stunningly spectacular, then depressingly dreary

Wow! Enjoy the next couple of days if you love mild, springlike weather! It'll be sunny today, with highs in Chico pushing 70 degrees. Tomorrow will be nice, as well, with perhaps a few more clouds. Another storm will be making its way in from the west by Monday night, and it'll be dreary pretty much the rest of the week. Thursday may be an exception as dry conditions are expected then. Otherwise, know where the umbrella is located. The National Weather Service doesn't have any Special Weather Statements or Advisories out yet for the next storm. Perhaps they don't want to overhype it like the last one, which ended up not being nearly as powerful as they had thought. The mountains may get issued a Winter Weather Advisory or Winter Storm Watch later today or tomorrow. Until then, enjoy the lovely weather! Here's Chico's detailed seven day forecast from the NWS:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 67. North northwest wind around 7 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 39. South southwest wind around 6 mph becoming northeast.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 64. Southeast wind between 3 and 9 mph.

Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of rain after 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. South southeast wind between 7 and 10 mph.

Tuesday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 56. South southeast wind between 13 and 17 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Tuesday Night: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 46. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Wednesday: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

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

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 58.

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

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

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

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

another overhyped storm?

Once again, I'm thinking this storm was made out to be a bigger monster than it really is. There is still a Wind Advisory up until 10 pm this evening for wind gusts to 40 mph, but I don't think that will happen. The highest wind gust so far in Chico today has been from the southeast at 23 mph. Those gusts have been fairly sustained over the past few hours. I simply don't expect the winds to gust much higher than that. Frankly, I'm quite surprised the advisory hasn't been cancelled. It has not been very stormy in Chico today. The National Weather Service also overestimated the rainfall amounts, saying over an inch of rain for Chico. So far, barely half an inch has fallen. There is a chance of thunderstorms in the forecast for this evening, bringing the possibility of localized heavy downpours. However, the widespread forecasts of an inch or more were grossly overestimated. My complaint is the NWS always does this- making these storms to be stronger than they really are. This gets my hopes up (because I love stormy weather, which makes me weird), then I become disappointed when the storms don't deliver on the expectations. Sigh. Anyway, once again I'm disappointed. Perhaps the next storm will not be a disappointment. Here's the specific forecast for Chico from the NWS:

Tonight: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 4am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4am. Low around 45. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 22 to 25 mph decreasing to between 9 and 12 mph. Winds could gust as high as 38 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly before 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61. North northwest wind around 7 mph.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 42. Northwest wind between 3 and 6 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 66. North northwest wind around 7 mph.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 42. South southwest wind around 6 mph becoming northeast.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63.

Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Tuesday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53.

Tuesday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38.

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

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 38.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60.

Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43.

Friday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53.

wind advisory up for next storm

There is a Wind Advisory in effect for the Sacramento Valley (including Chico) starting at noon tomorrow and lasting until 10 pm tomorrow night. Sustained winds from 15 to 25 mph with gusts to over 45 mph are possible during that time period. Loose outdoor furniture and other objects that can be blown about need to be tied down or put away. Small tree limbs could fall onto power lines, causing localized power outages, so be prepared for that possibility. As far as precipitation, expect over an inch to an inch and a half of rain for the valley, 2-3 inches for the neighboring foothills, and 1-3 feet of snow for the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada. A Winter Storm Warning is also in effect through late tomorrow night for the mountains east of Chico. If traveling to the mountains for weekend skiing, be prepared for dangerous conditions. Me, I have class tomorrow, but I'll be coming home right after class to hunker down for this storm. It's not expected to last very long, though, as it'll be in and out in under twelve hours. There will be some lingering showers on Saturday, but the sun returns for Sunday and Monday. However, another storm may influence our weather Tuesday into Wednesday. Temps will be mainly in the 50s and 60s for highs, while lows will be in the 40s. Gotta love El Nino!

storm train rolls on

This most recent storm dropped over an inch and a half of rain on Chico between yesterday afternoon and late this morning. That is some beneficial rain! The mountains saw anywhere from 3" to over a foot of snow. Guess what? More is on the way. In fact, forecasters are stating this next storm, set to arrive around early Friday, may be better organized and stronger than this last one. Expect more heavy rain, copious mountain snow, and gusty winds to 35 mph btween Friday and Friday night. There will be a bit of a lull late Saturday through Monday before more storms arrive for midweek next week. The storm train just rolls on! Here's the latest Chico forecast from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 42. Southeast wind around 6 mph becoming northeast.

