important safety reminder

This is an important reminder from the National Weather Service office in Sacramento. This is especially relevant for those celebrating Memorial Day weekend in or near area rivers:

AS THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND APPROACHES...WE WOULD LIKE TO ONCE AGAIN
REMIND PEOPLE ABOUT THE HIDDEN DANGERS OF THE SPRING SNOW MELT
SEASON. TEMPERATURES THIS WEEKEND WILL FINALLY WARM INTO THE LOWER
TO MID 80S IN THE VALLEY...OR AROUND NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR.
THE COMBINATION OF THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND AND WARMER TEMPERATURES WILL
ENTICE MORE PEOPLE OUTSIDE TO WATER ACTIVITIES. RECREATIONALISTS ON
AREA RIVERS...STREAMS...AND RESERVOIRS SHOULD TAKE GREAT CARE IN AND
NEAR THE WATER AT ALL TIMES...ESPECIALLY DURING THE SPRING SNOW MELT
SEASON...WHEN WATER TEMPERATURES ARE SO COLD.

DURING THE LATTER PART OF OUR SPRING AND EARLY SUMMER...THE WATER IN
OUR AREA RIVERS...STREAMS...AND RESERVOIRS IS BEING FED DIRECTLY
FROM THE MELTING SNOW PACK. THE RECENT COOL WEATHER HAS SLOWED THIS
MELTING OF THE MOUNTAIN SNOW PACK. PEAK FLOWS FROM THE SPRING SNOW
MELT ARE NOT EXPECTED UNTIL MID JUNE...WITH MOUNTAIN RIVER AND
STREAM LEVELS CONTINUING TO RISE OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
HOWEVER...OUR RIVERS AND STREAMS ARE STILL RUNNING HIGH. MEANING
THAT THEY ARE RUNNING VERY FAST...WITH UNFORESEEN SWIFT MOVING
CURRENTS AND COLD WATER.

WATER TEMPERATURES THIS WEEKEND AND FOR MUCH OF JUNE WILL BE IN THE
LOW 50S IN LOWER ELEVATION RIVERS...STREAMS AND RESERVOIRS. COLDER
WATER TEMPERATURES WILL PERSIST IN THE FOOTHILLS AND
MOUNTAINS...RANGING IN THE MID TO UPPER 40S.

ANYONE CAUGHT IN THESE COLD AND SWIFT MOVING WATERS UNPREPARED
CAN QUICKLY EXPERIENCE HYPOTHERMIA. HYPOTHERMIA IS A SUDDEN LOSS
OF BODY TEMPERATURE THAT CAN BE FATAL. WARNING SIGNS FOR HYPOTHERMIA
INCLUDE UNCONTROLLED SHIVERING... MEMORY LOSS...DISORIENTATION...
INCOHERENCE...SLURRED SPEECH...DROWSINESS...AND APPARENT EXHAUSTION.
HYPOTHERMIA IS AN UNSEEN DANGER THAT CAN STRIKE QUICKLY. MONITOR
CHILDREN CLOSELY AS HYPOTHERMIA CAN OCCUR FASTER IN CHILDREN THAN IN
ADULTS.

fabulous Memorial Day weekend

Well, after enduring day after day of chilly, sometimes wet weather, Chicoans will enjoy abundant sunshine and above normal temperatures this weekend. First, we have to get through today and tomorrow. Today there will be scattered showers, with thunderstorms also possible (very isolated, however), with highs only around 60 degrees (we should be around 83 degrees by now). Tomorrow there is a risk of a morning shower; otherwise, it'll be dry, with a mix of clouds and sun. Expect mid 70s for highs tomorrow. Ah, but here's the best part: Beautiful sunny skies and temps in the low to mid 80s for Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday of next week. Now this is more like it! We can finally break out the shorts, shades, and suntan lotion and relax on the lake or go hiking in the mountains. I, myself, am going camping this weekend down in Napa County. I'll be back next Monday. So, until then, enjoy this holiday weekend's weather!

