Sunday, April 25, 2010

another big storm expected

Yesterday was simply gorgeous in Chico, with light winds, sunny skies, and a high temperature of 76 degrees. Today should be even warmer, with more sunshine and highs into the lower 80s. By Tuesday, the high temperature is expected to be about 20 degrees cooler than today, as a big storm moves in. Nearly an inch of rain is expected for parts of the valley (including Chico), while the foothills east of town (including Paradise and Magalia)may see up to two inches of rain between late Monday night and late Tuesday. Snow levels in the Sierra will start out at about 7500 feet early Tuesday, but drop to around 4000 feet by early Wednesday as colder air moves in behind the cold front. Winds could also be an issue, gusting to 30 mph in the valley and up to 50 mph in the Sierra mountains. Whiteout conditions are expected in the mountains, so if that's your destination Tuesday or Wednesday, be prepared for difficult travel. Showers and below normal temps will persist through Friday before it dries out and warms to near normal by next Saturday. Perhaps this storm will be our last of the season? Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 81. North northwest wind between 5 and 7 mph.

Tonight: Increasing clouds, with a low around 50. Southwest wind at 5 mph becoming east.

Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 76. Southeast wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Monday Night: Rain likely, mainly after 11pm. Cloudy, with a low around 51. South southeast wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Tuesday: Rain. High near 64. South southeast wind between 14 and 18 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 42.

Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60.

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

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

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

Friday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 48.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 71.

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