Thursday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 60. North northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Thursday Night: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 50. East southeast wind between 7 and 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Friday: Rain. High near 53. Southeast wind between 15 and 18 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Friday Night: Rain. Low around 46. South southeast wind between 10 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63.

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

Tuesday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58.

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

Wednesday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60.

stormy weather

The rain is falling in Chico as I type this. The rain should last through late tonight, giving Chico about three-quarters of an inch of rain. The Sierra Nevada mountains east of Chico should receive up to a foot above 5000' by tomorrow afternoon. If traveling to the mountains over the next 24 hours, be careful and be prepared for dangerous travel conditions. Winds are expected to pick up tonight, as well, with gusts to 40 mph in the valley and foothills. The mountains will see gusts to 50 mph. The rain tapers to showers tomorrow, and Thursday should be partly sunny. Another storm system moves in late Thursday into Friday, bringing another round of heavy rain for the valley and snow to the mountains. Saturday may be showery, but Sunday and next Monday look fabulous. Highs the next few days will stay in the 50s for Chico, but will climb into the 60s by the weekend. Stay safe out there!

more wet weather on its way

That isolated rain shower I talked about yesterday in my blog gave Chico about a quarter of an inch of precipitation. Some areas of the foothills east of town received up to half an inch. There was a lull in the shower activity yesterday afternoon, and the sun even came out periodically. More showery weather is on the way, though. Tonight into tomorrow looks wet, and a wetter storm will impact the area on Tuesday. Chances of rain are in the forecast through next weekend, as an unsettled weather pattern continues to plague us. Keep that umbrella handy! Here's the latest forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Today: Showers likely, mainly after 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56. Southeast wind between 5 and 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tonight: Showers likely, mainly before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. West northwest wind between 5 and 7 mph.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 42. North wind around 7 mph.

Tuesday: Rain likely, mainly after 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55. Northeast wind at 6 mph becoming west southwest. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tuesday Night: Rain. Low around 44. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Wednesday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58.

Wednesday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Thursday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60.

Thursday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47.

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

Friday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44.

Saturday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57.

nuisance showers

There was a very isolated glob of showers that moved through the Chico area this morning. There were some embedded heavy showers that dropped up to an inch of rain in some places in about an hour. It was interesting to me for two reasons: the blob of showers was very isolated (at one point it extended from I-5 to the west and Paradise to the east), and it moved from northwest to southeast on either side of highway 99. I don't believe it was associated with any major frontal system. The next storm that will affect our area is still over the Pacific Ocean currently. The last system that moved through yesterday (which didn't drop a bit of rain- just some slightly overcast skies) has moved off to the east and will give the Intermountain West some beneficial snows the next 36 hours.I don't know- this area of rain was very odd to me. Anyway, hopefully the sun will pop out later today and encourage the non-fruit bearing trees to continue to bloom. Parts of Chico are beautiful right now, with many of the plum, crabapple, almond and pear trees in shades of pink and white right now. Hopefully soon the cherry trees on campus will bloom. I hope to capture their beauty with my digital camera. I took some pics yesterday with my camera phone, but I don't have the equipment to download them onto my laptop. Oh, well- the pics make nice wallpaper on my cell. I'll have to remember to bring my digital camera with me next week and take some pictures before the blooms disappear. The forecast calls for some off and on showers tomorrow and Monday, with a chance of rain Tuesday through next Friday. There are a few storms still forming out in the Pacific, and forecasters don't yet know how potent they will become- hence the vagueness of the forecast. Just keep your umbrella handy over the next week. Highs will be in the upper 50s to lower 60s and lows will be in the low to mid 40s. Enjoy!

