dreary weekend followed by beautiful week

Yesterday was downright dreary in Chico, with temperatures stuck in the 50s and off-and-on rain showers. I volunteered to participate in the Multicultural Community Collaboration Festival in Bidwell Park yesterday, and I was wet and cold most of the time. Even when it wasn't raining, the wind would shake the moisture off of the towering oak trees above us, soaking everything below. Good news, though- the next six days (at least, if not longer) look absolutely wonderful! There's a chance we may see 80 degrees by the middle of the week! The fall colors are in abundance in Chico right now, so get out there and take some beautiful pictures (I am). Oh, and I almost forgot: Happy Halloween! Conditions should be dry for later today, so no need for any wet weather gear over those costumes. Have fun, and stay safe! Here are the details on the fine weather for this upcoming week from the National Weather Service:

Today: A 20 percent chance of showers before 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 65. South southeast wind between 7 and 10 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. South southeast wind at 6 mph becoming north.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 72. Northwest wind between 3 and 5 mph.

Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 51. North northwest wind between 3 and 5 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 78. North northwest wind around 5 mph.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 52.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 76.

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

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75.

Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50.

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 75.

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

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 69.

Climate Normals for Chico:
Average high: 71 degrees
Average low: 44 degrees
Sunrise this morning: 7:35 am
Sunset this evening: 6:06 pm

off and on showers this weekend

It appears we will have an off and on wet day today and tomorrow before things dry out in time for trick or treating. Speaking of trick or treating, the Downtown Chico Business Association (DCBA) is hosting a kid-friendly trick or treat event on Sunday afternoon. This is an annual event where youngsters dressed in their Halloween costumes can go from business to business and collect goodies. It's a fun, family-friendly event, and the weather should cooperate for it. However, the weather isn't cooperating with this morning's commute. It is beginning to rain in Chico currently, and should for the next few hours. Looking at the radar, there are some embedded heavier showers in a line of rain that extends from Redding to the Napa Valley. This line is associated with a weak cold front that is slowly moving east. We will see a lull in shower activity this afternoon before the actual low pressure system, now out in the Pacific, moves inland tonight. Winds from the south will increase ahead of this low overnight and into tomorrow. A couple of inches of snow may fall above 6000' in the Sierra Nevada mountains east of Chico between today and late tomorrow. It should be mainly dry on Sunday as the low moves away, and most of next week looks spectacular, with sunny skies and highs in the 60s and 70s. Many of the deciduous trees in Chico are currently transitioning into their fall colors, and next week should be perfect picture-taking weather as the leaves begin to peak. Have a great weekend, everyone! Here's the latest Chico forecast from the National Weather Service:

Today: A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 11am. Cloudy, with a high near 64. North northwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm.

Tonight: Showers likely, mainly after 11pm. Cloudy, with a low around 48. West northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61. Southeast wind 6 to 9 mph increasing to between 14 and 17 mph. Winds could gust as high as 22 mph.

Saturday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. Southeast wind around 14 mph.

Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 63. Southeast wind around 11 mph.

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

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 72.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 50.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 75.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 50.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 74.

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

Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 69.

Climate Normals for October 29th:

Average High: 72 degrees
Average low:44 degrees
Sunrise: 7:33 am
Sunset: 6:09 pm

Special Weather Statement

SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...

* RAPID RISES ON SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS

* WATER PONDING ON ROADS

* LOCALIZED URBAN FLOODING

* REDUCED VISIBILITIES DUE TO AREAS OF HEAVY RAIN

RAIN...HEAVY AT TIMES...IS EXPECTED TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY IN THE
COASTAL MOUNTAINS AND THE NORTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY...AND THE
SURROUNDING MOUNTAINS. PEOPLE PLANNING TRAVEL ALONG INTERSTATE 5
BETWEEN THE ORLAND AREA AND THE SHASTA/SISKIYOU COUNTY BORDER CAN
EXPECT REDUCED VISIBILITIES AND WATER PONDING ON ROADS AT TIMES
DUE TO HEAVY RAIN. LOCALIZED URBAN FLOODING WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE.
SNOW LEVELS IN THE COASTAL MOUNTAINS WILL DROP TO AROUND 5500 FEET
WHERE UP TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE.

