow (yes, you read correctly; that's not a typo), while the areas around Lassen Park could see 2-3 feet of snow down to around 5000 feet. This is good news, as we need this snowpack to provide us with water for the dry summer months ahead. Here's the soggy forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Today: Rain and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 56. South wind between 10 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Tonight: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 43. South southeast wind between 10 and 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Monday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 51. South southeast wind between 17 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Monday Night: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. Southeast wind around 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Tuesday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 53. Southeast wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tuesday Night: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 42. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Wednesday: Rain and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 54. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Wednesday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.

Thursday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54.

Thursday Night: A slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Friday: A slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 54.

Friday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.

Christmas Day: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55.

Be safe and stay dry!

more rain coming

Chico has received .80 of rain since yesterday morning, far from the 2 plus inches originally forecasted, but more heavy rain is possible through tomorrow. In fact, the Flood Advisory that was supposed to expire this afternoon has been extended until 1:45 tomorrow afternoon. One to two inches of rain is expected with this next round of storminess beginning late tonight and lasting through tomorrow night. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect until Monday afternoon for the Sierra Nevada above 4500 feet for over two feet of snow. If travelling into the mountains tomorrow, pack a winter survival kit and drive with caution. Rain is predicted to last through Christmas, so keep that umbrella handy for awhile. Here's the detailed forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Rain, mainly after 10pm. Low around 44. South southeast wind between 15 and 17 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Sunday: Rain, with thunderstorms also possible after 10am. High near 54. South wind between 11 and 18 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Sunday Night: Rain and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 41. South southeast wind between 10 and 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Monday: Rain. High near 52. South southeast wind around 18 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Monday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.

Tuesday: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 54. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tuesday Night: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 41.

Wednesday: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54.

Wednesday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.

Thursday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54.

Thursday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.

Friday: A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 54.

Friday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42.

Christmas Day: Rain likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 55.

windy and rainy

A Wind Advisory will go into effect for Chico from 1 am until 7 am tomorrow for winds gusting to over 40 mph. Winds are currently light from the northeast but will shift to the southeast and increase to 15 to 25 mph by late this evening. The strongest winds will occur after midnight tonight. Chico is also under a Flood Advisory until 1:45 pm tomorrow for very heavy rain. The National Weather Service is saying rainfall rates may exceed 1 inch per hour (wow!) after 6 pm this evening. It is going to be a nasty 12-24 hours, so be prepared if you have to be out and about. So far today the rain has been light, totaling about .16 of an inch as of 3 pm this afternoon. More rain is likely Sunday through next Wednesday as a large and powerful storm over the northeastern Pacific Ocean sits and spins, pinwheeling storms right over northern California. Temperatures will stay around seasonable norms for this time of year. Here are the details from the NWS:

Tonight: Rain. The rain could be heavy at times. Temperature rising to around 47 by 5am. Breezy, with a east northeast wind 7 to 10 mph becoming south southeast between 21 and 24 mph. Winds could gust as high as 37 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Saturday: Rain. High near 53. Breezy, with a south wind between 20 and 23 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Saturday Night: Rain. The rain could be heavy at times. Low around 44. Breezy, with a south southeast wind between 14 and 22 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Sunday: Rain. The rain could be heavy at times. High near 54. South wind around 17 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Sunday Night: Rain. Low around 42. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Monday: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 53. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Monday Night: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.

Tuesday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 53.

Tuesday Night: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 43.

Wednesday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 55.

Wednesday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43.

Thursday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55.

Thursday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Friday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55.

flooding potential

Lots to talk about, so let's begin. There is a fairly high probability of urban and small stream flooding this weekend in the Sacramento Valley and surrounding foothills. Winter Storm Watches are posted for both the Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada mountains for elevations around 3500 feet through this weekend, as well. Winds could gust to 40 mph in the valley and over 50 mph in the mountains, especially on Saturday. This is all due to a strong storm dropping down from the Gulf of Alaska tapping into some moisture streaming across the Pacific Ocean. Rainfall totals between tomorrow and the middle of next week may reach five inches in the valley and six plus inches in the surrounding foothills. There is also a probability that additional storms may impact our area next week, although computer models are not in agreement as to the intensity and timing of the storms. However, if these storms do hit, additional flooding problems may occur. Keep checking back for updates. For now, here's what the National Weather Service is saying for Chico:

Tonight: A slight chance of sprinkles between 10pm and 4am, then rain after 4am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 38. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Friday: Rain. High near 50. Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Friday Night: Rain. The rain could be heavy at times. Low around 43. Southeast wind 6 to 9 mph increasing to between 18 and 21 mph. Winds could gust as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Saturday: Rain. The rain could be heavy at times. High near 55. Breezy, with a south wind between 18 and 26 mph, with gusts as high as 37 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Saturday Night: Rain. The rain could be heavy at times. Low around 44. South southeast wind between 13 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Sunday: Rain. The rain could be heavy at times. High near 54. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Sunday Night: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 42. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Monday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 53.

Monday Night: Rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43.

Tuesday: Rain. Cloudy, with a high near 52.

Tuesday Night: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Wednesday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 54.

Wednesday Night: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 43.

Thursday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 53.

UPDATE: WINTER STORM WATCH UPGRADED TO WARNING

From the National Weather Service:

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A WINTER
STORM WARNING ABOVE 4500 FEET FOR HEAVY SNOW AND GUSTY WINDS...WHICH
IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM FRIDAY TO 10 PM PST SUNDAY. THE WINTER
STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 2 TO 4 FEET OF SNOW OVER THE HIGHER
ELEVATIONS OF WESTERN PLUMAS COUNTY AND LASSEN PARK FROM FRIDAY
THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

* ELEVATION: ABOVE 4500 FEET

* TIMING: LIGHT PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED FRIDAY WITH HEAVIER
SNOW FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY.

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: CHESTER

* WINDS: SOUTHWEST 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS OCCASIONALLY UP TO
40 TO 50 MPH...LOCALLY UP TO 65 MPH OVER THE LASSEN PARK
AREA.

* IMPACTS: CHAIN CONTROLS OR CLOSURES HIGHWAYS 89 AND 36.

more details on potential stormy weather

This update gives more specific info regarding rainfall amounts for the valley and foothills. From the National Weather Service in Sacramento:

STORMY WEATHER HEADED FOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THIS WEEKEND AND
INTO NEXT WEEK...

A LARGE WEATHER SYSTEM DROPPING OUT OF THE GULF OF ALASKA WILL
BRING RAIN...WIND AND LARGE AMOUNTS OF MOUNTAIN SNOW TO NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA BEGINNING FRIDAY...AND LASTING THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND
INTO NEXT WEEK.

PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW SHOULD BEGIN FRIDAY NIGHT
AND SATURDAY. NEARLY CONTINUOUS RAIN AND SNOW IS EXPECTED THROUGH
THE WEEKEND...WITH MORE PERIODS OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION EXPECTED
EARLY NEXT WEEK.

THE CENTRAL VALLEY COULD SEE 2 TO 5 INCHES OF RAINFALL FROM FRIDAY
INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...WITH RAINFALL AMOUNTS EXCEEDING 6 INCHES IN
THE FOOTHILLS. AT THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS...NEW SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS
OF SEVERAL FEET ARE POSSIBLE. SNOW LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO BE
FAIRLY TYPICAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR VARYING BETWEEN 4000 AND 6000
FEET. THIS PUTS SNOW LEVELS BELOW THE MAJOR PASS LEVELS AND TRAVEL
DIFFICULTIES THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY BECOME A
FACTOR AS HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OCCUR. GUSTY WINDS WILL BRING
BLOWING SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES AS WELL.