cool, damp weekend

Yesterday was the last gorgeous day we'll see in a while. The sun was out, the trees were in bloom, and the temperature was a pleasant 70 degrees. It was spring in February! Gotta love global warming! Well, Mother Nature believes in balance, and after nearly a week of spring, we head back to winter for this weekend and through most of next week. Temps will be stuck in the 50s for the most part, with chances of rain and grey skies for the next several days. The thing is, there are no big storms looming in the Pacific, just minor disturbances that are expected to bring mainly nuisance rain showers. I personally like the big storms-okay, LOVE the big storms. We rarely get severe weather in this part of the country, with intense thunderstorms, lightning, and tornadoes. Instead, we get the big winter storms- high winds, heavy rain, and piles of mountain snow. But even those are a somewhat rare occurrence. So when one of these storms does come along, I get excited! Anyway, here's the gloomy forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Today: A 30 percent chance of rain after 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62. North wind at 7 mph becoming south.

Tonight: A 40 percent chance of rain, mainly before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. Light and variable wind.

Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers after 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 59. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.

Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. Southeast wind around 6 mph.

Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 55. South southeast wind between 7 and 9 mph.

Sunday Night: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 44. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Monday: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60.

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

Tuesday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60.

Tuesday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Wednesday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60.

Wednesday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.

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

one more nice day

Yesterday was the warmest day so far this calendar year in Chico- 72 degrees was the high temperature. I know I sound like a broken record, but it's true- each day the past three days we've been warmer than the previous day. That's about to come to an end as an extended period of showery, unstable weather will stick around starting tomorrow and lasting through the middle of next week. So, enjoy today if you like mild, sunny conditions. The weather we've been experiencing the past several days won't be back for awhile. Here's the seven day forecast for Chico courtesy of the National Weather Service:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 66. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45. South southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers after 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61. Calm wind becoming southeast between 7 and 10 mph.

Friday Night: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a low around 46. South wind at 6 mph becoming east northeast. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 56. Southeast wind between 3 and 8 mph.

Saturday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 46.

Sunday: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 58. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Sunday Night: A chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 45.

Monday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60.

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

Tuesday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 59.

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

Wednesday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60.

another nice day

Yesterday was another nice spring-like day, with mostly sunny skies and a high temperature of 71 degrees. Yesterday is Chico's warmest day of the year so far. We should have two more nice days before a series of weather troughs move in, cooling us down and bringing a chance of rain. A chance of rain pretty much stays with us through early next week, with the exception of Saturday. Right now it doesn't look like any big, damaging storms will affect us, so we don't have to worry about that. It'll probably be just some nuisance-type rain showers. If you love the sunny, warm weather, enjoy it while it lasts! Here's the detailed Chico forecast for the next seven days from the National Weather Service:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 71. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 47. Light east wind.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 69. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. South wind around 6 mph becoming calm.

Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers after 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62. Northeast wind 5 to 13 mph becoming south southeast.

Friday Night: A 50 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 59.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Sunday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61.

Sunday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47.

Monday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62.

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

Tuesday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61.

mild and beautiful

I'm sure residents back east are envious of us here out west as far as the weather goes. While many parts of the eastern U.S. have seen temps in the 20s and 30s with snow, Chico has seen temps in the mid 60s (63 degrees on Saturday; 64 degrees yesterday) and mainly sunny skies. The flowering and fruit- bearing trees are in bloom right now, and even the ash trees are leafing out- nearly a month early! I predict Chico will break 70 degrees for the first time this calendar year either today or tomorrow. As with all good things, however, this lovely spring-like weather won't last. By this weekend, a chance of showers enters back into the forecast and temps will only be in the lower 60s. That's actually where we should be this time of year. Perhaps a fairly strong storm will make its presence known to Northern California by early next week- we'll have to wait and see. For now, here's the detailed seven day forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Presidents' Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 69. Northwest wind around 8 mph.

Tonight: Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 48. Light north wind.

Tuesday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 69. Calm wind becoming west northwest around 6 mph.

Tuesday Night: Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 48. Calm wind.

Wednesday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 70. Light north northwest wind.

Wednesday Night: Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 46.

Thursday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 69.

Thursday Night: A slight chance of showers. Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 49.