THE ABOVE IMPACTS ARE BEING CAUSED BY A STORM SYSTEM WHICH IS
DROPPING SOUTH OUT OF THE GULF OF ALASKA. THIS STORM WILL BRING
RAIN TO THE OUTLINED AREA ABOVE STARTING THIS EVENING. THE STORM
WILL STALL AND CONTINUE TO BRING RAIN...WHICH WILL BE HEAVY AT
TIMES...THROUGH FRIDAY. THE WEATHER SYSTEM WILL EVENTUALLY MOVE
ACROSS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FRIDAY OR FRIDAY NIGHT.

Could another major storm affect our area over the next 48 hours? It looks like heavy rain and breezy conditions will affect areas of the Northern Sacramento Valley, but could also affect areas of the Central Sacramento Valley (where Chico is located). More interesting weather to come, I'm sure.

below normal temps

Chico has experienced some well below average temperatures since that big storm moved through two days ago. This morning's low was a very chilly 40 degrees, while this afternoon's high was only 66 degrees- eight degrees below the normal high for this date. It looks like this trend will continue. We may have a wet Halloween, but only a slight chance of showers is in the forecast at this time. There will be mainly off and on showers for the rest of this week, along with some sun breaks. It's really a mixed bag of weather. Here are the details from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 40. North northwest wind around 7 mph.

Wednesday: Increasing clouds, with a high near 64. North northwest wind between 3 and 8 mph.

Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a steady temperature around 61. Calm wind becoming east southeast around 5 mph.

Thursday: A 30 percent chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 64. South southeast wind between 5 and 8 mph.

Thursday Night: A 40 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. Southeast wind between 6 and 9 mph.

Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 62.

Friday Night: A 40 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 52.

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

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

Sunday: A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 58.

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

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 69.

Climate averages for October 26th:
Average High: 74 degrees
Average Low: 45 degrees
Sunrise tomorrow: 7:31 am
Sunset tomorrow: 6:11 pm

what a storm!

Chico received nearly two inches of rain over the past 24 hours. Winds were sustained at 30 mph this afternoon, while the peak wind gust at Chico Municipal Airport was 41 mph. It's only stopped raining within the past hour or so, and the skies are beginning to clear. I haven't heard of any reports of damage or power outages, but I wouldn't be surprised if there are. We usually don't see storms of this magnitude until December, so this was very unusual for October. It looks like the rain isn't through with us yet; after a few days of dry, sunny, and cool weather, we'll see another potentially strong storm by Thursday. Next weekend could also be wet. Stay tuned. Here's the latest forecast from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Showers likely, mainly before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. South wind 18 to 21 mph decreasing to between 7 and 10 mph. Winds could gust as high as 32 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 60. East wind at 6 mph becoming southwest.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45. West southwest wind at 7 mph becoming north.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63. Northwest wind between 3 and 10 mph.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. North wind between 8 and 11 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 65.

Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48.

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

Thursday Night: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 44.

Friday: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 63.

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

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

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

Sunday: A slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 64.

Climate Normals for October 24th:

Average High: 75 degrees (actual high: 61 degrees)
Average Low: 45 degrees (actual low: 56 degrees)
Sunset this evening: 6:15 pm
Sunrise tomorrow: 7:30 am

crazy weather

In addition to a Wind Advisory, which is still in effect until 5pm this afternoon, Chico and the surrounding area are now under a Flood Advisory. More from the National Weather Service:

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED AN

* URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR MINOR FLOODING OF POOR
DRAINAGE AREAS IN...
WESTERN AMADOR COUNTY...WESTERN CALAVERAS COUNTY...COLUSA COUNTY...
WESTERN EL DORADO COUNTY...WESTERN NEVADA COUNTY...WESTERN PLACER
COUNTY...SACRAMENTO COUNTY...SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY...SOLANO COUNTY...
STANISLAUS COUNTY...SUTTER COUNTY...SOUTHWESTERN TUOLUMNE
COUNTY...YOLO COUNTY...YUBA COUNTY...BUTTE COUNTY....GLENN
COUNTY...SOUTHERN LAKE COUNTY...CENTRAL SHASTA COUNTY...TEHAMA
COUNTY

* UNTIL 345 PM PDT

* AT 952 AM PDT MODERATE TO OCCASIONALLY HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES TO
FALL ACROSS INTERIOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TO
TAPER OFF LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 0.5 TO 1.5 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE
VALLEY AND ADJACENT FOOTHILLS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.