AT THE LOWER ELEVATIONS...LEAF FALL AND CLOGGED STORM DRAINS STILL
REMAIN A PROBLEM THIS SEASON AND WILL LIKELY CAUSE LOCALIZED
STREET FLOODING DURING PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN.

THE WET PATTERN MAY CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF NEXT WEEK.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIANS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF
VERY WET WEATHER BEGINNING THIS FRIDAY. IF TRAVELING...ESPECIALLY
THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS...BE SURE AND CHECK THE LATEST WEATHER
AND ROAD CONDITIONS BEFORE DEPARTURE AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS
DEVELOPING STORM SYSTEM.

storms coming, bringing wet and snowy conditions

STORMY WEATHER HEADED FOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THIS WEEKEND INTO
EARLY NEXT WEEK...

A LARGE WEATHER SYSTEM DROPPING OUT OF THE GULF OF ALASKA WILL
BRING RAIN...WIND AND LARGE AMOUNTS OF MOUNTAIN SNOW TO NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK. THE
FIRST DISTURBANCE TO MOVE INTO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WILL BRING RAIN
AND MOUNTAIN SNOW BY FRIDAY. PRECIPITATION WILL START OUT FAIRLY
LIGHT BUT THEN INCREASE IN INTENSITY. PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN AND
MOUNTAIN SNOW WILL DEVELOP BY LATE FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. RAIN
AND SNOW ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN NEARLY CONTINUOUS THROUGH THE
WEEKEND WITH MORE PERIODS OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION EXPECTED EARLY
NEXT WEEK.

JUST HOW MUCH RAIN AND SNOW WILL FALL THIS WEEKEND IS STILL
UNCLEAR...BUT IF CURRENT FORECAST PROJECTIONS ARE ON TRACK...THE
CENTRAL VALLEY COULD SEE OVER 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL WHILE THE
FOOTHILLS COULD SEE SEVERAL INCHES OF RAINFALL. AT THE HIGHER
ELEVATIONS...NEW SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF SEVERAL FEET WILL BE
POSSIBLE. SNOW LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO BE FAIRLY TYPICAL FOR THIS
TIME OF YEAR VARYING BETWEEN 4000 AND 6000 FEET. THIS PUTS SNOW
LEVELS BELOW THE MAJOR PASS LEVELS AND TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES THROUGH
THE MOUNTAINS WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY BECOME A FACTOR AS HEAVY SNOW
ACCUMULATIONS OCCUR. GUSTY WINDS WILL BRING BLOWING SNOW AND
REDUCED VISIBILITIES AS WELL.

AT THE LOWER ELEVATIONS...LEAF FALL AND CLOGGED STORM DRAINS STILL
REMAIN A PROBLEM THIS SEASON AND WILL LIKELY CAUSE LOCALIZED
STREET FLOODING DURING PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN.

MORE RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW IS EXPECTED INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK AND
THIS WET PATTERN MAY CONTINUE THROUGH NEXT WEEK AS WELL.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIANS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF
VERY WET WEATHER BEGINNING THIS FRIDAY. IF TRAVELING...ESPECIALLY
THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS...BE SURE AND CHECK THE LATEST WEATHER
AND ROAD CONDITIONS BEFORE DEPARTURE AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS
DEVELOPING STORM SYSTEM.

wet pattern setting up

After a couple of dry but foggy days in the Sacramento Valley and surrounding mountains, a wetter pattern looks like it's setting up in our region. Look for the first storm to impact us early tomorrow morning. It's a fast mover, though, and should exit our area by tomorrow night. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for the Sierra Nevada mountains above 5000 feet beginning at 4 am tomorrow and ending at 10 pm tomorrow night. Eight to twelve inches of snow are possible above that elevation. There will be a brief lull in the activity Wednesday and Thursday, with sunny skies and mild temperatures. However, a series of storms are lined up out in the Pacific Ocean waiting to come onshore by late in the week. We could be looking at a multiple day precipitation event, with heavy rain in the valley and heavy snow in the mountains. It's too early to tell how much precip we'll get and how severe the impacts of these storms will be. Check back over the next several days and I'll have more updated info. For now, here's what the National Weather Service is saying for Chico:

Tonight: Rain likely, mainly after 10pm. Cloudy, with a low around 50. Southeast wind between 5 and 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Tuesday: Rain. High near 55. South southeast wind between 10 and 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Tuesday Night: Showers likely, mainly before 10pm. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 39. South wind around 6 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 53. Light northwest wind.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 35.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54.

Thursday Night: A chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 39.

Friday: Rain. Cloudy, with a high near 50.

Friday Night: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 43.

Saturday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 55.

Saturday Night: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 43.

Sunday: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54.

Sunday Night: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.

Monday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55.

Climate Normals for December 13th:

Average High: 55 degrees
Average Low: 35 degrees
Sunset: 4:43 pm
Sunrise: 7:21 am

Dense Fog Advisory in effect

The National Weather Service In Sacramento Has Issued A Dense Fog
Advisory...Which Is In Effect Until 3 AM PST Monday For The
Northern Sacramento Valley.

• Visibility: Less Than A Quarter Mile.

• Timing: Patchy Dense Fog Has Formed Over Parts Of The Northern
Sacramento Valley. Areas Of Poor Visibilities Can Be Expected
Through The Evening Hours. Visibilities May Improve After
Midnight.

• Locations Include: Redding

• Impacts: Rapid Decreases In Visibility Can Make Driving
Difficult...If Not Dangerous. Areas Along Open Fields Or
Waterways May Experience Sudden Reductions In Visibility.
Motorists Are Also Urged To Use Caution.

Precautionary/Preparedness Actions...

A Dense Fog Advisory Means Visibilities Will Frequently Be
Reduced To Less Than One Quarter Mile. If Driving...Slow Down...
Use Low Beam Headlights...And Leave Plenty Of Distance Between You
And The Car Ahead Of You.

spring in December

It was a warm day in Chico today, as the mercury climbed to 68 degrees. There was some patchy morning fog to start the day, but the fog slowly burned off by late morning, and the rest of the day saw milky, hazy sunshine. Expect similar conditions tomorrow before this high pressure system makes way for some unsettled conditions early in the week. It'll be rainy and/or showery Tuesday through next weekend, with near seasonable temps. Here are the specifics from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.

Sunday: Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 66. Light and variable wind.

Sunday Night: Areas of fog after 10pm. Otherwise, increasing clouds, with a low around 48. Calm wind.

Monday: A 10 percent chance of rain after 4pm. Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 62. Calm wind becoming south southeast between 4 and 7 mph.

Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly after 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. South southeast wind between 7 and 10 mph.

Tuesday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 56. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37.

Wednesday: A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 55.

Wednesday Night: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37.

Thursday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56.

Thursday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Friday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 51.

Friday Night: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Saturday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54.