Friday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64.

Friday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47.

Saturday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61.

Saturday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49.

Sunday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 59.

lovely spring-like weather

Happy Valentine's Day! Yesterday was very nice weather-wise in Chico. The high temperature made it to 63 degrees (three degrees above average), with some hazy sunshine (mainly due to high thin cirrus clouds rather than pollution) and light winds. That trend looks likely to continue as high pressure begins to exert itself over the region. There is a slight chance of rain on Tuesday; otherwise, other than some patchy morning fog, it looks sunny through at least the middle of next week. My sweetie and I went to Sicilian Cafe in Chico last night to celebrate Valentine's Day. It was a lovely evening, and the restaurant was busy. Sicilian Cafe is one restaurant I highly recommend to both out of town visitors and those who have lived in Chico for years. It is a fine dining experience, with professional wait staff and consistently delicious food. It is one of the gems of the Chico restaurant scene. Here's the latest forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 64. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. Light northeast wind.

Presidents' Day: Partly sunny, with a high near 67. Light north northwest wind.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. Calm wind.

Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. Light and variable wind.

Tuesday Night: Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 47.

Wednesday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 68.

Wednesday Night: Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 46.

Thursday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 67.

Thursday Night: Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 46.

Friday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 64.

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

Saturday: A slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61.

nice stretch of weather coming

Chico received .07" of rain over the past 24 hours, bringing its total seasonal rainfall to 19.46". Normal seasonal rainfall is 26 inches, so we don't have far to go to reach that. If we do, it'll be the first time in four years. We have been in a serious drought here in California, and hopefully it'll be broken this year. The extended forecast doesn't look too encouraging, however, as a long stretch of sunny, dry, warm weather will dominate. The sun poked through the clouds late this afternoon over Chico, warming up the high temperature to 60 degrees. That's right where we should be for this time of year. I saw several plum trees in Bidwell Park blooming their beautiful pink blossoms today, a sure sign that spring has arrived. They and other flowering trees and shrubs should hold their blossoms until about the second week of March, when they will begin to leaf out. I hope to take some pictures of the blossoms over the next couple of weeks as they reach their peak. It looks like Mother Nature will give Chicoans some beautiful weather with which to enjoy the colors of spring. Here's the specific Chico forecast from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers before 10pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. Southeast wind between 4 and 7 mph becoming calm.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 64. North northwest wind between 3 and 6 mph.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 64. Calm wind becoming southwest around 6 mph.

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Presidents' Day: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64.

Monday Night: Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 48.

Tuesday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 65.

Tuesday Night: Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 47.

Wednesday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 68.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 47.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 68.

Thursday Night: Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 47.

Friday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 66.

spring-like weather on the way

For those of you who are sick and tired of the rain and chilly temperatures, hold on. By this weekend, the sun and mild air return, with expected highs in the mid 60s. The National Weather Service is known for its conservative forecasts, though, so I'm going to be bold and say highs may reach 70 degrees by Sunday and Monday. That's right- 70 degrees! That'll really get the flowers and trees blooming! In the near- term, however, we have to get through two more days of soggy weather. It looks like two storms will affect the area- one tomorrow, and the other on Friday. After that, it looks like there will be an extended stretch of dry weather. How nice! Here's the detailed forecast for Chico from the NWS:

Tonight: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. East southeast wind around 7 mph.

Thursday: Rain likely, mainly after 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57. Southeast wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Thursday Night: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. Southeast wind around 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Friday: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56. Southeast wind between 13 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. East southeast wind between 8 and 11 mph.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.

Sunday Night: Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 47.

Presidents' Day: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 66.

Monday Night: Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 47.

Tuesday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 66.

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

Wednesday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 65.

drying trend setting up

After some showers on Thursday night and Friday morning, a long drying trend will entrench itself over Northern California. Tomorrow looks to be mild and sunny after some morning fog, and the weekend looks spectacular. This upcoming trend of mild temperatures will really get the trees and flowers blooming in Chico. Spring is here! I'm sure residents of the east coast, particularly those who live in Washington, DC, wish they could say that right about now. That region is expected to be smacked with over a foot of snow the next 24 hours. DC already got blasted with over 2 feet of snow this past weekend, and now have to contend with more snow tonight and tomorrow. I don't envy them one bit! Here's the forecast closer to home from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 32. North wind around 7 mph.