RUNOFF FROM MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE ELEVATED LEVELS ON
SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS...AND PONDING OF WATER IN URBAN AREAS AND
ALONG COUNTRY ROADS...HIGHWAYS...STREETS AND UNDERPASSES AS WELL AS
OTHER POOR DRAINAGE AREAS AND LOW LYING SPOTS. MUD AND ROCK SLIDES
ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THE MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL TODAY.

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

A FLOOD ADVISORY MEANS PONDING OF WATER IN URBAN OR OTHER AREAS IS
OCCURRING OR IS EXPECTED.

ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO GET TO YOUR DESTINATION. IF WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY DO NOT CROSS IT. THE WATER MAY BE TOO DEEP TO ALLOW YOUR
VEHICLE TO CROSS SAFELY.

Wind Advisory for Sunday

The weather is still expected to worsen over the next 12 hours or so. The rain has been fairly steady today, and will become heavier tonight and into early tomorrow. The winds will also increase overnight tonight. This is all thanks to a combination of a remnant typhoon and a strong jet stream. Isolated urban flooding is possible due to the strong winds knocking off leaves on trees and sending them into the gutters, causing them to clog drainage systems. Power outages are possible (though not expected to be widespread) due to most of the trees still having leaves on them. The leaves act as "sails," amplifying the wind and causing tree branches to fall onto power lines. All of this nasty weather should taper off by late tomorrow afternoon. More storms may affect us next week. Here are details on the Wind Advisory from the National Weather Service:

WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 5 PM PDT SUNDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A WIND
ADVISORY FOR ELEVATIONS BELOW 8000 FEET OF INTERIOR NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 5 PM PDT SUNDAY.

* WINDS: SOUTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS
TO AROUND 45 MPH IN THE VALLEY AND SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF
20 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS AROUND 50 TO 70 MPH IN THE MOUNTAINS.

* TIMING: SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE SUNDAY MORNING AND
CONTINUE INTO THE AFTERNOON. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO TAPER OFF IN
THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: CHESTER...QUINCY...STOCKTON...MODESTO...
CHICO...REDDING...BURNEY...GRASS VALLEY...LAKEPORT...ALDER
SPRINGS...PARADISE

* IMPACTS: SMALL TREE BRANCHES OR LIMBS MAY BREAK AND FALL.
UNSECURED OUTDOOR ITEMS COULD BE BLOWN AROUND. DRIVING MAY
BECOME DIFFICULT FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

WINDS CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT...ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE
VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION. SECURE LOOSE OUTDOOR OBJECTS THAT
MAY BLOW AROUND.

updated statement from NWS

Yikes! This storm could be serious! From the National Weather Service office in Sacramento:

SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS SUNDAY...

*MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINS AND GUSTY WINDS MAY BRING DOWN BRANCHES
AND SMALL TREES.

*LOCALIZED POWER OUTAGES ARE POSSIBLE.

*LEAVES ON TREES WILL FALL AND POSSIBLY LEAD TO CLOGGED STORM
DRAINS.

*LOCAL URBAN FLOODING MAY OCCUR IN POORLY DRAINED AREAS.

*HEAVY RAINS FALLING ON ACCUMULATED OIL FROM THIS SUMMER WILL
LEAD TO SLICK ROADS.


...HEAVY RAINS AND GUSTY WINDS THIS WEEKEND...

A SERIES OF PACIFIC STORM SYSTEMS WILL MOVE THROUGH NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA BEGINNING TONIGHT AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
THE FIRST SYSTEM WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA TONIGHT AND INTO
SATURDAY. PRECIPITATION TOTALS SHOULD BE LIGHT WITH THIS INITIAL
SYSTEM...GENERALLY LESS THAN A QUARTER OF AN INCH THROUGH THE
VALLEY AND UP TO HALF AN INCH OVER THE MOUNTAINS.