Climate Normals for December 11th:

Average High: 55 degrees
Average Low: 35 degrees
Sunrise: 7:19 am
Sunset: 4:43 pm

fog, rain, sun

We've got a mixed bag of weather in the forecast the next seven days. First, a quick summary of the past 24 hours. It has been mild but somewhat wet in Chico the past day or so, with total precip amounting to .45" and a high temperature today of 60 degrees (normal high for this date is 55 degrees). It was breezy at times, but no really strong winds- mainly in the 10-20 mph range. The weekend should be nice overall, with foggy mornings and sunny afternoons both Saturday and Sunday. The next potential storm comes in around Tuesday and lingers into next Thursday. Of course, this is preliminary and could change. Also, to get you into the holiday spirit (if you're not already), Chico Community Ballet presents The Nutcracker at Laxson Auditorium on the Chico State campus. Shows run nightly beginning at 7:30 tonight through Saturday, with afternoon matinees Saturday and Sunday. Take the family and enjoy this holiday classic. For more info on other events happening in Chico this weekend, check out the Chico News and Review's website via the link to the right. Here's the specific seven day forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Isolated showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Southeast wind between 3 and 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61. South southeast wind around 10 mph.

Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. Light east southeast wind.

Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 65. Southeast wind between 5 and 8 mph.

Saturday Night: Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 47.

Sunday: Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 67.

Sunday Night: Areas of fog after 10pm. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 43.

Monday: Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 63.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 42.

Tuesday: A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 57.

Tuesday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42.

Wednesday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54.

Wednesday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37.

Thursday: A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 54.

more soggy weather

Today was beautiful in Chico, with mainly sunny skies and temps climbing into the lower to mid 60s. The clouds began rolling in late this afternoon, however, ahead of another Pacific storm system that will move in overnight tonight and linger tomorrow. The rain may be moderate to heavy at times tomorrow, and it also could be breezy, so be prepared. This is a warm storm, so no winter weather warnings for the mountains- just a Winter Weather Advisory for accumulations of around 5-10 inches above 4000 feet. Showers linger Thursday and Friday before we have a gorgeous weekend. Sunshine and temps in the low to mid 60s (much like today) will dominate our weekend weather. Here is the latest forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Rain likely, mainly after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Southeast wind between 5 and 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Wednesday: Rain. High near 57. Southeast wind around 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Wednesday Night: Showers, mainly before 10pm. Low around 45. Southeast wind between 10 and 13 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60. Calm wind becoming south southeast between 4 and 7 mph.

Thursday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. Southeast wind between 4 and 7 mph becoming calm.

Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 44.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 65.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44.

Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 59.

mild and wet storm

Chico received 1.34 inches of rain between yesterday afternoon and this morning. That's a lot of rain! Winds gusted up to 30 mph, as well, so this was a fairly potent storm. It was also a very mild storm, with temps at the time of the rainfall event hovering in the mid 50s. The sun came out late this morning and that pushed temps into the lower 60s by this afternoon. We have another fairly potent storm winding up in the Pacific, and that will affect our weather by the middle of the week. It should be out of here by late in the week, and then the sunshine will return for the weekend. Temps will also warm back up this weekend, with forecast highs expected to be over 10 degrees above normal. It'll feel more like late March than early December. Merry Christmas, indeed. Here's the latest forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 44. East northeast wind between 3 and 5 mph.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. North northwest wind between 3 and 7 mph.

Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of rain after 10pm. Increasing clouds, with a low around 49. Southeast wind between 6 and 11 mph.

Wednesday: Rain. High near 56. Southeast wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Wednesday Night: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Thursday: A 50 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 58.

Thursday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Friday: A slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 61.

Friday Night: Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Saturday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 61.

Saturday Night: Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Sunday: Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 65.

update on the storm rolling through

From the National Weather Service:

A VIGOROUS COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA AFTER 10 PM TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE UNSTABLE AIR MASS ALONG AND BEHIND THE FRONT. THUNDERSTORMS MAY CONTAIN BRIEF HEAVY RAIN... SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH. THE FRONT WILL MOVE QUICKLY... AND SHOULD BE EAST OF THE AREA BY 4 AM.

REMAIN ALERT TO THE POSSIBILITY OF HEAVY RAIN COMBINING WITH FALLEN LEAVES THAT CREATE NUISANCE TYPE PONDING OF WATER IN LOW LYING AREAS TONIGHT. DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH STANDING WATER. PROTECT OUTDOOR ITEMS FROM GUSTY WINDS IF POSSIBLE.

Chico has already received some heavy rain showers this evening, amounting to nearly an inch of rain. Most of the rain will be out of here sometime after midnight.

wet, but not so windy

It looks like this big storm the National Weather Service was hyping the past few days won't be as big and bad as previously thought. It does look like rain is a (danger- oxymoron ahead) definite possibility, but not so much the wind, at least in the valley. The Sierras could still see some wind gusts to around 30-40 mph, but nothing extreme. Temperatures, for the most part, will be seasonable- mainly 50s for highs and 40s for lows. Again, those temps are for Chico- it'll obviously be colder in the mountains, where snowfall of up to 8 inches is likely above 5000 feet between tonight and tomorrow afternoon. For the bulk of today, there will be some off-and-on showers, but the heavier rain holds off until later tonight. Another storm moves through Wednesday and into Thursday. This second storm doesn't look too ferocious, either. Oh, I forgot to mention the Community Tree Lighting celebration this past Friday evening at the Downtown Plaza. If you were like me and missed it, don't worry. The Christmas Tree at the Plaza will be lit up every night through Christmas. When the weather is nice, and if you happen to be downtown in the evening, go check it out. Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the NWS:

Today: A 50 percent chance of showers. Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 56. Northeast wind between 3 and 9 mph.

Tonight: Rain, with thunderstorms also possible after 10pm. Low around 44. East wind 6 to 8 mph becoming south. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54. South southeast wind between 9 and 13 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. South southeast wind at 7 mph becoming north northeast.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53. North wind around 6 mph becoming east southeast.

Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 41.

Wednesday: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 55. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Wednesday Night: A chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 46.

Thursday: A chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 59.

Thursday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48.

Friday: A slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 62.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 61.

Climate Normals for December 5th:

Average High Temperature: 56 degrees
Average Low Temperature: 36 degrees
Sunrise: 7:13 am
Sunset: 4:43 pm

stormy weather

I know I could put this in my own words, but the National Weather Service makes it sound so... sexy!

MORE STORMY WEATHER ON THE WAY SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT...

MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE TO STREAM ACROSS THE REGION THIS WEEKEND. LIGHT
VALLEY RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW SHOWERS ARE POSSIBLE TONIGHT AND
SATURDAY. GUSTY WINDS WILL DEVELOP SATURDAY NIGHT AHEAD OF A
STRONGER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM...WHICH WILL ARRIVE LATE SUNDAY.
THIS SYSTEM WILL PROVIDE PERIODS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN SUNDAY
AND SUNDAY NIGHT...ALONG WITH GUSTY SOUTH WINDS. WIND AND RAIN MAY
COMBINE WITH FALLEN LEAVES TO CREATE MINOR...NUISANCE TYPE
PONDING OF WATER IN LOW LYING AREAS. THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

THE MOUNTAINS ABOVE 5000 FEET MAY GET ANOTHER ROUND OF HEAVY SNOW
SUNDAY NIGHT. STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS MAY CREATE REDUCED VISIBILITY
IN SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW LATE SUNDAY. PRECIPITATION WILL TAPER OFF
TO SCATTERED SHOWERS EARLY MONDAY MORNING. WINTER TRAVELING
CONDITIONS MAY PERSIST IN THE MOUNTAINS INTO LATE MONDAY MORNING.