wet and cool

Those are two words to describe the weather in Chico the last 24 hours. Actually, this time yesterday it was partly sunny and fairly mild. By late afternoon, the rain came in and temps cooled off into the mid 50s. That's 30 degrees colder than where we should be this time of year! Guess what? It's not over yet, as a stubborn and powerful low pressure system slowly churns out in the northern Pacific Ocean. More showers are possible today through Friday, with temperatures stuck in the 60s. Hopefully, this storm will be done with us by the weekend, and Chicoans can enjoy a beautiful Memorial Day weekend. I am going on a camping trip to the Napa Valley this weekend to enjoy a little "getting away" time. Well, it IS the Napa Valley, so I won't be completely roughing it. But, it's still nice to get away from the routine, nevertheless. Here's the seven day forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Today: Scattered showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 11am. Some of the storms could produce small hail. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 68. South southeast wind between 8 and 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Tonight: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could produce small hail. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. South wind between 5 and 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Thursday: Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 1pm. Some of the storms could produce small hail. High near 61. Southeast wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Thursday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. East southeast wind 5 to 8 mph becoming north northwest.

Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72. Northwest wind between 3 and 8 mph.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 47.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 79.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 81.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 54.

Memorial Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 54.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 76.

cool weather continues

The weather has been very cool for this time of year over the past few days. Saturday's high temperature in Chico was 64 degrees; Sunday's high was 74 degrees; and today's high was 68 degrees. Rain (yes, rain) enters the weather picture tomorrow, with lingering showers expected through Friday. There's even a Winter Storm Warning for the southern Sierra Nevada mountains through Wednesday! I have a theory that the Iceland volcano is playing a part in our unusual weather. Some of the ash has been carried by the jet stream around the world and has blocked out some of the sun's rays, reducing the amount of normal sunlight and thus, resulting in cooler temps. Just a theory. We should be basking in summer weather, with sunny skies and temps in the mid 80s by late May. Instead, we're all wearing sweatshirts and long pants, even carrying umbrellas! When will summer finally get here? Here's the March-like forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. Southeast wind between 6 and 8 mph.

Tuesday: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64. South southeast wind between 8 and 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Tuesday Night: Rain. Low around 47. Southeast wind between 8 and 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Wednesday: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 63. South southeast wind around 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Wednesday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. South wind around 8 mph.

Thursday: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 63. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Thursday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44.

Friday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 69.

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

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 51.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 79.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 52.

Memorial Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77.

Happy Graduation!

Chico State University graduations are occurring this weekend. The graduate commencement ceremony took place last night in Laxson Auditorium (I was one of the graduates;yay me!), and the undergraduate commencement ceremonies are today and tomorrow at the University Stadium. The weather has cooperated so far with these ceremonies, and should continue to do so tomorrow. Chico is packed this weekend with out of town families and friends attending all of these commencements, so there's a lot of traffic and people out and about, as well. I think it's pretty cool to see my little city so vibrant and active right now. It'll definitely quiet down after this weekend, as all of the families and students leave for summer vacation or for greener pastures. Anyway, back to the weather. The wacky, cool, unsettled trend continues through next week. In fact, it looks like a pretty potent storm will arrive around late Tuesday, giving Chico a decent chance of some rain. This is very weird because the rainy season should be long over by now and we should be enjoying
temperatures into the lower and middle 80s. Not this year. Check out the very un- May- like forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Today: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61. Calm wind becoming west around 6 mph.

Tonight: Scattered showers before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. North northwest wind between 6 and 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 69. North northwest wind between 8 and 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. North northwest wind between 3 and 6 mph.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. South southeast wind between 8 and 13 mph.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 47.

Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of rain, mainly after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65.

Tuesday Night: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48.

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

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

Thursday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70.

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

Friday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 73.

what is with this weather?