THE SECOND SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. THIS SECOND SYSTEM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO
BRING OVER AN INCH OF RAIN TO PORTIONS OF THE VALLEY AND 4 TO 6
INCHES OF RAIN OVER THE MOUNTAINS. GUSTY WINDS ARE ALSO
EXPECTED...WITH 40 TO 45 MPH WIND GUSTS POSSIBLE THROUGH THE
VALLEY AND UP TO 60 MPH OVER MOUNTAIN RIDGETOPS. SNOW LEVELS ARE
GENERALLY EXPECTED TO REMAIN ABOVE 8000 FEET FOR THE MAJORITY OF
THE STORMS DURATION...BUT MAY LOWER TO AROUND 5000 FEET LATE
SUNDAY NIGHT BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. ONLY LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS
ARE EXPECTED.

TEMPERATURES WILL BE 10 TO 15 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL OVER THE
WEEKEND WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER 60S THROUGH THE VALLEY AND
LOWER 40S TO LOWER 50S OVER THE MOUNTAINS.

stormy weekend ahead

Today has been gray and overcast, with some light sprinkles of rain. Temperatures have been stuck in the 50s and lower 60s all day today, and the weather is expected to worsen over the next 24-36 hours. Moderate to heavy rain will invade the Sacramento Valley and surrounding foothills tomorrow night and into Sunday, while the highest mountain peaks are expected to receive several inches of snow. Winds are expected to be gusty, especially Saturday night into Sunday, with gusts to 35 mph possible. The timing and exact precip amounts are still fuzzy right now, but prepare for inclement weather regardless. Ah, our first major storm of the season- I love it! Here are the latest details for the Chico seven day forecast from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: A 50 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. Southeast wind between 7 and 13 mph.

Saturday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 58. Southeast wind between 13 and 18 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Saturday Night: Rain. Low around 55. South southeast wind between 15 and 21 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Sunday: Rain. High near 61. Breezy, with a south southeast wind between 21 and 24 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Sunday Night: Showers, mainly before 11pm. Low around 50. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 61.

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

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 65.

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

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.

Wednesday Night: A chance of rain. Partly cloudy, with a low around 48.

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

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

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

Special Weather Statement

Um, you know what I said in yesterday's post? Just forget about it. The weather picture has changed. Here are more details from the National Weather Service:

A SERIES OF STORM SYSTEMS WILL MOVE THROUGH NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
BEGINNING THIS MORNING AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND
INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. THE FIRST SYSTEM MOVING THROUGH NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA THIS MORNING IS FAIRLY WEAK AND HAS ONLY BROUGHT CLOUDS
AND VERY LIGHT SHOWERS TO INTERIOR OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. EVEN
THE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA IS ONLY EXPECTED TO PICK UP LIGHT RAIN
OR HIGH ELEVATION SNOW TODAY. A SECOND AND SLIGHTLY STRONGER
WEATHER SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
SATURDAY MORNING WITH A THIRD AND MUCH MORE POWERFUL SYSTEM MOVING
THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS THROUGH
SATURDAY SHOULD REMAIN FAIRLY LIGHT WITH THE WEAKER SYSTEMS BUT
RAINFALL WILL INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY AS
THE MUCH WETTER SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH. PRECIPITATION TOTALS FROM
SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING MAY REACH AROUND 1.5 INCHES
IN THE NORTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY TO AROUND 3 QUARTERS OF AN INCH
OVER THE NORTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. PRECIPITATION DURING THIS
TIME PERIOD OVER THE MOUNTAINS COULD RANGE FROM TWO TO THREE
INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. SNOW LEVELS WILL BE
AROUND 7000 FEET IN THE NORTH TO 8000 FEET IN THE SOUTH ON
SATURDAY AND INCREASE TO AROUND 8000 TO 9000 FEET ON SUNDAY.
TRAVEL IS EXPECTED TO ONLY BE MINIMALLY IMPACTED WITH THE SNOW
LEVELS EXPECTED TO REMAIN ABOVE THE PASS LEVELS DURING THE
HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION. GUSTY WINDS ARE EXPECTED OVER OVER THE
MOUNTAINS HOWEVER WITH WIND SPEEDS ON SUNDAY GUSTING TO OVER 50
MPH AT PASS LEVELS.