Wednesday: Patchy fog before 7am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 58. Northeast wind around 6 mph becoming calm.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. Southeast wind between 3 and 6 mph.

Thursday: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57. South southeast wind between 5 and 9 mph.

Thursday Night: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. Southeast wind between 11 and 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Friday: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Friday Night: Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Saturday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 63.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 44.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 63.

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Presidents' Day: Partly sunny, with a high near 63.

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

Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 64.

wet week followed by nice weekend

I am battling a cold right now, and I feel like crud. In fact, I feel like the weather looks right now- cruddy. Yesterday was nice (see previous post), but today has been cloudy and gloomy. Temperatures managed to get to average, despite the clouds. The high today in Chico was 58 degrees- right where we should be this time of year. The rest of the week looks wet, with showers likely tonight and tomorrow morning, then a stronger system invades by Thursday. Things clear out by the weekend, however, with partly sunny skies and spring-like temperatures. Here's the specific forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Showers likely, mainly after 10pm. Cloudy, with a low around 41. East southeast wind between 3 and 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tuesday: Showers likely, mainly before 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55. Southeast wind around 7 mph becoming west northwest. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34. North northwest wind around 6 mph.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 59. East northeast wind around 6 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42. East southeast wind around 7 mph.

Thursday: A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56.

Thursday Night: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

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

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

Saturday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 62.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 44.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 62.

Sunday Night: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Presidents' Day: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62.

mainly showery

Today was a gorgeous day in Chico, a rare sight lately. The sun broke through the clouds after some morning fog, and temps responded by warming into the upper 50s to lower 60s. Winds were light from the northwest- generally under 10 mph. Clouds were relegated to the mountains by afternoon, while the visibility in the valley and foothills was extremely clear. A series of very weak disturbances will make their way into the region beginning late tomorrow. There will be a brief reprieve on Wednesday before more weak storms come in by the end of the week. It looks to be a soggy holiday weekend next weekend, so make a plan B if you have any outdoor plans. Right now some of the flowering trees and shrubs are beginning to bloom in Chico, such as the quince and plum. More spring color is expected over the next couple of weeks as the temperatures warm up. February is typically the time for the flowering and fruit-bearing trees to start blooming, with the bigger, non-flowering deciduous trees (such as the maple, oak, and sycamore) leafing out in March. The rainy season typically ends around mid- April, and the emerald green grass begins to fade to a golden brown color by mid- May as the temps warm into the 80s. Gotta love the transitioning of the seasons! Here's the latest Chico forecast from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Patchy dense fog after 10pm. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 36. Light and variable wind.

Monday: Patchy dense fog before 10am. Otherwise, increasing clouds, with a high near 54. East northeast wind around 5 mph becoming south southwest.

Monday Night: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a low around 40. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tuesday: Showers likely, mainly before 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55. Southeast wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers before 10pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 42. North wind around 6 mph.

Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 57.

Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42.

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

Thursday Night: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Friday: A chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 57.

Friday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Saturday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60.

Saturday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Sunday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62.

El Nino in full effect

Chico picked up nearly six tenths of an inch last night and today as another storm system moved through. There was some isolated thunderstorm activity last evening in the foothills east of town. It was a pretty cool lightning display as the storms moved from south to north right over the Sierra foothills. The sun should return tomorrow, albeit briefly. That's because more weak weather disturbances will invade this coming work week, giving Chico a chance of showers Monday through Wednesday. Another potentially big storm will arrive by Thursday and linger into Friday. High temperatures should stay in the 50s, while lows will generally be in the 40s. While running around town conducting errands today, I passed by the Rio Lindo Channel. That's the human-made waterway that diverts excess water flow from Chico Creek around Chico. Man, was that channel full of roaring water! Chico Creek was also running high, about to overflow its banks. Chico has seen over ten inches of rain the past two and a half weeks, so it's no surprise the area creeks are running high. More rain is on the way!