Sorry I haven't been posting consistently- busy graduating college. But what is up with having March in May? What I mean by that is the past several days have been chilly and overcast, with scattered light rain showers here and there. The high temperature in Chico yesterday was 61 degrees, with .01" of an inch of rain. Today will be partly cloudy, but temps will still be well below normal (normal for today is 81 degrees). In fact, the next seven days will be well below normal temperature-wise, and a chance of showers remains in the forecast for most of next week. Like I said, March in May. Someday summer will be here, and triple digit heat will rule. For now, I guess we should enjoy the cooler temps while they stick around. Plus, the showers delay the start of the fire season here in Northern California. After the devastating fire season of two years ago, I'm thankful for the moisture! Here's the latest forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. North northwest wind between 8 and 11 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. South southwest wind at 7 mph becoming north.

Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. South southwest wind between 5 and 10 mph.

Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. Southwest wind 6 to 9 mph becoming north northwest.

Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65. Calm wind becoming west around 6 mph.

Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68.

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

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 72.

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

Tuesday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72.

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

Wednesday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 69.

cool and cloudy

Chico received eighteen hundredths (.18) of an inch of rain yesterday. It was cool and cloudy with intermittent rain, and today continues the cool and cloudy trend that will persist through tomorrow. By the weekend, we should see drier, warmer weather as high pressure builds in behind the next cold front expected to arrive tomorrow. It will be weak, though, so expect only a slight chance of rain. This deep trough that is bringing in the cool, unsettled weather will continue to effect our weather through early next week, so expect the below average temperatures to linger for awhile. Here's the latest forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

This Afternoon: Mostly sunny, with a high near 71. South southeast wind around 7 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 51. Calm wind becoming northeast around 6 mph.

Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of rain after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72. Calm wind becoming south southeast between 11 and 14 mph. Winds could gust as high as 21 mph.

Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. South southeast wind between 5 and 13 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. North northwest wind between 5 and 8 mph.

Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of rain after 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 66.

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

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.

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

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73.

cooler and unsettled much of the week

Happy Monday! After a warm, dry weekend, reality hits us as a deepening trough of low pressure moves onto the California coast from the Pacific today. There is a decent chance at some rain and showers in the Sacramento Valley this afternoon, with snow showers in the highest elevations of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It will also be quite cool today, with high temperatures struggling to get into the mid 60s (Chico should see a high around 80 this time of year). It will remain below average temperature-wise through this weekend, with highs 5 to 10 (or more) degrees below where they should be for mid-May. A chance of showers lingers throughout the week, as well. Otherwise, it will remain mostly cloudy where we don't receive showers. Not such nice weather for finals week and graduation for Chico State students, but hopefully we won't see much wet weather this weekend, when commencement events will be occurring. Here's the latest Chico seven day forecast from the National Weather Service:

Today: Rain after 11am. High near 63. South southeast wind between 14 and 16 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Tonight: Showers, mainly before 11pm. Low around 49. South southeast wind between 7 and 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers before 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72. South southeast wind between 5 and 9 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Light east southeast wind.

Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of rain after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. South southeast wind between 5 and 10 mph.

Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73.

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

Friday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 68.

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

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 72.

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

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 66.

a return to cooler, wetter weather

From the National Weather Service in Sacramento:

UNSETTLED WEATHER TO RETURN TO THE INTERIOR OF NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA EARLY NEXT WEEK...

AFTER SEVERAL PLEASANT SPRING WEATHER DAYS OVER INTERIOR NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA...COOL AND SHOWERY WEATHER IS FORECAST TO RETURN TO THE
AREA ON MONDAY.

NUMEROUS SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE INTERIOR OF
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA BY MONDAY AFTERNOON...POSSIBLY CONTINUING
THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. ALTHOUGH SNOW LEVELS WILL BE ABOVE THE MAJOR
MOUNTAIN PASSES ON MONDAY...THEY SHOULD LOWER BELOW PASS LEVEL
MONDAY NIGHT RESULTING IN SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW ON ROADWAYS.