CONTINUE TO MONITOR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTS FOR UPDATES
ON THIS DEVELOPING STORM.

Chico received .48" of rain today. It's been a murky, gray day today, with the high temperature only reaching 53 degrees. As the NWS said above, expect more wet and windy weather over the next 48 hours, as a strong impluse moves in from the Pacific. There's a chance of rain nearly every day for the next 7 days, so your plans may have to be indoors. Oh well, this weather will give you the chance to decorate the house for Christmas! Here is the specific seven day forecast for Chico from (who else?) the National Weather Service:

Tonight: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42. Northwest wind between 3 and 7 mph.

Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 51. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Saturday Night: Rain likely, mainly after 10pm. Cloudy, with a low around 42. East northeast wind between 3 and 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Sunday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 51. Southeast wind between 6 and 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Sunday Night: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.

Tuesday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57.

Tuesday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42.

Wednesday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 52.

Wednesday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42.

Thursday: A slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 54.

Thursday Night: A slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.

Friday: A slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 54.

Climate Normals for December 3rd:
Average High: 57 degrees
Average Low: 36 degrees
Sunset this evening: 4:43 pm
Sunrise tomorrow: 7:12 am

where's the rain?

Where's the rain? You may be wondering that (and you're not alone; I've had two people ask me that today); it's on its way- mainly overnight tonight through tomorrow. There are no Special Weather Statements or weather warnings out currently, so I'm assuming this storm is fairly benign. Other than some light rain, I don't see much wind or heavy snow happening the next couple of days. Temps will be fairly seasonable, with highs in the mid 50s and lows in the upper 30s/ lower 40s. The weather for this weekend looks rather uncertain at this point; I'd keep any outdoor plans, but have a Plan B just in case. Here are the details for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Rain, mainly after 4am. Low around 44. North wind around 6 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Thursday: Rain, mainly before 10am. High near 54. Calm wind becoming east southeast between 4 and 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Thursday Night: Rain likely, mainly after 10pm. Cloudy, with a low around 43. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56. Light north northwest wind.

Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43.

Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55.

Saturday Night: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43.

Sunday: A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 54.

Sunday Night: A slight chance of rain. Partly cloudy, with a low around 39.

Monday: A chance of rain. Mostly sunny, with a high near 53.

Monday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.

Tuesday: A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 50.

Climate Normals for December 1st:

Average High: 57 degrees
Average Low: 37 degrees
Actual High Today: 56 degrees
Actual Low Today: 36 degrees
Sunset this evening: 4:43 pm
Sunrise tomorrow: 7:05 am

wet weather likely this week

It looks like Chico will see some rainy weather this week as a couple of storms move in from the Pacific. These storms shouldn't be as cold as the last few storms, so snow should be confined to higher elevations. Speaking of cold, it sure was in Chico this morning! The low temperature made it down to 26 degrees, and the high so far today has been 52 degrees. Temps should remain below normal the rest of the week as the rain sticks around through the end of the week. We should eek out one more sunny but chilly day tomorrow. Here are the details from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Patchy frost after 1am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 30. North northwest wind at 7 mph becoming east northeast.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 52. Light north northwest wind.

Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of rain after 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. Light east southeast wind.

Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53. Calm wind.

Wednesday Night: A 50 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 40. North northwest wind between 3 and 5 mph.

Thursday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 52. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Thursday Night: A 40 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42.

Friday: A chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 50.

Friday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Saturday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 51.

Saturday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37.

Sunday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 50.

Sunday Night: Patchy fog. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 38.

Monday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 51.

Climate Normals for November 29th:

Average High: 58 degrees
Average Low: 37 degrees
Sunset this evening: 4:44 pm
Sunrise tomorrow: 7:08 am

foggy this morning

From the National Weather Service in Sacramento:

DENSE FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM PST THIS MORNING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A DENSE FOG
ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR
PORTIONS OF THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY...NORTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
AND MOTHERLODE.


* VISIBILITY: LOCAL VISIBILITIES LESS THAN ONE-QUARTER MILE.

* TIMING: PATCHY DENSE FOG HAS FORMED OVERNIGHT AND IS FORECAST TO
LAST THROUGH MUCH OF THE MORNING.

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: CHICO...PLACERVILLE...STOCKTON...MODESTO...
SACRAMENTO...GALT AND LODI.

* IMPACTS: SUDDEN DROPS IN VISIBILITY CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT...
IF NOT DANGEROUS.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A DENSE FOG ADVISORY MEANS VISIBILITIES WILL FREQUENTLY BE
REDUCED TO LESS THAN ONE QUARTER MILE. IF DRIVING...SLOW DOWN...
USE YOUR HEADLIGHTS...AND LEAVE PLENTY OF DISTANCE AHEAD OF YOU.

Interestingly, it's sunny at my house, located eight miles east of Chico in the Sierra Nevada foothills. From my house the fog looks like a sea of white cotton candy with the snow-capped Coastal Range poking through on the west side of the valley. With this geographical diversity, you will see several different microclimates.

wet early, sunshine Sunday

There's good news and bad news for the weather this weekend: It looks like today is a washout (mainly early in the day, but thundershowers could pop up this afternoon), while tomorrow (Sunday) looks cool but beautiful. Currently there are scattered showers about, with temps hovering in the lower 40s. Showers should taper off sometime after 9 am this morning, followed by periods of sun and clouds for late this morning into this afternoon. As the cold core of the low pressure system moves over us later this afternoon, expect instability thundershowers to develop. Not everyone will see these showers, but plan for them just in case. A Winter Weather Advisory is posted until 4 am tomorrow for the Sierra above 2500 feet, with 4-8 inches of snow expected. Plan for this if you want to cut down a Christmas tree this weekend. Another storm is expected later this upcoming week. Here are the specifics from the National Weather Service:

Today: Showers before 10am, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm between 10am and 4pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4pm. Some of the storms could produce small hail. High near 50. South southeast wind between 10 and 17 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Tonight: A 50 percent chance of showers, mainly before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. North northeast wind around 5 mph.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 52. Light and variable wind.

Sunday Night: Areas of frost after 4am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 28. North northeast wind around 6 mph.

Monday: Areas of frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 55. North wind around 6 mph.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 36.

Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 55.

Tuesday Night: A slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Wednesday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56.

Wednesday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42.

Thursday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54.

Thursday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Friday: A slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 52.

Climate Normals for November 27th:

Average High: 58 degrees
Average Low: 38 degrees
Sunrise: 7:05 am
Sunset: 4:44 pm

it's cold!

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone made it safely to their destination, and enjoy your time with family and friends today. It is cold in Chico! Right now it's 27 degrees, and a Freeze Warning is currently in effect until 10 am this morning. Another Freeze Warning will be in effect from midnight tonight until 10 am tomorrow morning (Friday). Tonight's Freeze Warning will be the third in as many nights as cold high pressure has been parked over the western U.S. A fairly potent but quick-moving storm will invade the area tomorrow night, bringing with it rain for the valley and more snow for the mountains. Snow levels in the Sierra won't be as low with this storm as the last one- mainly around 3000 feet. Six to twelve inches of snow are possible with this next system for elevations above 3000 feet in the Sierra, while a quarter to half an inch of rain is expected in the valley (including Chico). Again, enjoy the holiday, and stay warm! Here's the detailed seven day forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Thanksgiving Day: Areas of frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 56. Northwest wind around 6 mph.