continued wet

Just since yesterday afternoon, Chico has picked up nearly an inch of rain- .98" to be exact. More is on the way as a second storm enters right behind the previous one now exiting. It's been blustery since yesterday afternoon, as well, and breezy conditions will persist today. There is also a chance of thunderstorms later today, just to make things exciting. Sunday looks to be the only full dry day of the next seven, as several weak disturbances move through the area all of next week. We need the rain and snow to help build up the water supply for the long, dry, hot summer ahead. Here's the detailed forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Today: Showers likely, with thunderstorms also possible after 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54. Southeast wind between 8 and 13 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tonight: Scattered rain and thunderstorms, then rain after 10pm. Low around 43. East southeast wind between 5 and 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Saturday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 54. South southeast wind between 6 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Saturday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. Northeast wind between 3 and 8 mph.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 54. Light and variable wind.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers after 10am. Partly cloudy, with a high near 54.

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

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

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

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

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

Thursday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58.

perhaps not that big of a storm

Over the past 24 hours, the National Weather Service has eliminated the Special Weather Statement for the Sacramento Valley and surrounding foothills. That to me says that this storm isn't going to have the impact they at first thought. Still, expect some moderate rain and breezy conditions the next couple of days in Chico. There is a Winter Storm Warning in effect for the Sierra Nevada beginning at 6pm this evening and lasting 24 hours. A foot of snow is expected for elevations above 5000 feet between tonight and tomorrow evening. A second, slightly colder, storm will lower snow elevations to around 3500 feet tomorrow night into Saturday. Up to ten inches of snow is expected at that elevation, while another foot is forecast above 5000 feet. Winds will gust over 50 mph at the higher ridgetops, creating whiteout conditions. If traveling to the mountains this weekend, be prepared. In Chico, expect about an inch of rain between tonight and Saturday evening along with winds gusting to near 30 mph. Just a typical winter storm for us. Here's the specific seven day forecast for Chico from the NWS:

Today: A 40 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 52. Light wind becoming southeast between 12 and 15 mph. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph.

Tonight: Rain. Low around 44. Breezy, with a south southeast wind between 17 and 23 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Friday: Showers, mainly before 10am. High near 52. South southeast wind between 10 and 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Friday Night: Showers. Low around 44. Southeast wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Saturday: Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 10am. High near 53. Southeast wind around 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

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

Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53.

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

Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 53.

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

Tuesday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56.

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

Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 57.

still expected to be wet this weekend

The National Weather Service is still expecting the latter part of the work week into this weekend to be wet. Snow will fall generally above 4500 feet in the Sierra Nevada mountains, while heavy rain is expected in the foothills and valley locations. Temperatures are expected to be mild in the lower elevations the next seven days- generally in the 50s for highs and 40 for lows. Expect off and on showers for the valley over the next 24 to 36 hours before the heavy rain starts sometime Thursday afternoon. Here's the latest forecast for Chico from the NWS:

Tonight: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a low around 38. West wind around 5 mph becoming east northeast. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Wednesday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53. South southeast wind between 5 and 9 mph.

Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. East southeast wind around 7 mph.

Thursday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 52. Southeast wind between 3 and 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Thursday Night: Rain. Low around 43. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

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

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

Saturday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 56.

Saturday Night: A chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 41.

Sunday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56.

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

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

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

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

another deluge coming

Just as I predicted- the National Weather Service posted a Special Weather Statement less than half an hour ago warning of the possibility of heavy rain and snow for the Northstate by the end of the week. Stormy, wet weather may stick around through early next week. Early computer models are suggesting the valley may see 1 to 3 inches of rain, while the mountains may receive 1 to 3 feet of snow between Thursday and Saturday. However, winds are not expected to be as strong as they were two weeks ago. Who knows; before this rainy season is over Chico may end up with a surplus of rain! Here is the detailed seven day forecast for Chico from the NWS:

Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. North wind between 3 and 5 mph.

Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 53. North wind around 6 mph becoming calm.

Tuesday Night: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a low around 44. Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Wednesday: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 53. Southeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.

Thursday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 51. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

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

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

Friday Night: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 45.

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

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

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

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

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