TEMPERATURES WILL BE AROUND 10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL OVER THE
WEEKEND WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE 60S IN THE VALLEY AND IN THE
LOWER 40S TO LOWER 50S IN MOST LOCATIONS OF THE MOUNTAINS.

So, we may need to batten down the hatches a little bit. If you're planning a trip to the coast this weekend, the winds are expected to be very strong. You may want to reconsider your plans. Maybe this will be a good weekend to stay inside and watch scary movies!

no big storms for us

Well, it turns out we here in Chico and the surrounding area won't be affected very much by this big storm in the Pacific Ocean. There won't be much wind or rain, just some nuisance showers that'll probably accumulate to about half an inch between tomorrow and Sunday. So, no need to batten down the hatches. Today has been breezy in Chico, with winds around 15 mph and gusts close to 20 mph at times. It has been hazy, slightly smoky (winds are out of the south, so I assume there are some fires in that direction), and quite cool today. Temperatures have been stuck in the 60s all day. It's a nice change from the warmth we've been wxperiencing the past couple of weeks. If you have outdoor plans this weekend, bring an umbrella or possibly reschedule; even though it won't be stormy, it will still be wet. Here are the details from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: A 30 percent chance of showers after 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. Southeast wind between 3 and 10 mph.

Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. South wind between 3 and 5 mph.

Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. South southeast wind at 7 mph becoming northeast.

Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62. Northeast wind at 6 mph becoming south.

Saturday Night: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. Southeast wind between 7 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Sunday: Showers. High near 64. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

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

Monday: A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 65.

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

Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 64.

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

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68.

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

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73.

Climate Normals for October 21st:

Average High Temperature: 77 degrees
Average Low Temperature: 46 degrees
Actual Low Temperature Today: 53 degrees
Actual High Temperature Today: 69 degrees

from summer to winter

Okay, I admit the title of this blog entry is not exactly correct. However, in just about two weeks time, we've gone from temps in the 90s to rain and highs only in the 60s (the temps don't reflect winter-like weather, but the rain does). By this weekend, we're looking at a decent storm impacting Northern California. Some of the higher mountain passes and peaks may even see several inches of snow (now that IS winter-like). Could this be the future of weather caused by climate change- stark, rapid changes in weather patterns with no transitional period? Seriously, we go from blazing sunshine and 90 degree temps, to rain and snow, in less than two weeks time. Talk about weather whiplash! I'm still waiting for the fall colors to arrive, and Mother Nature is shoving me into winter! I know, I exaggerate, but only to prove a point! Here's the suddenly stormy forecast from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 53. North wind between 3 and 6 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 80. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51. East wind between 5 and 8 mph becoming calm.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph.

Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. South southeast wind between 6 and 9 mph becoming calm.

Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64.

Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48.

Saturday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66.

Saturday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55.

Sunday: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 63.

Sunday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54.

Monday: A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 65.

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

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

Climate Normals for October 19th:

Average High Temperature: 76 degrees
Average Low Temperature: 46 degrees
Sunset This Evening: 6:21 pm
Sunrise Tomorrow: 7:22 am
Actual High Temperature Today: 84 degrees
Actual Low Temperature Today: 50 degrees

changes in store for this weekend

Today was absolutely gorgeous in Chico, with sunshine galore and a high temperature of 75 degrees. The sun should stick around for the rest of the work week, and northerly, downsloping winds will set up tomorrow, providing us with very warm conditions. These conditions will only last for one day, however, as we start a downward temperature trend on Wednesday. By this weekend, we'll see highs only in the 60s! Time to break out the sweatshirts! Also, break out the umbrellas because there is a decent shot at some rain all weekend long. The rain chances may linger into early next week. This forecast could change, so check back for the latest updates. For now, here's what the National Weather Service is saying for Chico:

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 50. Northeast wind around 7 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 86. North northwest wind between 3 and 7 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 46. Light and variable wind.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 81. Calm wind becoming south southwest around 5 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45. South southeast wind around 7 mph.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.

Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48.

Friday: A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 71.

Friday Night: A slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53.

Saturday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 69.

Saturday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53.

Sunday: A chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 64.

Sunday Night: A chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 55.

Monday: A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 66.

Climate Normals for October 18th:

Average High: 78 degrees
Average Low: 47 degrees
Sunset this evening: 6:23 pm
Sunrise tomorrow: 7:22 am

what a difference a day makes

Wow! The National Weather Service forecasters were so wrong on today's forecast! They were predicting partly sunny skies, with just a slight chance of a shower and highs in the mid 70s. In actuality, we've had steady light rain for the past several hours, amounting to nearly a quarter of an inch, and a high temperature of just 59 degrees! This is weather we here in Chico see more typically in late November! It was a really nice break, though, after highs in the 90s this past week. This cool, showery weather will quickly be a distant memory, as high pressure will rapidly build back in by tomorrow. High temps the next few days will be in the low to mid 80s. However, a cooldown to below average temperatures will occur later in the week, and a potentially strong storm may (emphasis on "may") impact our weather by next weekend. Stay tuned. In the meantime, here's the latest Chico forecast from the NWS:

Tonight: Isolated showers before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Light north northwest wind. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. North northwest wind between 3 and 5 mph.

Monday Night: Patchy fog after 11pm. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 50. Northeast wind between 3 and 8 mph.

Tuesday: Patchy fog before 11am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 85. North northeast wind around 7 mph becoming west.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 50.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 82.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 52.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75.

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

Friday: A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 67.

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

Saturday: A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 64.

Saturday Night: A slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52.

Sunday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66.


Climate Normals for October 17th:

Average high temperature: 79 degrees
Average low temperature: 47 degrees
Sunset this evening: 6:25 pm
Sunrise tomorrow: 7:21 am

not a bad forecast

Beginning today, Chico should see more October-like weather. Yesterday marked five days in a row of temps at or above 90 degrees, with a high yesterday of 90. Today, expect temperatures nearly ten degrees cooler than yesterday. There's even some shower activity in the seven day forecast- albeit very slight chances. Still, enjoy the more seasonable weather this upcoming week. This weekend is the last weekend for the Chico Experience Week; for more info and details, click the Chico Experience Week link to the right. Here is the seven day forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82. Light and variable wind.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. Calm wind becoming southeast between 4 and 7 mph.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 76. East northeast wind 6 to 11 mph becoming south.

Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. Southeast wind at 5 mph becoming north northwest.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Light northwest wind.

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

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 82.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 54.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 82.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 53.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 79.

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

Friday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 74.

Climate Normals for Chico for October 16th:

Average High Temperature: 79 degrees
Average Low Temperature: 47 degrees
Sunrise: 7:19 am
Sunset: 6:26 pm

not as cool as previously thought

That's the bad news. The good news is that it WILL cool down by this weekend. The cooler weather will last into next week. I tell ya, it seems like we get hotter the later we get into the fall season (well, in actuality, we are). The high temp today in Chico was 93 degrees- not a record high for the date, but still hot. We should see highs closer to average beginning Saturday and continuing into the middle of next week- upper 70s and lower 80s. Much more fall-like! Here's the latest forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 56. South southeast wind at 8 mph becoming east northeast.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming south between 4 and 7 mph.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 56. Southeast wind between 6 and 8 mph.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82. Light and variable wind.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. Light southeast wind.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78.

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

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 79.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 52.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 80.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 53.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 80.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 53.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 80.

Climate Averages for October 14th:
Average high: 80 degrees
Average low: 48 degrees
Sunset tonight: 6:29 pm
Sunrise tomorrow: 7:18 am

Is it October or August?