Tonight: Areas of frost after 10pm. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 30. East wind around 6 mph.

Friday: Areas of frost before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 55. Light and variable wind.

Friday Night: A 50 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. Calm wind.

Saturday: Rain. High near 51. Southeast wind between 7 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 50.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 35.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54.

Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 56.

Climate Normals for November 25th:

Average High: 59 degrees
Average Low: 38 degrees
Sunrise: 7:03 am
Sunset: 4:45 pm

bitterly cold tonight and tomorrow night

The sun is setting as I type this blog entry, leading into a bitterly cold night tonight. A Freeze Warning is in effect beginning at midnight tonight and ending at 10 am tomorrow. The Freeze Warning will resume tomorrow night into Thanksgiving morning. If you have any tender vegetation, cover them now. Wrap exposed pipes to keep them from freezing and bursting, and bring in the pets. Today itself was chilly and blustery, with winds early this morning out of the southeast (before the cold front went through), then turning to the northwest. Winds have gusted today to over 30 mph, knocking the leaves from the trees and blowing vehicles around on the roads. The high today in Chico was only 53 degrees. Some of you in other, colder areas of the country may think 53 degrees is downright balmy, but it's fairly chilly here for this time of year. In fact, tonight's forecast low in Chico is colder than we see in the depths of January! Chico's average first frost is around November 11th, so we're a little behind schedule, but Mother Nature is overcompensating just a bit! Here are the cold details for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 20. North wind between 13 and 16 mph becoming light. Winds could gust as high as 23 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 44. North northwest wind between 3 and 7 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 24. North northeast wind between 3 and 6 mph.

Thanksgiving Day: Sunny, with a high near 49. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Thursday Night: Areas of frost after 10pm. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 27. Light east wind.

Friday: Areas of frost before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 53.

Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38.

Saturday: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 52.

Saturday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38.

Sunday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 51.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 33.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 52.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 33.

Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 54.

Climate Normals for November 23rd:

Average High: 60 degrees
Average Low: 39 degrees
Sunset This Evening: 4:46 pm
Sunrise Tomorrow: 7:02 am

coldest air of the season on its way

From the National Weather Service in Sacramento:

FREEZE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH
THURSDAY MORNING...

A FREEZE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH
THURSDAY MORNING FOR THE INTERIOR CENTRAL VALLEY OF NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA...INCLUDING THE CARQUINEZ STRAIT AND DELTA.

* TEMPERATURES: OVERNIGHT MINIMUM TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO
RANGE FROM THE UPPER TEENS IN THE COLDEST OUTLYING AREAS TO THE
MID TO UPPER 20S IN URBAN LOCATIONS. DURATIONS BELOW FREEZING OF
UP TO 8 HOURS OR MORE WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE COLDEST AREAS.

* TIMING: LATE TUESDAY NIGHT AND EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING...AND
AGAIN LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND EARLY THURSDAY MORNING.

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY...DELTA AND NORTHERN
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY INCLUDING REDDING...CHICO...MARYSVILLE AND
YUBA CITY...SACRAMENTO...VACAVILLE AND FAIRFIELD...STOCKTON AND
MODESTO. COLDEST READINGS WILL BE IN THE OUTLYING AREAS
GENERALLY ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF THE VALLEY. RECORD OR NEAR
RECORD MINIMUM TEMPERATURES ARE POSSIBLE AT MANY LOCATIONS.

* IMPACTS: DAMAGE TO UNPROTECTED OUTDOOR PIPING WILL BE POSSIBLE.
TEMPERATURES AT OR BELOW 28 DEGREES CAN DAMAGE RIPENING CITRUS.
TEMPERATURES AT OR BELOW THE MID 20S THIS TIME OF THE YEAR CAN
DAMAGE NUT TREES...ESPECIALLY WALNUTS...SINCE THE TREES HAVE NOT
YET HARDENED FOR THE WINTER.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FREEZE WATCH MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE POSSIBLE.
THESE CONDITIONS COULD KILL CROPS AND OTHER SENSITIVE VEGETATION.
PROTECTIVE MEASURES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.

first major winter storm of the season

Well, Northern California has now had its first big winter storm of the 2010/2011 fall/winter season. Chico received over an inch and a quarter of rain, while the nearby Sierra Nevada foothills and mountains have already received anywhere from 5-15 inches of snow! But, it's not quite over yet. Another storm (though not as big as the one last night) will rush down from Canada, bringing cold rain showers to the valley and more mountain snow later today and into tomorrow. There's still a Winter Storm Warning in effect for the Sierra Nevada mountains through tomorrow morning for an additional 6-12 inches of snow above 2000', while two to three feet of additional snow is expected above 5000'. Even the Coast Range, west of Chico, got pasted with snow. As I type this, I'm looking out the window (which faces west across the Sacramento Valley towards the Coast Range) and I see lots of snow covering the Coast Range mountains. After all of this rain and snow leave around Tuesday, we'll be left with some very cold temperatures for the rest of the week. Turkey Day looks to be the coldest day of the week, with high temps in Chico only around the upper 40s to 50 degrees and lows in the upper 20s to lower 30s. At least the sun will be shining! Also, don't forget the annual Downtown Christmas Preview is happening in downtown Chico this evening from 4-8 pm. It's a very festive event that allows shoppers to get some great deals while strolling around downtown enjoying holiday carolers, horse-drawn carriage rides, and a visit from Santa himself! The weather should get you in the holiday spirit, as it will be chilly and somewhat damp. Temps should be in the low to mid 40s with scattered light rain showers during the event. Dress warmly, sip some hot cider, and enjoy the Christmas lights and sights! Here's the latest forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Today: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 49. South southeast wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tonight: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a low around 36. Southeast wind between 8 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 50. Southeast wind between 9 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Monday Night: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. South wind between 11 and 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 47. Light wind becoming north northwest between 13 and 16 mph.

Tuesday Night: Areas of frost after 10pm. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 33.

Wednesday: Areas of frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 49.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 30.

Thanksgiving Day: Sunny, with a high near 52.

Thursday Night: Areas of frost after midnight. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 34.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 54.

Friday Night: Patchy frost after 1am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 36.

Saturday: A slight chance of rain. Patchy frost before 7am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 55.

wind advisory in effect

I'm a little late posting this; the Wind Advisory was put into effect at 11:30 this morning. I've been busy running errands. Anyway, here are the details from the NWS:

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A WIND
ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM PST THIS EVENING.

* WINDS: SOUTHERLY WINDS INCREASING TO 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 30
TO 40 MPH.

* TIMING: SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH THIS
AFTERNOON...AND 20 TO 30 MPH BY LATE AFTERNOON. GUSTS TO 40 MPH
ARE POSSIBLE AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THIS EVENING. WINDS WILL
SUBSIDE AFTER 9 PM BEHIND THE COLD FRONT.

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: CHICO...YUBA
CITY...MARYSVILLE...SACRAMENTO...STOCKTON...MODESTO.

