special weather statement regarding upcoming heat spell

From the National Weather Service office in Sacramento:

HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING OVER THE AREA WILL BRING A PERIOD OF HOT
WEATHER TO THE AREA ONCE AGAIN. ABOVE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES ARE
EXPECTED ON WEDNESDAY...FOLLOWED BY HOTTER WEATHER ON
THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. THE HEAT WILL PEAK ON THURSDAY...WHEN THE CENTRAL
VALLEY WILL SEE HIGH TEMPERATURES ABOVE 100 DEGREES IN MANY
LOCATIONS. HIGH TEMPERATURES ON FRIDAY ARE FORECAST TO BE ABOUT A
DEGREE OR TWO BELOW THOSE OF THURSDAY AS THE HIGH BEGINS TO SHIFT
EASTWARD. OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE VALLEY WILL BE MILD THROUGH THE
PERIOD WITH MAINLY 60S AND 70S. TEMPERATURES IN THE FOOTHILLS AND
MOUNTAINS WILL ALSO BE WELL ABOVE AVERAGE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL
DAYS.

WHILE THESE TEMPERATURES WILL NOT BREAK RECORDS...THIS WILL BE A
RELATIVELY QUICK CHANGE FROM THE UNSEASONABLY COOL TEMPERATURES WE
HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING LATELY.

THE HOT WEATHER WILL BE SHORT-LIVED AS A COOLING TREND IS
EXPECTED FOR THE WEEKEND INTO NEXT WEEK. HIGH TEMPERATURES ON
SATURDAY WILL BE JUST A LITTLE ABOVE AVERAGE...AND BY SUNDAY WILL
BE SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. MONDAY HIGHS WILL BE IN THE 80S
FOR THE CENTRAL VALLEY AND 70S TO 80S IN THE FOOTHILLS AND
MOUNTAINS.

So, it is going to get hot over the next several days, but it's not expected to last. Hopefully it'll be pleasant enough this Labor Day weekend to get outdoors!

wash, rinse, repeat

the forecast for the next seven days looks almost exactly like the forecast for the previous seven days. First, let's talk about today's weather. It was simply beautiful, with sunny skies, gentle southerly breezes, and a high temperature in Chico of 81 degrees. It doesn't get any better for this time of year. Enjoy this nice weather while it lasts, because, as mentioned earlier, it's going to get hot- quickly. We'll be back into the 90s for highs tomorrow, with 100 degrees likely by Thursday. Fortunately, just like last week, the heat doesn't stick around long. We'll see highs back into the lower 80s by Labor Day. Right now it looks like gorgeous weather for Labor Day weekend. We just have to get through this week, first. Here's the detailed seven day forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 54. Calm wind becoming north northeast between 4 and 7 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 90. North northwest wind between 3 and 10 mph.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 58. North northwest wind between 5 and 9 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 97. North northwest wind between 6 and 10 mph.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 61. North wind between 6 and 9 mph.

Thursday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 100.

Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 61.

Friday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 98.

Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 61.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 93.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 60.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 88.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 58.

Labor Day: Sunny, with a high near 82.

nice break from the heat

Well, the National Weather Service was correct with today's forecast- overcast all day, with a high temperature of just 71 degrees. That's 20 degrees below average for late August, as well as 39 degrees cooler than the high temperature of 110 degrees last Wednesday, August 25th. The cool weather turns mild for tomorrow, with more sunshine and a high right around 80 degrees. Gorgeous! It will continue to warm up over the next several days, but it will remain at or just slightly above average for this time of year. No major heat spells are on the horizon. My earlier prediction of a relatively cool summer has, for the most part, borne out. Maybe I should have become a meteorologist instead of a social worker! Here's the latest forecast for Chico from the NWS:

Tonight: Isolated showers before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. East northeast wind at 6 mph becoming north northwest. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 79. South southeast wind between 4 and 7 mph becoming calm.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 49. South wind between 6 and 9 mph becoming calm.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 83. Light and variable wind.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 57. Calm wind becoming northeast around 6 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 91.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 58.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 90.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 59.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 92.

Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 60.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 93.

Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 60.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 92.