RAINFALL AMOUNTS IN THE VALLEY COULD VARY WIDELY...RANGING FROM
LESS THAN A TENTH OF AN INCH TO ONE-QUARTER TO A HALF OF AN INCH
IN SOME LOCATIONS. THE WEST SLOPE OF THE SIERRA NEVADA WILL LIKELY
BE A LITTLE WETTER...WITH UP TO THREE-QUARTERS OF AN INCH
POSSIBLE AT SOME LOCATIONS.

THE SHOWERS SHOULD END EARLY TUESDAY...WITH MILDER WEATHER
EXPECTED.

more showers on the way?

It looks like early next week we could see some wet weather (yet again). It's interesting how we've been in this pattern in which we have sunny, warm weekends followed by cooler, wetter weather at the beginning of the work week. It's expected to happen again this weekend and early next week. For now, enjoy the sunshine and above average temperatures. Speaking of above average temps, currently it is 85 degrees in Chico- the warmest day of 2010 so far. That's about seven degrees above the average for this date. However, by Monday and Tuesday, look for temps to be around five degrees cooler than average. By the end of next week temps should be back to around average, and the nice, sunny weather will return. Here's the detailed forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 53. South southeast wind at 5 mph becoming northeast.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 84. East wind at 5 mph becoming west southwest.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. South wind 5 to 8 mph becoming east.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. South southeast wind between 8 and 10 mph.

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. South southeast wind around 11 mph.

Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74.

Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73.

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

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 49.

Thursday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76.

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

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 74.

disturbing news on the effects of global warming

From MSNBC:

Sometimes it can be too darn hot even for a lizard.

Cold-blooded creatures that have to soak up the rays to get going might seem like the last animals you would expect to be threatened by global warming.

Well, you would be wrong, researchers say.

It turns out lizards are going extinct in many places, and scientists who have studied them say it's because of rising temperatures. The heats affects reproduction.

"The results were clear. These lizards need to bask in the sun to warm up, but if it gets too hot they have to retreat into the shade, and then they can't hunt for food," said Barry Sinervo of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Sinervo said he was "stunned and saddened" by the finding, which he reported in Friday's edition of the journal Science.

"This is an extinction alert for all areas of the globe and for all the various species of lizards," Sinervo said.

Lizards are an important part of the food chain because they are major consumers of insects and in turn are eaten by birds, snakes and other animals.

"This is just the tip of the iceberg," Sinervo said. "It heralds that we have entered a new age, the age of climate-forced extinctions. Extinctions are not in the future. They are happening now."

Five percent of lizard species already have gone extinct, Sinervo said, and his team projects that if the planet continues to heat up at current rates, 20 percent of all lizard species could go extinct by 2080.

In Mexico's Yucatan region, scientists found that the time lizards could be out foraging had disappeared. "They would barely have been able to emerge to bask before having to retreat," Sinervo said.

Jack Sites, a biology professor at Brigham Young University who collaborated with Sinervo, said high temperatures during the reproductive cycle prevent the animals from eating enough to have the energy to support a clutch of eggs or embryos.

"The heat doesn't kill them. They just don't reproduce," he said. "It doesn't take too much of that and the population starts to crash."

According to Sinervo, the extinctions are concentrated in what biologists call hot spots of biodiversity, where there are lots of species.

This includes locations in Mexico, where a large number of species have evolved in the different volcanic mountain ranges.

Elizabeth Bastiaans, a doctoral student in Sinervo's lab, started studying lizards in a wilderness outside Mexico City near the Aztec pyramids of Teotihuacan where tourists huff and puff up hundreds of stairs in the blazing sun.

"I've been out there doing a lot of sampling over the past few years and you see the lizards in the morning and you see them in the evening. But in the hottest part of day, it's just too hot, you don't see them at all," Bastiaans said.

Some of the spiny lizards with blue bellies she studies went extinct at lower, warmer altitudes. Some moved to higher, cooler ground but, as temperatures continue to rise, that habitat is shrinking.

"If the climate continues to warm, they are going to get pushed off the top of the mountains," Bastiaans said. "There is only so much mountain they can climb."