* IMPACTS: DRIVING MAY BE DIFFICULT FOR SMALL CARS AND HIGH
PROFILE VEHICLES. UNSECURED OBJECTS MAY BE BLOWN AROUND.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT WINDS OF 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH
OR HIGHER ARE EXPECTED. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING
DIFFICULT. USE EXTRA CAUTION.

latest update on the winter storm

AFTER A BRIEF PAUSE BETWEEN SYSTEMS THIS MORNING...AN UPPER LEVEL
LOW WILL APPROACH AND MOVE INTO THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND
SUNDAY BRINGING COLDER AIR AND ADDITIONAL PRECIPITATION. THE
COLDER AIR WILL BRING INSTABILITY FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON INTO SUNDAY. SNOW LEVELS OVER THE REGION
HAVE DROPPED TO AROUND 2000 TO 3000 FEET AND WILL DROP FURTHER
TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING TO AROUND 1000 TO 2000 FEET.

THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING MODERATE TO HEAVY AMOUNTS OF RAINFALL TO
THE CENTRAL VALLEY. RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE 1 TO 2
INCHES IN THE VALLEY AND 2 TO 3 INCHES IN THE FOOTHILLS WITH THE
MAJORITY OF THE PRECIPITATION FALLING THIS WEEKEND. LOCAL FLOODING
FROM CLOGGED DRAINS IS POSSIBLE.

THIS STORM SYSTEM WILL ALSO BRING WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH OVER
THE OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA AND
SOUTHERN CASCADES. WINDS GUSTING TO 40 MILES ARE EXPECTED OVER
THE NORTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING.

THIS VERY COLD LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL ALSO BRING COLD TEMPERATURES
TO THE REGION THIS WEEKEND. WITH DAYTIME TEMPERATURES ONLY WARMING
INTO THE MID 40S TO LOWER 50S FOR DAYTIME HIGHS IN THE CENTRAL
VALLEY AND MAINLY IN THE 20S AND 30S FOR THE MOUNTAINS. EVEN
COLDER WEATHER WITH FREEZE AND FROST DANGER ARE POSSIBLE NEXT
WEEK.

RESIDENTS OF THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILL ELEVATIONS...AND ANYONE
PLANNING TRAVEL TO THE MOUNTAINS THIS WEEKEND SHOULD MONITOR THE
LATEST WEATHER FORECASTS AND PREPARE FOR HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS THIS WEEKEND. CARRY CHAINS AND BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE
DELAYS AND THE COLD WINTRY WEATHER.

latest info on the cold winter storm

From the National Weather Service in Sacramento:

COLD AND WET WEATHER IS EXPECTED FOR INTERIOR NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA THROUGH AT LEAST MONDAY...

PRECIPITATION HAS STARTED ACROSS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THIS
AFTERNOON AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH AT LEAST MONDAY AS A COLD
UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM AFFECTS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. A COLD FRONT JUST
NORTH OF THE INTERSTATE 80 CORRIDOR WILL GRADUALLY MOVES SOUTH
OVER THE AREA TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING. SNOW LEVELS WILL
BEGIN AROUND 3000 TO 5000 FEET LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND DROP TO
AROUND AROUND 2000 TO 3500 FEET BY SATURDAY MORNING AS THE COLD
AIR MASS BEGINS TO ENTER NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA SATURDAY AFTERNOON INTO
SUNDAY BRINGING COLDER AIR AND ADDITIONAL PRECIPITATION. THE
COLDER AIR WILL BRING INSTABILITY FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY AFTERNOON INTO SUNDAY. SNOW LEVELS WILL
DROP FURTHER SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING TO AROUND 1000 TO
2000 FEET.

THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING MODERATE TO HEAVY AMOUNTS OF RAINFALL TO
THE CENTRAL VALLEY AND HEAVY SNOW AND LOW SNOW LEVELS TO THE
FOOTHILLS AND MOUNTAINS. THIS STORM SYSTEM WILL ALSO BRING WIND
GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH OVER THE OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE
NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA AND SOUTHERN CASCADES. THIS VERY COLD LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL ALSO BRING VERY COLD TEMPERATURES TO THE
REGION THIS WEEKEND WITH DAYTIME TEMPERATURES ONLY WARMING INTO
THE MID 40S TO LOWER 50S FOR DAYTIME HIGHS IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY
AND MAINLY IN THE 20S AND 30S FOR THE MOUNTAINS.

RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE 1 TO 2 INCHES IN THE VALLEY
AND 2 TO 3 INCHES IN THE FOOTHILLS WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE
PRECIPTIATION FALLING THIS WEEKEND.

RESIDENTS OF THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILL ELEVATIONS...AND ANYONE
PLANNING TRAVEL TO THE MOUNTAINS THIS WEEKEND SHOULD MONITOR THE
LATEST WEATHER FORECASTS AND PREPARE FOR HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS THIS WEEKEND. CARRY CHAINS AND BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE
DELAYS AND THE COLD WINTRY WEATHER.

There is a possibility that some parts of Paradise may see five inches of snow! That's a lot of snow for that area for this time of year. Be careful if traveling to the mountains this weekend, and pack a winter survival kit. Make sure you have tire chains, as they will most likely be needed. All of this wintry mess should move east by early next week, but the cold air will linger. Highs Monday through next Friday are only expected to range from the mid 40s to mid 50s in the valley, with 20s and 30s for highs in the mountains. Low temps in Chico are forecast to fall to right around freezing (32 degrees). I guess this weather should get everyone into the holiday spirit!

major winter storm coming

A Special Weather Statement from the National Weather Service Sacramento office:

COLD AND WET WEATHER IS EXPECTED FOR INTERIOR NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA THROUGH THIS WEEKEND...

A FRONT AHEAD OF A VERY COLD LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE OVER
THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE AREA TONIGHT AND DROP SOUTH FRIDAY.
THIS WILL BRING SHOWERS OVER THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE AREA
TONIGHT INTO EARLY FRIDAY AND BRINGING INCREASING CHANCE OF
PRECIPITATION AND SPREADING PRECIPTIATION FARTHER SOUTH DURING THE
DAY FRIDAY. PRECIPITATION WILL BECOME WIDESPREAD FRIDAY NIGHT AND
THIS WEEKEND AS THE MAIN PORTION OF THE SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING MODERATE TO HEAVY
AMOUNTS OF RAINFALL TO THE CENTRAL VALLEY AND HEAVY SNOW AND LOW
SNOW LEVELS TO THE FOOTHILLS AND MOUNTAINS. THIS STORM SYSTEM
WILL ALSO BRING WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH OVER THE OVER THE
HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA AND SOUTHERN
CASCADES.

THIS VERY COLD LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL BRING VERY COLD
TEMPERATURES TO THE REGION THIS WEEKEND WITH DAYTIME TEMPERATURES
ONLY WARMING INTO THE MID 40S TO LOWER 50S FOR DAYTIME HIGHS IN
THE CENTRAL VALLEY AND MAINLY IN THE 20S AND 30S FOR THE
MOUNTAINS.

SNOW LEVELS ARE FORECAST TO LOWER TO AROUND 1500 TO 2500 FEET LATER
SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL OVER THE WEST SLOPES OF THE NORTHERN SIERRA
NEVADA AND OVER THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS WITH A FOOT OR MORE SNOW
ABOVE 4000 FEET AND TWO TO FOUR FEET OF SNOW ABOVE 6000 FEET. FOR
THE FOOTHILLS 3 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOWFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE ABOVE
2000 FEET THIS WEEKEND. SOME LIGHT AMOUNTS OF SNOW MAY EVEN FALL
IN PARTS OF REDDING SUNDAY NIGHT. RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO
BE 1 TO 2 INCHES IN THE VALLEY AND 2 TO 3 INCHES IN THE FOOTHILLS WITH
THE MAJORITY OF THE PRECIPTIATION FALLING THIS WEEKEND.