BIG TIME cooldown

Okay, the caps in today's blog entry title are a bit excessive, but they underscore the fact that it is going to be almost chilly tomorrow! We're talking high temperatures 40 degrees cooler than on Wednesday! For those of you who are math-challenged (like myself), that means highs tomorrow of only 70 degrees after blazing hot highs around 110 on Wednesday. In addition to the much cooler temps, there's actually a decent chance (30%) of a shower or thunderstorm. By next week, highs will be back to around average for this time of year. This weekend, however, will give us a taste of fall. Enjoy! Here are the details from the National Weather Service:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 93. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Tonight: Increasing clouds, with a low around 56. South wind 5 to 9 mph becoming east.

Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. South southeast wind around 7 mph.

Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. Calm wind.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 78. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 56.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 86.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 92.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 60.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 93.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 60.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 93.

stifling heat

According to the Chico State University Farm weather reporting station (the one I go by as far as recording actual high and low temperatures), the high temperature today was 110 degrees (sizzling!). However, according to The Weather Channel website, weather.com, Chico's high today was 107 degrees. That ties the record of 107 degrees for this date. But, the Chico State reading surpasses the record by three degrees. Who's right? Sigh. I wish Chico had an official National Weather Service reporting station. The nearest one is in Oroville, 23 miles away. For now, I'll go with the Chico State temperature. Either way, it was a scorcher today, and the hottest day of 2010 so far. Hopefully we will not surpass today's temp for the rest of the summer. It looks like, for now, we won't. Highs by Sunday are expected to be in the low 80s. Nice! It may heat back up by next week, but only in the lower 90s. Hope everyone is keeping cool for now, and keep in mind the cooler weather on the way the next few days. Here's the latest forecast for Chico from the NWS:

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 66. South southeast wind between 6 and 10 mph.

Thursday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 98. Light wind becoming south southeast between 11 and 14 mph.

Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 58. Southeast wind between 6 and 9 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 92. North wind at 5 mph becoming south southwest.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 57. South southeast wind around 9 mph.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 83.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54.

Sunday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 82.

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 92.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 62.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 95.

just plain hot!

It is currently 104 degrees in Chico, and it is expected to be hotter tomorrow- 107 degrees! By the weekend, though, look for temps to cool into the upper 70 to lower 80s. Ah, refreshing! Here's a Special Weather Statement for the area from the National Weather Service office in Sacramento:

STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO BRING RECORD HEAT TO
PORTIONS OF INTERIOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WEDNESDAY. HIGH
TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE FROM 101 TO 110 IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY
WITH 90S TO AROUND 105 IN THE FOOTHILLS AND 80S TO 90S IN THE
MOUNTAINS.

OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL CONTINUE MILD TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT WITH
60S TO 70S IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS...LOCALLY IN THE 80S IN THE
WARMER FOOTHILL LOCATIONS. LOWS IN THE MOUNTAINS WILL RANGE FROM
THE UPPER 40S IN THE COLDER LOCATIONS TO 70S IN THE WARMEST
SPOTS.

SLIGHT COOLING THURSDAY WITH 90S FORECAST THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE
CENTRAL VALLEY...EXCEPT CONTINUED AROUND 100 IN THE NORTHERN
SACRAMENTO VALLEY. INCREASED COOLING FRIDAY INTO THE WEEKEND WITH
HIGH TEMPERATURES SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY IN THE 70S TO LOWER 80S FOR
THE CENTRAL VALLEY WITH UPPER 50S TO LOWER 70S FOR THE MOUNTAINS
AND FOOTHILLS. THIS IS ANYWHERE FROM 10 TO 20 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL
FOR LATE AUGUST. THERE MAY ALSO BE A CHANCE OF SHOWERS OVER THE
NORTHERN MOUNTAINS SUNDAY.