Sinervo said there also are massive extinctions occurring in the Amazonian Basin and equatorial Africa, though researchers don't know the magnitude because not all the species have been described from these areas.

In Madagascar, the Indian Ocean island off the southeastern coast of Africa, the estimate is that one-fifth of all the local lizard populations are now extinct, Sinervo said. "This will surely have driven some endemic species to the brink of extinction, if not over the precipice," he said.

Sinervo was doing field work in France when he noticed a decline among lizards. While resurveying areas that had been studied in the 1990s, it became clear that lizards were gone from some spots — levels of 30 percent extinction across southern Europe, for example.

He and French researchers contacted colleagues around the world and found similar trends in the United States, Mexico and elsewhere.

"I was surprised at how fast researchers began sending us data," he said. "That's what happens though. When scientists see a problem, with global evidence backing it, they come together."

Funders of the research included the National Geographic Society, University of California Institute for Mexico and the United States; University of California, Santa Cruz; U.S. National Science Foundation; University of Paris; University of Toulouse; National Council on Science and Technology of Mexico; National Scientific and Technical Research Council of Argentina; Academy of Finland; National Autonomous University of Mexico; American Museum of Natural History; Australian Research Council; and Brigham Young University.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.


Okay, this is becoming scary. Global warming is now seriously affecting the food chain. Guess what, folks- humans are a part of the food chain. True, we're at the top, but when the food chain is disrupted, every species is affected. How long will it be until we can no longer grow crops because the insects we rely on to pollinate (like bees)or to eat other insects (like lizards)become extinct? Or that it simply becomes too hot to grow anything? Mark my words- wars will break out because of global warming due to lack of water and other natural resources. I don't mean to be a doomsdayer, but this will negatively impact our children and grandchildren if all countries don't do something NOW. I fear it may already be too late.

positively gorgeous!

If you love warm weather, there will be an abundance of it the rest of the week and into the weekend. The high temperature yesterday in Chico under sunny skies was 80 degrees, but that will be the coolest temp we'll see for awhile as temps will soar well into the 80s the next several days. There is a slight chance of a shower on Monday (amazing for this time of year), as well as cooler temps dipping back into the 70s for early next week. Otherwise, dry, sunny weather will dominate. Here's the latest forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 82. North northwest wind between 5 and 9 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 49. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming east northeast.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. Northeast wind at 5 mph becoming south.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. Southeast wind between 3 and 5 mph.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 84. East wind at 6 mph becoming south.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 51.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 51.

Monday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72.

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

Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 74.

Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51.

Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 77.

from March back to May

It was a nasty day weatherwise in Chico yesterday. It was gray and gloomy for most of the day, and Chico received a quarter of an inch of rain. Winds gusted to nearly 30 mph, and the high temperature was only 55 degrees. We should be near 80 this time of year! Well, Mother Nature will flip the calendar from March back to May, as drier and much warmer weather settle back in. In fact, looking at the long range forecast, there is no mention of rain at all. But, I don't want to complain too much about all the wet weather we've had of late. It gives us a good snowpack, which leads to plentiful water to get us through the dry, hot summer months. We probably won't see much in the way of precipitation for another six months. That's how it is in Northern California with a Mediterranean climate- wet winters, dry summers. Here's the seven day forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 71. Calm wind becoming northwest between 8 and 11 mph. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 46. North northwest wind between 3 and 10 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 78. North northwest wind between 5 and 8 mph.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 48. West northwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82. North northeast wind between 3 and 6 mph.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 49.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 82.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 47.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 84.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 52.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 53.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77.

crazy weather

Is it May or March? That's what many folks in Chico and the surrounding areas will be asking the next couple of days as the weather drastically changes once again. We'll go from high temps in the mid 70s yesterday to only the 60s today. Tomorrow may be even colder, with highs struggling to get out of the 50s! Two storms are expected to move through- one today, and a somewhat stronger one tomorrow. Today's storm will bring light rain and the chance of scattered afternoon thundershowers. Tomorrow's storm will have more moisture, so expect steadier valley rain, mountain snow (snow level down to 4000 feet by tomorrow night), and gusty winds. But don't fret; by the middle of the week, sunshine and warmer temps in the 70s and 80s will return. Crazy weather! Here's the forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Today: Scattered showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65. South wind between 5 and 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Tonight: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. Southeast wind between 5 and 14 mph.