RESIDENTS OF THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILL ELEVATIONS...AND ANYONE
PLANNING TRAVEL TO THE MOUNTAINS THIS WEEKEND SHOULD MONITOR THE
LATEST WEATHER FORECASTS AND PREPARE FOR HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS THIS WEEKEND. CARRY CHAINS AND BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE
DELAYS AND THE COLD WINTRY WEATHER.

brrrrr!!!

Very cold air pouring south from Canada will be making its way into Northern California late this week and into the weekend. High temperatures some 10-15 degrees below average, and low temps some 5-10 degrees below average, will be common by this weekend across much of our area. Snow levels could tumble to 2000 feet in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada (that includes parts of Paradise and most of Magalia) Saturday into Sunday. The timing is still not quite accurate, but it looks like a sure bet that we will see some colder than usual weather. In addition, moderate to heavy rain is expected Friday night into Saturday for the valley, while moderate to heavy snow is likely for elevations from 2000 feet and higher. I was reading a special weather bulletin earlier this morning from the National Weather Service (which is mysteriously absent currently on their website), and it stated 6-12" of snow is possible down to 2000'! All I can say is, get ready for potential weather issues for the end of this week. Here's the forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 44. Southeast wind around 9 mph.

Thursday: A 20 percent chance of rain after 10am. Partly sunny, with a high near 64. South southeast wind between 5 and 7 mph.

Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. South southeast wind around 6 mph.

Friday: A 40 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 55. Southeast wind around 6 mph.

Friday Night: Rain. Low around 40. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Saturday: Showers. High near 51. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Saturday Night: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 39. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Sunday: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 50.

Sunday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34.

Monday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 50.

Monday Night: A slight chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 33.

Tuesday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 51.

Climate Normals for November 17th:

Average High: 62 degrees
Average Low: 40 degrees
Sunset this evening: 4:50 pm
Sunrise tomorrow: 6:55 am

changes ahead

It was almost summer-like today in Chico as sunny skies and downsloping northwest winds helped to raise the high temperature to 79 degrees. That's just three degrees shy of the record of 82 degrees for this date. A cooling trend begins tomorrow and accelerates on Thursday and Friday as colder air from Canada sinks southward as a series of weak weather disturbances will push through during and after the cold air settles in. Chico will see temps up to 10-15 degrees below average with some cold rainshowers this weekend. Meanwhile, snow levels in the mountains may drop to around 3000 feet or lower. There probably won't be much accumulation as these storms don't have a lot of moisture to work with. It may be an interesting weather event, nonetheless- stay tuned for updates. For now, here's the latest forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 50. North northwest wind between 7 and 10 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 72. North northwest wind between 6 and 11 mph.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 44. North northwest wind between 5 and 8 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 67. North northeast wind at 6 mph becoming south.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 44. East southeast wind around 8 mph.

Thursday: A 20 percent chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 64.

Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.

Friday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55.

Friday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Saturday: A chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 51.

Saturday Night: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a low around 39.

Sunday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 52.

Sunday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37.

Monday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 50.

Climate Normals for November 15th:

Average High: 63 degrees
Average Low: 40 degrees
Sunset this evening: 4:52 pm
Sunrise tomorrow: 6:53 am

perhaps a colder weather pattern next weekend?

The Wind Advisory wasn't needed after all for today because winds never got stronger than 20 mph. Mainly the winds were out of the north/ northwest around 10-15 mph. But those winds helped to dry the air out and we had a 31 degree temperature difference between our morning low temperature and afternoon high temperature (see unofficial high and low temps below). Temps will continue to be above average for the next few days, as high pressure and continued northerly winds help to warm us up here in the Sacramento Valley. However, it looks like some changes are in store for us by the end of next week and into next weekend. There could be (emphasis on could) a fairly significant cold snap (well, cold for these parts), which could set up some low snow levels for this time of year (maybe 2000 feet?). Plus, there could be a series of storms moving through our area once the colder air is in place. For Chico, that just means some cold rain. For the nearby mountains and foothills, however, there could be some potentially treacherous weather. Check back often for updates, as this is not set in stone. Anyway, for now, here's what the National Weather Service is saying for Chico the next seven days:

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45. North northwest wind between 9 and 13 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 74. North northwest wind between 9 and 16 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51. North northwest wind between 11 and 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 73. North northwest wind between 9 and 13 mph.

Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 48. North northwest wind between 9 and 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 71.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 45.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 67.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 46.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.

Thursday Night: A slight chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Friday: A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 60.

Friday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.

Saturday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54.

Climate Normals for November 13th:

Average High: 64 degrees
Average Low: 41 degrees
Actual High Today: 69 degrees
Actual Low Today: 38 degrees
Sunrise tomorrow: 6:51 am
Sunset tomorrow: 4:52 pm

Wind Advisory for Saturday

From the National Weather Service office in Sacramento:

WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 4 PM PST SATURDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A WIND
ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 4 PM PST SATURDAY FOR
THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY AND THE COASTAL RANGE INCLUDING LAKE COUNTY.


* WINDS: SUSTAINED NORTHERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH. LOCAL GUSTS
OF UP TO 45 MPH ARE POSSIBLE.

* TIMING: WINDS WILL INCREASE EARLY SATURDAY MORNING AND CONTINUE
THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY PRIMARILY ALONG AND
WEST OF INTERSTATE 5 AS WELL AS THE COASTAL RANGE AND LAKE COUNTY.

* IMPACTS: DRIVING MAY BE DIFFICULT...PARTICULARLY WITH GUSTY
CROSSWINDS. UNSECURED OBJECTS MAY BE BLOWN AROUND.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT WINDS GUSTS OF 40 MPH OR GREATER ARE EXPECTED.
WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT...ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH
PROFILE VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION. SECURE LOOSE OUTDOOR OBJECTS.

Happy Veterans Day

Being a fellow veteran myself, I would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to all of those who have served to make our country, and the world, safe. Thank you for your service. Today in Chico has been beautiful weather-wise, with wall-to-wall sunshine and temps in the mid-60s. Gorgeous! This streak of wonderful weather will continue for the next seven days as high pressure remains large and in charge. Northerly winds this weekend will push temps into the mid-70s, about ten degrees above average for this time of year. It'll feel more like April than November. With the barrage of holiday-themed advertisements the past couple of weeks, it's been difficult for me to get into the holiday spirit with all of this nice, spring-like weather! However, the early mornings have been chilly! This morning's low in Chico was 35 degrees! That's not unusual when we have very dry air at the surface. We get this huge temperature diurnal where we start out quite cold and end the day with mild high temperatures. Here's the detailed seven day forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 40. West wind around 6 mph becoming north northeast.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. East northeast wind at 7 mph becoming west northwest.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 41. North northwest wind between 8 and 10 mph.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 69. North northwest wind between 11 and 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. North wind around 7 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 74.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 48.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 71.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 44.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 69.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 66.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45.

Thursday: A slight chance of rain. Mostly sunny, with a high near 62.