I ask that question because we've had two days in a row here in Chico of temperatures at or above 90 degrees. Yesterday's high was 90 degrees and today's high was 91 degrees. Amazingly, neither one of these temps were records for the date. Interestingly, the latest Chico has reached 100 degrees is October 15th. So yeah, it still can get pretty hot during October. It looks like we'll have to endure above normal temps through the end of this week. By Sunday, though, the bottom falls out, and we should expect highs barely above 70 degrees. Nice! Here's the latest forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 44. North northeast wind between 6 and 10 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 89. Northwest wind between 3 and 6 mph.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 54. Light and variable wind.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 89. North wind at 6 mph becoming south.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56. South southeast wind between 4 and 7 mph becoming calm.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 55.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 81.

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

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 70.

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

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75.

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

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 81.

Climate normals for October 13th:

Average High: 80 degrees
Average low: 48 degrees
Sunrise: 7:16 am
Sunset: 6:31 pm

almost downright hot

The forecast has been fairly accurate the last couple of days, with sunny skies and temps in the mid 80s (Saturday's high was 87, while today's high was 85). It looks like the thermometer will be turned up a few degrees this upcoming week, and we may reach or exceed 90 degrees a couple of days this week. However, by Sunday we should see temps over 20 degrees cooler than what we will see mid-week this week. No rain is in the forecast- just dry, sunny weather. Hopefully this is summer's last gasp before we finally see some reliable fall weather. Here's the forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 56. North northwest wind between 6 and 9 mph.

Columbus Day: Sunny, with a high near 84. North northwest wind 9 to 12 mph increasing to between 17 and 20 mph. Winds could gust as high as 29 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 57. North northwest wind between 8 and 17 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 89. North northwest wind between 6 and 8 mph.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 56. North northeast wind between 6 and 8 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 88.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 56.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 88.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.

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

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 50.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 69.

Climate Normals for October 11th:

Average High: 81 degrees
Average Low: 49 degrees
Sunrise:7:14 am
Sunset: 6:34 pm

pleasantly warm

Yesterday's high temperature in Chico was a beautiful 77 degrees. It was partly to mostly cloudy yesterday, as a major storm system that will be affecting the Pacific Northwest today threw some mid- and high-level cloudiness our way. Some of the deciduous trees are beginning to respond to the cooler weather and are showing off their fall foliage. Those colors may be stunted a bit this upcoming week, as a strong ridge of high pressure dominates our weather and warms up our temps. It shouldn't get above 90 degrees, though, so it should stay pleasantly warm. Temps are expected to be above 80 degrees for the next seven days, and morning lows will be warmer than average, as well- mainly in the mid and upper 50s. So, warm enough during the day to wear shorts and t-shirts; cool enough at night to open the windows and let Mother Nature provide the air conditioning. Here's the forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 82. Calm wind becoming northwest between 7 and 10 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. North northwest wind between 6 and 10 mph.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Northwest wind between 5 and 7 mph.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 56. North northwest wind around 8 mph.

Columbus Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. North northwest wind around 8 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 54.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 87.

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

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 87.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 84.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 54.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82.

Climate Normals for October 9th:

Average High Temperature: 82 degrees
Average Low Temperature: 49 degrees
Sunrise: 7:12 am
Sunset: 6:37 pm

warming up

Sigh. I knew this very pleasant fall weather wouldn't last. It rarely does this time of year. As I said in my earlier post, October is a month of transition weather wise here in Chico. One day can be summer-like with blazing heat, the next it can be chilly and showery. The weather's inconsistent, in other words. The next seven days are an example of this. Currently in Chico under mostly cloudy skies the temperature is 71 degrees. However, by the end of the weekend, temps will be back up to near 90 degrees. It looks like the above average temps will stick around for much of next week, as well. Time to put the jackets and sweatshirts away and pull the shorts back out. Let's see, the big events happening this weekend in Chico are the continuation of Artoberfest and the beginning of the Chico Experience Week. For more info on both, check out the links to the right. Also, check out the latest forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

This Afternoon: Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. South southeast wind around 10 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. South wind between 5 and 8 mph becoming calm.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82. Calm wind becoming south southeast around 5 mph.

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

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.

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

Columbus Day: Sunny, with a high near 83.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 55.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 85.

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

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 86.