Monday: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 59. South southeast wind between 15 and 18 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Monday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers, mainly before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. Southwest wind 9 to 16 mph becoming north northwest. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. North northwest wind between 7 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 47.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 80.

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

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 82.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 49.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78.

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

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82.

perhaps colder and wetter than previously thought?

From the National Weather Service:

A SERIES OF WEATHER SYSTEMS WILL TAKE AIM AT NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS...WHICH WILL BRING SIGNIFICANTLY COLDER
TEMPERATURES TO THE REGION AS WELL AS VALLEY RAIN AND HIGHER
ELEVATION SNOW. THE FIRST SYSTEM WILL JUST BRUSH THE FAR
NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE STATE TODAY...BRINGING ISOLATED SHOWERS
AS WELL AS A CHANCE FOR LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS.
TEMPERATURES WILL ALSO COOL A FEW DEGREES OVER THE WARM SPRING-
LIKE TEMPERATURES OF THE PAST FEW DAYS.

TWO COLDER SYSTEMS WILL THEN MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ON
MOTHERS DAY AND MONDAY. THE MOTHERS DAY SYSTEM WILL BRING SOME
LIGHT VALLEY RAIN AND SOME HIGHER ELEVATION SNOW TO THE REGION...
WITH TEMPERATURES TAKING ANOTHER 10 TO 15 DEGREE HIT OVER TODAY.
SNOW LEVELS WILL ALSO START TO LOWER FROM ABOVE 6000 FEET TO
BETWEEN 4500 AND 5500 FEET BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON...POSSIBLY
BRINGING SOME LIGHT SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS TO THE HIGHER PASS
LEVELS. ISOLATED AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO BE
POSSIBLE WITH BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL...OR MOUNTAIN SNOW
AS WELL AS SOME GUSTY WINDS ACCOMPANYING THE HEAVIER SHOWERS. THE
THREAT OF SHOWERS WILL DECREASE SUNDAY NIGHT.

HOWEVER...THE MONDAY SYSTEM WILL QUICKLY SPREAD PRECIPITATION BACK
ACROSS THE REGION DURING THE DAY. TEMPERATURES WILL ALSO FALL
ANOTHER FEW DEGREES WITH THIS SYSTEM...BRINGING AVERAGE
TEMPERATURES DOWN TO BETWEEN 15 AND 20 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL FOR
THIS TIME OF THE YEAR. THIS SYSTEM ALSO APPEARS TO BE WETTER WHICH
MAY BRING A BETTER CHANCE OF VALLEY RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW TO THE
REGION. SNOW LEVELS WILL CONTINUE TO FALL TO BETWEEN 4000 FEET
OVER THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND 5000 FEET OVER THE SIERRA...WITH
MODERATE SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE OVER THE HIGHER
ELEVATIONS.

IF TRAVELING OVER THE HIGHER MOUNTAIN PASSES EARLY NEXT WEEK...
CARRY CHAINS AND BE PREPARED FOR SOME WINTER-LIKE DRIVING
CONDITIONS.

slightly unsettled

It looks like the latter half of the weekend will be slightly wet, as a weak storm system pushes in from the Pacific Ocean. In the meantime, enjoy the beautiful weather Chico has been experiencing. The past couple of days the temperatures have hovered in the upper 70s for highs, and we should have one more day (tomorrow)with nice temps before it cools off for a couple of days. Once this small storm exits our region, look for a rapid warm up into the low to mid 80s for much of next week. I just wonder when we'll start seeing 90 degree heat! Here's the forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 49. East wind between 4 and 7 mph becoming calm.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. Calm wind becoming south southeast between 8 and 11 mph.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. South southeast wind between 10 and 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Sunday: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. South wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. Calm wind.