crazy temperature swings

Some amazing temperature swings will take place this week, as Chico sees both some of the hottest temps so far this summer and some of the coolest temps so far this summer. The high temperature so far today has been 98 degrees, and I'm sure it will get hotter than that before the day is out. Tomorrow and Wednesday look to be the hottest days of the year, with forecast highs between 105-110 degrees. This is all due to a combination of a massive high pressure system moving in to our area and gusty northerly winds being generated between that high pressure and low pressure moving off to our east. Northerly winds are downsloping winds for this area; as a result, we see very hot temps combined with very low humidity (in the range of 10-20%). However, this heat will be short-lived as another trough pushes into the area by the weekend. By Sunday, Chico will be in the 70s for highs! That's nearly 20 degrees below average! Crazy weather, for sure. Here are the details from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 65. North northeast wind between 7 and 9 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 105. North northwest wind between 3 and 7 mph.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 66. South southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Wednesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 105. Northeast wind at 5 mph becoming south southwest.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 60. South southeast wind around 8 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 94.

Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 60.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 88.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 57.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.

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

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77.

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

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 81.

heat returns, briefly

Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous in Chico, with sunny skies, a nice southerly breeze, and a high temperature of 86 degrees. That, to us, is refreshing. Enjoy it while it lasts, because some of the most intense heat we've expereinced so far this summer will plague us by the middle of this upcoming week. Highs are expected to be between 102-105 degrees! However, this heat spell will be brief, as highs next weekend will dip back into the mid 80s. We've been having some unusual weather this summer, in that the normal heat spells that last for days or weeks are not happening. We've still experienced the heat, but only for a few days at a time. Mainly it's been seasonable this summer. I'm still looking forward to fall, with its cooler temps and spectacular fall foliage (especially in the mountains east of town). It's just a couple of months away! In the meantime, here's the hot forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph.

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 60. North northwest wind between 6 and 9 mph.

Monday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 99. North northwest wind between 10 and 13 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 63. North northwest wind between 6 and 8 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 103. Northwest wind between 3 and 6 mph.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 64.

Wednesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 102.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 63.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 95.

Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 60.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 91.

Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 56.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 86.

One of the last local banks seized by FDIC

Butte Community Bank, with several branches here in Chico and Butte County, was seized yesterday (August 20th) by the FDIC and immediately shut its doors. The local bank will reopen as Rabobank, based out of El Central, California, on Monday. To me, this is sad news. Butte Community Bank was one of the last local banks we had around here. Now it's going to be taken over by a larger, regional bank. I don't think we have any local banks here now. There's Tri-Counties Bank, but they are more regional, with locations from Redding down to Sacramento. It's a troubling trend, with Butte Community Bank, along with a bank in Stockton yesterday, bringing the number of failed banks in 2010 to 116. This is reminiscent of the Great Depression. I'm glad we now have the FDIC to insure people's bank accounts; if not, millions of people would be out millions of dollars. Pretty scary to think about: one day, without warning, you go from having, say $3000 in your checking account, to nothing. The FDIC gives no advance notice when a bank shuts down; but, at least your money today doesn't go "Poof!" like it did 80 years ago. Still, a very sad and troubling trend.

summer? fall?

With these erratic forecast temperatures, I'm beginning to wonder what season it is. Chico will see forecast high temperatures today and tomorrow in the mid 80s. I'm sure those of you who are reading this (all three of you) will ask, Mid-80s does not feel like fall. True, but overnight lows tonight will dip into the lower to mid 50s! Time to pull out the extra blanket! However, summer isn't done with us yet (around these parts, summer relinquishes its grip right around the end of September or beginning of October). By early next week, we'll see highs in the upper 90s to lower 100s! Forget the extra blanket; where's the pool? How long will this heat last, you ask? Not very long at all, as temps plunge back into the lower 90s (where we should be in late August) by late next week. Whew! I feel like I'm on a roller coaster! All I can say is, this weekend is like a teaser for fall, but don't put away the shorts and flip flops just yet. Here are the details from the National Weather Service:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 85. South southeast wind between 8 and 16 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 53. South southeast wind 13 to 16 mph decreasing to between 5 and 8 mph. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming west northwest around 6 mph.

Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 59. North northwest wind around 7 mph.

Monday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 99. North wind around 10 mph.

Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 64.

Tuesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 101.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 62.

Wednesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 99.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 63.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 93.

Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 60.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 92.

back to school season

OMG! There's so much happening this weekend in Chico, and with all of the Chico State students either returning or new to the area, the hectic pace goes up a few notches. Some random events happening this weekend: a fashion show and sale at Chikoko Fashion Collective; a film festival at 1078 Gallery; tons of live, local music at bars all over Chico; another Thursday Night Market tonight downtown; and a Northstate Symphony fundraiser featuring local wineries. Whew! And that's just a sampling of events in Chico over the next several days. Check out the Chico News and Review via the link on my blog page for more details and other events. The weather should be wonderful this weekend for getting out and about, as forecast highs are expected in the mid 80s both Saturday and Sunday! That's nearly ten degrees below average! However, and interestingly, the thermometer will shoot back up into the upper 90s just in time for back to work and school on Monday. I swear, it is always hot the first day of school for Chico State students! I wish they would wait to start the school year until after Labor Day. But, if that happened, students would have to take finals after Christmas (not good). Anyway, enjoy the upcoming weekend, and watch out for the new student residents as they drive around in unfamiliar surroundings (well, unfamiliar to them, anyway). Here's the latest forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 60. South wind 5 to 7 mph becoming east.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming south between 7 and 10 mph.

Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 57. South southeast wind between 8 and 11 mph.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming south southeast between 5 and 8 mph.

Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 55. Southeast wind between 8 and 13 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 86.

Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 60.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 95.

Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 61.

Tuesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 99.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 64.

Wednesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 97.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 60.

Thursday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 97.

slight change in temps

There is a trough of low pressure moving through the Pacific Northwest at this time, bringing cooler temps to places such as Portland and Seattle. Those cities experienced temps in the 90s and 100s this past weekend! This trough is also kicking up the southerly winds here in Northern California. Winds are currently gusting to 20 mph in Chico and could strengthen to 25 mph this evening as the trough passes through our area. The trough will also cool our temps down somewhat, but will still be at or above 90 degrees over the next several days. Lows will generally be in the upper 50s to around 60. Here's the detailed seven day Chico forecast from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 57. South southeast wind between 9 and 18 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming south between 5 and 8 mph.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 59. South wind 5 to 8 mph becoming east northeast.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 94. Light and variable wind.

Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 60. South wind around 7 mph becoming east.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 91.

Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 56.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 90.

Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 58.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 89.

Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 58.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 92.

Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 60.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 94.

mainly seasonable

With the exception of tomorrow (Monday), the next seven days should be right around average for temps this time of year in Chico. Highs are expected to be in the low to mid 90s (average for this upcoming week is around 92 degrees), while overnight lows will be in the upper 50s to low 60s (average low this time of year is 60 degrees). Again, sunny skies will dominate during the day, while starry, moonlit skies will dominate at night. That's about it for the weather. Chico is gearing up for the return of the Chico State student body this upcoming week. By this time next weekend, nearly 15,000 young men and women will have descended upon Chico, filling its neighborhoods and clogging its streets with traffic. Don't get me wrong- I love the students (I used to be one). They are what makes Chico unique here in the northstate. However, some are not familiar with our streets and avenues, and it becomes frustrating whenever I get behind a student who becomes lost and makes a sudden stop or turn in front of me. Ah, the joys of living in a college town! Here's the latest forecast for the great college town of Chico from the National Weather Service:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 93. South southwest wind between 3 and 6 mph.

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 61. South wind between 4 and 7 mph becoming calm.

Monday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Calm wind becoming south southwest around 6 mph.

Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 62. South southeast wind around 7 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 93. Light south southeast wind.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 59.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 94.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 59.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 92.

Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 59.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 92.

Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 57.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 90.

perhaps not so hot?

I just read the new forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service (NWS), and now it seems it won't be as hot as earlier predicted. It'll still be hot, but with highs in the mid 90s early next week, not the upper 90s and near 100 degree heat forecasters had thought. Most of the heat will be to our north, in Oregon. Temps there in the Willamette Valley may reach 100 degrees! People who live there are not used to those kinds of temperatures. High pressure is anchored off the Washington and British Columbia coast, so the more intense heat will be felt closer to the center of high pressure. That's because air flow around high pressure is clockwise. Because of the unique geography of the Pacific Northwest, easterly wind flow will slide down the Cascade Mountains, compressing the air as it travels from higher elevations to lower elevations. That's why it'll be so hot in the valleys and coast of Oregon and Washington. Weather fascinates me! Here's the detailed seven day forecast for Chico from the NWS:

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 61. South wind between 4 and 7 mph becoming calm.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming south between 4 and 7 mph.

Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 59. South wind between 3 and 8 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 93. Light and variable wind.

Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 60. South wind around 6 mph becoming east.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 95.

Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 59.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 94.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 61.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 94.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 60.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 95.

Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 61.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 94.

new links added

I've added two more links to my blog- The Chico Experience and Chico Artoberfest. These are two very cool happenings coming up in October. Check out the websites by clicking on the links to the right. It's just another way of getting to know my cool little hometown. Enjoy!

temps heating up

Yesterday was simply gorgeous in Chico, with sunny skies, low humidity, excellent visibility, and comfortable temperatures. The high temperature in Chico yesterday was 81 degrees. Today has been a different story, with the current temp at 92 degrees. We should stay in the 90s for highs the next few days, and push the century mark by the end of the weekend and into early next week. Wouldn't it be nice if this was our last heat spell of the summer? Alas, it most likely will not. September is notorious in Chico for hot weather, with temps soaring into the low 100s late into the month. I've seen temps in the mid 90s as late as the day before Halloween! However, we have had a relatively mild summer this year, which will hopefully translate into a mild fall. Only time will tell. In the meantime, get ready for the next heat spell! Here's the latest Chico seven day forecast from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 61. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind becoming south southwest between 4 and 7 mph.

Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 61. South southeast wind around 7 mph.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph.

Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 61. South southwest wind around 7 mph becoming east southeast.

Sunday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 98.

Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 64.

Monday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 99.

Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 65.

Tuesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 99.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 65.

Wednesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 98.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 62.

Thursday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 96.

heat makes a return visit

Today has been very nice in Chico weather-wise, with an increase in the cloud cover, moderately breezy conditions (current winds are out of the south gusting to 20 mph), and comfortable temps in the mid 80s. Enjoy this mild weather while it lasts, because the heat will return with a vengeance by the end of this week. Look for highs to be in the mid to upper 90s through the middle of next week as high pressure pushes the trough affecting our weather currently off to the east. Oh, well. It is still summer, after all. And, it could be hotter than is forecast. Also, the latest on La Nina conditions is that forecasters are predicting La Nina will be moderate to strong through the winter of 2010-2011. What that usually means locally is that many of the rain and storms we see during the winter will be deflected northward into the Pacific Northwest. In other words, below normal precipitation. Not good for our current drought situation. Last winter was the first in four years we finished the rainy season with above normal precipitation. However, Chico and surrounding areas are still technically below average for precip the past four years. We'll just have to wait and see how strong La Nina is this winter. Here's the hot forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 55. South southeast wind between 7 and 11 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming south between 5 and 8 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59. Southeast wind between 3 and 8 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph.

Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 60. Southwest wind at 5 mph becoming east.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 95.

Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 59.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 94.

Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 62.

Sunday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 96.

Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 63.

Monday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 98.

Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 64.

Tuesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 96.

below average temps

Get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather! Thanks to that trough of low pressure which is giving the Pacific Northwest all of the gray, wet, gloomy weather, we here in Northern California are enjoying cooler than normal temperatures. And, these cooler temps should last through the upcoming work week. We'll start to warm up again for next weekend, but even then the temps will be right around average. Play some tennis, do some golfing at Bidwell Golf Course, take a hike in Upper Bidwell Park, go jogging or biking in Lower Bidwell Park, whatever- the weather should be perfect for any outdoor activity you have in mind. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and have a good upcoming week. Here's the latest forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 90. South wind between 3 and 8 mph.

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 59. South southeast wind between 6 and 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 89. South wind between 5 and 10 mph.

Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 58. South southeast wind between 5 and 9 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming west southwest around 5 mph.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 58.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 85.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 57.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 86.

Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 60.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 92.

Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 58.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 93.

still expected to be milder

Expect temperatures in the northern Sacramento Valley to cool down into the mid to upper 80s late this weekend and early next week as a trough of low pressure swings through our neck of the woods. High temperatures should rebound back into the mid 90s by the middle of next week. It'll remain dry and sunny the next seven days. That's it in a nutshell for Chico's weather. Some events happening this weekend include the Chico Summer Theater Festival's (formerly Shakespeare in the Park) production of The Winter's Tale at the Chico Women's Club tonight and tomorrow night at 7:30 pm with matinees at 2pm tomorrow and Sunday; Chico Outlaws baseball games at Nettleton Stadium (a.k.a. "The Nett") on the Chico State University campus (the Outlaws host the Calgary (Alberta) Vipers tonight, tomorrow night, and Sunday night at 7:05pm); and the Cohasset Bazaar and Music Festival up in the foothills community of Cohasset, happening tomorrow from 11am until 7pm. For more info on events and happenings in and around Chico, check out the Chico News and Review's website under the Links section of my blog. Here are the specifics on Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 62. South southeast wind between 6 and 9 mph becoming calm.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph.

Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 62. South wind between 6 and 9 mph becoming calm.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming south between 4 and 7 mph.

Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 61. South southeast wind between 9 and 13 mph.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 86.

Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 60.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 88.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 59.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 93.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 59.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 94.

Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 60.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 95.

nice weather

Well, nice for this part of the country. After high temperatures above 90 degrees for weeks on end, Chico will see forecast highs below 90 degrees late in the weekend and into early next week. That will seem downright refreshing! This cooler weather is courtesy of a trough of low pressure swinging through the western U.S. This same trough will also bring an increased chance of thunderstorms to the Sierra Nevada crest and points eastward into Nevada this weekend. If you have plans for the weekend in the mountains, keep that in mind and be prepared to take shelter should you see lightning or hear thunder. As for the rest of us, enjoy the cooler weather! Here's the seven day Chico forecast from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 59. South wind between 8 and 11 mph becoming calm.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph.

Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 61. South southeast wind between 6 and 9 mph becoming calm.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph.

Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 59. South southeast wind around 7 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 88.

Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 60.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 88.

Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 57.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 87.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 60.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 94.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 63.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 94.

the boring days of summer

It was a tad bit warm today in Chico as the high temperature made it to 95 degrees. We'll see one more day of temps in the mid 90s before we begin to see cooler temps invade for the end of the week. Temps will rebound back into the mid 90s by Sunday and last into early next week. Not much else is happening weather-wise in our neck of the woods. This is the time of year when the weather pattern is very stagnant. It doesn't start to change until October (and sometimes, November) when the jet stream begins to dip farther south into our region. The jet stream is responsible for steering storm systems. Think of it like the driver of a car, with the storms being the car. As the jet stream dips, storms dip with it, sending us some beneficial precipitation. Again, that won't happen for at least the next couple of months. Until then, it's the same old boring weather. Here's the latest yawnfest, I mean forecast, for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 62. South wind at 7 mph becoming east.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 95. Calm wind becoming south between 4 and 7 mph.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 60. South southeast wind between 3 and 8 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 93. Light and variable wind.

Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 60. South southeast wind between 6 and 10 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 92.

Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 62.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 91.

Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 62.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 94.

Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 61.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 94.

Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 64.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 94.

Happy August!

After a nice morning low of 58 degrees, the high temperature in Chico shot up to 94 degrees (which is actually right where we should be the 1st of August). Now I'm watching the sun set as I type this blog entry. Another day done. I can't believe it's August already! Chico State starts classes three weeks from tomorrow, while Chico Unified School District students return to school August 11th. I remember when I was in high school- we didn't return until after Labor Day. Of course, we also didn't get out for summer break until early June, either. My point is, summer is beginning to wind down, and it'll be fall before I know it. The leaves will be turning into their beautiful shades of crimson, gold, and orange, while temps will begin to cool off into the 60s and 70s. I can't wait! Anyway, have a good week. Here's the latest forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 61. East southeast wind between 3 and 7 mph.

Monday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 96. Calm wind becoming south between 5 and 8 mph.

Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 58. South wind 5 to 7 mph becoming east.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 95. Calm wind becoming south southwest around 5 mph.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 60. Southeast wind around 6 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 93.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 60.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 93.

Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 60.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 94.

Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 62.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 94.

Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 62.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 93.