Climate Normals for November 11th:

Average high: 65 degrees
Average low: 41 degrees
Sunset this evening: 4:55 pm
Sunrise tomorrow: 6:49 am

nice weather ahead

It's been overcast and quite cool today in Chico, with a high temperature of just 55 degrees. There have been some widely scattered showers this afternoon, and those should continue tonight before tapering off by early tomorrow. The rest of the week looks fantastic, with sunshine and warming temperatures. That's about it- no big storms are on the horizon. Enjoy the beautiful fall weather and the peak of the fall foliage in Chico! Here's the forecast for "The City of Roses" (Chico's semi-official nickname, not to be confused with Portland, Oregon) from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. Southeast wind between 9 and 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 61. Calm wind becoming northwest between 6 and 9 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 38. North wind around 7 mph.

Veterans Day: Sunny, with a high near 64. North northwest wind between 7 and 10 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43. North wind between 6 and 8 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 65.

Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 44.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 68.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 40.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 42.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 72.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 42.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 70.

Climate Normals for November 9th:

Average High Temperature: 66 degrees
Average Low Temperature: 42 degrees
Sunrise tomorrow: 6:46 am
Sunset tomorrow: 4:55 pm

stormy Sunday

From the National Weather Service:

* URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR...
CENTRAL BUTTE COUNTY IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA...
THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...PULGA...PARADISE...OROVILLE...
CHICO...
EXTREME EAST CENTRAL GLENN COUNTY IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA...

* UNTIL 800 PM PST

* AT 500 PM PST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STORMS NEAR
CHICO AND OROVILLE WITH PERSISTENT MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN. THIS
COULD CAUSE URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE ELEVATED LEVELS ON
SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS...AND PONDING OF WATER IN URBAN AREAS...
HIGHWAYS...STREETS AND UNDERPASSES AS WELL AS OTHER POOR DRAINAGE
AREAS AND LOW LYING SPOTS.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE ELEVATED LEVELS ON
SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS...AND PONDING OF WATER ON COUNTRY ROADS AND
FARMLAND ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

There have been some pretty decent thunderboomers (aka thunderstorms)this evening over Chico and Butte County (hence the Urban Flood Advisory). Heavy rain, small hail, thunder and lightning have all been associated with these storms as they move east/northeast. Earlier today we had some steady, moderate rain, giving Chico over three-fourths of an inch. The winds were breezy, but not gusty, generally in the 15-25 mph range. All of this stormy weather will move off to the east throughout the evening, and skies will clear after midnight. Lows tonight will dip into the mid 40s. Highs tomorrow under sunny skies will only rise to the chilly 50s. Lows tomorrow night will drop into the mid 30s! Frost and/or freeze warnings may be posted for early Tuesday morning because of the cold air. On Tuesday the clouds return with highs stuck in the upper 50s, and we'll see a decent chance of showers Tuesday night. It'll remain dry Wednesday through next Sunday, with temps warming up from the lower 60s on Wednesday into the lower 70s by next weekend. So, the weather will improve as the fall foliage peaks in Chico this next week. Have a good week!

latest update on impending storm

From the National Weather Service in Sacramento:

WET AND WINDY WEATHER EXPECTED ON SUNDAY OVER INTERIOR NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA...

* VALLEY RAINFALL AMOUNTS AROUND A HALF INCH TO AN INCH WITH SOME
LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. SOUTHERLY WIND GUSTS FROM 30
TO 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE FOR SEVERAL HOURS DURING THE DAY ON
SUNDAY.

* LOWER ELEVATION MOUNTAIN AND FOOTHILL RAINFALL AMOUNTS
GENERALLY FROM 1 TO 2 INCHES...WITH SOME LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS
POSSIBLE. SNOW LEVELS ABOVE PASSES AND LOWERING TO BELOW 6000
FEET BY SUNDAY EVENING.

* UPPER ELEVATION MOUNTAINS SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 FEET WITH
WINDS GUSTS FROM 40 TO 50 MPH. SEE WINTER WEATHER WARNING FOR
MORE DETAILS.

A STRONG COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS INTERIOR NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA ON SUNDAY...BRINGING RAIN...MOUNTAIN SNOW...AND GUSTY
WINDS TO THE AREA. SINCE MANY TREES ARE JUST NOW LOSING THEIR
LEAVES...GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SOME FALLING TREES OR TREE LIMBS.
PONDING OF WATER IS ALSO POSSIBLE ON ROADS WHERE LEAVES CLOG STORM
DRAINS.

A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT VERY LATE SATURDAY NIGHT
THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT FOR HEAVY SNOW AND GUSTY WINDS IN THE HIGHER
MOUNTAINS OF THE NORTHERN SIERRA AND THE MOUNTAINS OF WESTERN
PLUMAS COUNTY AND LASSEN NATIONAL PARK.

Here's the seven day forecast in a nutshell: a 50% chance of rain tonight, followed by a 100% chance of rain tomorrow. South/ southeast winds will increase tonight to 10-20 mph. Tomorrow's winds will be from the south at speeds of 15-25 mph, with gusts to 30-40 mph. Rain will taper to showers tomorrow evening, then the storm will move to the east. One to two feet of snow are possible in the Sierra Nevada mountains above 5000 feet tomorrow and tomorrow night. It'll dry out for Monday, with another, weaker storm moving through Tuesday and Tuesday night. Wednesday through Friday will be clear, with temps warming up. High temperatures tomorrow will only be in the upper 50s, with lower 60s Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday will see highs in the mid 60s, while Thursday and Friday highs will climb into the lower 70s. If traveling into the mountains this weekend, be prepared for rapidly deteriorating weather conditions. Bring a winter supply kit, and make sure you have plenty of gas in the vehicle. This storm is traveling right along the jet stream; hence the strong winds and the relative quickness of the storm. Be careful tomorrow! Also, daylight savings time ends tonight; don't forget to set your clocks back one hour. We gain an hour of sleep! Whoo-hoo! Notice the earlier sunrise and sunset times for tomorrow below.

Climate Normals for November 6th:

Average High: 68 degrees
Average Low: 42 degrees
Sunset this evening: 6:00 pm
Sunrise tomorrow: 6:45 am
Sunset tomorrow: 4:59 pm

major weather changes for this weekend

Looks like it's gonna get stormy! More from the National Weather Service office in Sacramento:

WET AND WINDY WEATHER EXPECTED ON SUNDAY OVER INTERIOR NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA...

A STRONG COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS INTERIOR NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA ON SUNDAY...BRINGING RAIN...MOUNTAIN SNOW AND GUSTY
WINDS TO THE AREA.

IN THE VALLEY...RAINFALL AMOUNTS AROUND AN INCH ARE EXPECTED IN
THE NORTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY INCLUDING REDDING AND RED
BLUFF...TAPERING TO A QUARTER TO ONE HALF INCH FROM SACRAMENTO TO
STOCKTON. SOUTHERLY WIND GUSTS FROM 30 TO 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE
FOR SEVERAL HOURS DURING THE DAY ON SUNDAY.

IN THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS...RAINFALL AMOUNTS GENERALLY FROM
1 TO 3 INCHES ARE EXPECTED. SNOW LEVELS WILL INITIALLY START OUT
ABOVE THE MAJOR PASSES BUT LOWER BY LATE SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND
EVENING TO 5000 FEET. A FOOT OR MORE OF SNOW IS EXPECTED OVER THE
HIGHER MOUNTAINS...WITH SEVERAL INCHES LIKELY AT PASS LEVEL. WIND
GUSTS TO AROUND 50 MPH ARE ALSO EXPECTED OVER THE HIGHER MOUNTAINS.