Climate Normals for October 7th:
Average High Temperature: 83 degrees
Average Low Temperature: 50 degrees
Sunset this evening: 6:40pm
Sunrise tomorrow morning: 7:11am

unexpected showers

Chico received some unexpected shower activity this morning, with .08" falling in the rain bucket. A weak upper level low pressure is moving north over central and northern California this morning, bringing with it some light to moderate rain. The past few days have been pleasantly fall-like (well, it IS fall, after all), with highs in the 70s and lower 80s. Temps should remain in the 70s through Friday, with a chance of widely scattered thundershowers today and this evening. It'll be partly sunny tomorrow with a slight chance of a shower or two, then the sunshine returns for Friday. There will be a brief warm up this weekend, as high pressure and bright sunshine will push temps into the mid and upper 80s. However, by early next week temps will be knocked down a bit into the low 80s. All in all, not a bad forecast. The leaves on the trees in Chico should be transforming into their fall colors over the next few weeks. I'll try to get some good pics and post them onto my blog. In the meantime, here's the latest Chico forecast from the National Weather Service:

Today: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 77. Calm wind becoming southwest between 5 and 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Tonight: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56. South southeast wind between 6 and 8 mph.

Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 74. South southeast wind between 8 and 13 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. Southeast wind between 3 and 9 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 76. North wind at 5 mph becoming west southwest.

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

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 86.

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

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.

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

Columbus Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 81.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 55.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 83.

Climate Averages for October 6th:
Average High: 83 degrees
Average Low: 50 degrees
Sunrise: 7:09 am
Sunset: 6:41 pm

weather bulletin

From the National Weather Service as of a few minutes ago:

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING
INTO THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL SACRAMENTO VALLEY FROM THE
SOUTHWEST. THESE SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OVER THE NEXT
FEW HOURS AND MOVE NORTHEAST OVER THE FOOTHILLS AND MOUNTAINS.

MOTORISTS ON I-5...HIGHWAY 99...AND OTHER AREA STREETS AND
HIGHWAYS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR BRIEF HEAVY RAINS AND POSSIBLY SOME
SMALL HAIL.

I live east of Chico in the Sierra Nevada foothills and I can see the lightning and hear the thunder from an isolated storm that's over Hamilton City right now and moving rapidly to the north/northeast. If you're out and about this morning, be careful of brief heavy rain and vivid lightning. Otherwise, expect partly sunny conditions later this afternoon as this weather disturbance giving us the showers and thun derstorms currently moves off to the east. High temperatures today will be mild, mainly in the lower 80s. Highs over the next several days will remain in the mid 70s to around 80 degrees. There may be a bit of a warming trend for next weekend, with highs expected to reach the mid 80s. Overnight lows under clear skies the next several days will be in the lower to mid 50s. Enjoy this fall weather!

hooray for fall weather!

It continues to get cooler with each passing day. Today's high temperature in Chico was 89 degrees- the first time our high temp has been below 90 in over a week. Guess what? It will continue to get cooler through early next week. Highs will dip into the mid 70s by Monday! Fall is finally here! Of course, what goes down must come up (or something like that), as temps will climb back into the mid 80s by the middle of next week. However, the normal high for the first full week of October is 84 degrees, so it's not too far-fetched to have temperatures be that warm this time of year. In fact, October is a month of transition here in Chico. At the beginning of the month, the normal high is around 85; by the end of the month, we're down to an average of 74 degrees. Average lows go from 51 degrees on October 1st to 44 degrees on October 31st! Wear a coat over that Halloween costume! I'm not implying that we'll see temps like that on Halloween- those are simply the averages (or normals) during the month of October. Two big events happening this weekend are the Home and Garden Show at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico and Johnny Appleseed Days in Paradise. It's pretty much a given as to what goes on at a home and garden show, but Johnny Appleseed Days are unique to Paradise. They celebrate the fall apple harvest with an old- fashioned parade, lots of food, and historical re-enactments. This weekend will have excellent weather for a parade. Get out and enjoy! Here's the pleasant fall forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 59. South wind between 6 and 9 mph becoming calm.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming south between 4 and 7 mph.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. East southeast wind between 8 and 10 mph.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. South wind between 3 and 7 mph.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. South southeast wind between 3 and 11 mph.

Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 76.

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

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 79.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 55.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 77.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 54.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 81.

Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 55.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 83.