Monday: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65.

Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 73.

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

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 81.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 82.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 49.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 81.

northwest winds will not abate

These northwest winds will not go away. The wind gusts in Chico today have been clocked at nearly 40 mph. Fortunately, the winds will die down by Friday. They will still linger into tomorrow, albeit weaker than today. It's all due to a storm system passing to our north into the Great Basin. That, coupled with high pressure trying to build in from the Pacific, has been causing the really windy weather. There's still a chance for showers next Monday, but Mother's Day should be fairly dry. Temps will be at or slightly below average through the next seven days. It should be a nice weekend to take Mom out for an alfresco lunch or walk in the park! Here's the forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 44. North northwest wind between 11 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 75. North northwest wind between 13 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 46. Northwest wind 5 to 8 mph becoming east northeast.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 76. North wind around 6 mph becoming west southwest.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 48. South wind 6 to 8 mph becoming east.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 76.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48.

Sunday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70.

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

Monday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 67.

Monday Night: A slight chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 71.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 47.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 71.

seasonable weather

The winds were still gusty today, out of the northwest between 15 and 25 mph. It wasn't quite as warm today as yesterday- the high temperature in Chico today was 78 degrees, five degrees cooler than yesterday. The dry, sunny weather should stick around through the first half of this weekend. Then things change as a weak low pressure system moves into northern California from the Pacific. The timing and intensity of the storm are still uncertain, but it looks like we'll see some showers in the valley with highs only in the 60s for Monday. As is usually the case this time of year, the temps will rebound quickly- it'll be back into the 70s by Tuesday and next Wednesday. I just wonder how hot it will be this summer, what with all the cool weather we've seen so far this spring. Here's the seven day forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 47. North northwest wind between 3 and 8 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 73. North northwest wind between 9 and 18 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45. North northwest wind between 10 and 18 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 75. North northwest wind between 10 and 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 46. North wind between 7 and 10 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 76.

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

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 76.

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

Sunday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71.

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

Monday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 67.

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

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 71.

what's this? a chance of showers in the forecast?

It looks that way towards the end of the weekend and into early next week. In the meantime, soak up the wonderfully warm weather we're having. The high temperature in Chico so far today (and currently) is 82 degrees. The wind hasn't been quite as strong today as it was over the weekend, and there has been a little more cloud cover, as well. However, the next several days look sunny but cooler, with highs mainly in the 70s through the end of the week. A trough of low pressure could move in by the latter half of the weekend and linger into next week, pushing the temps down even more- mainly in the 60s. Just when I thought the rain was over and done! Here's the detailed forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. South southeast wind 5 to 15 mph becoming north northwest.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 75. North northwest wind between 9 and 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 44. North northwest wind between 7 and 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 71. North northwest wind between 17 and 21 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45. North wind between 9 and 13 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 76.

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

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 49.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 74.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 47.

Sunday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 68.

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

Monday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 68.

it's May, and the weather is fine

Man, yesterday was nearly perfect as far as the weather goes. Other than a stiff breeze out of the northwest, it was gorgeous. The high temperature in Chico yesterday was a perfect 78 degrees under a nearly cloudless sky. Today will be sunny and a bit warmer, with the northwest breeze still hanging around. The entire upcoming work week looks gorgeous, with sunny skies and mild temperatures. It's enough to make one want to play hookie from work or school. If you have a vacation this week, there's no need to leave the area. Stay here and enjoy this fantastic weather! Here's the latest Chico forecast from the National Weather Service:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 83. North northwest wind between 11 and 18 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 48. North northwest wind 17 to 20 mph decreasing to between 7 and 10 mph. Winds could gust as high as 29 mph.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 81. North wind 5 to 8 mph becoming south southeast.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 48. South wind 5 to 9 mph becoming north.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 75. North northwest wind between 6 and 8 mph.

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

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 72.

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

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 75.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 47.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 79.

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

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 76.