showery, then chilly

Man, it was a dreary day yesterday in Chico! The fog and low clouds plagued us all day long, then the showers moved in during the late evening. Chico so far has received .42" since last evening, and more showers are expected this morning before we begin to clear out later today. I think the clouds will be stubborn to leave, so we may have a day similar to yesterday. But, just in time for the work week, the sun will return on Monday and should stick around for much of next week. Temps will be chilly, as well, with lows right around freezing and highs in the lower to mid 50s (normals for Chico this time of year are 57 for the high and 36 for the low). By the end of the week, temps should be above average as high pressure strengthens over our area. Perhaps by then the spring blooms will begin to appear! Personally, I am ready for the fog and gray weather to depart permanently! Here is Chico's detailed forecast from the National Weather Service:

Today: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 10am, then a chance of showers. High near 52. East wind between 4 and 7 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34. North northwest wind around 5 mph.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. North northwest wind between 5 and 8 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 36. North northwest wind between 6 and 9 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 56. North wind between 3 and 10 mph.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 35.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 55.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 35.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 62.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 37.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 63.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 38.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 64.

wet weekend ahead

The dry but foggy days of the past several days will come to an end this weekend as a moderately strong storm moves into our area from the Pacific. Three to six inches of snow are possible above 4000' in the Sierras, while a quarter to a half an inch of rain is possible in the lower elevations of the foothills and the valley floor (that includes Chico). It was a gray day for most of the first half of the day today in Chico, with the fog thick before sunrise- only a quarter of a mile in some areas. The fog lifted right around 1 pm this afternoon to allow hazy, filtered sunshine to beam down. Fog will return overnight tonight and we'll have one more decent day tomorrow before the rain invades. Here are the details from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Patchy dense fog after 10pm. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 33. East southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Saturday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 55. Southeast wind between 3 and 9 mph.

Saturday Night: A 50 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 38. South southeast wind around 10 mph.

Sunday: Showers likely. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 50. South southeast wind between 3 and 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 33. North northwest wind around 5 mph.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 53.

Monday Night: Patchy frost after 4am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 33.

Tuesday: Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 52.

Tuesday Night: Patchy fog after 4am. Patchy frost after 4am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 31.

Wednesday: Patchy fog before 10am. Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 50.

Wednesday Night: Patchy frost after 4am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 34.

Thursday: Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 56.

Thursday Night: Areas of fog. Patchy frost after 4am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 36.

Friday: Patchy fog before 10am. Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 61.

slightly cooler later this week

Today's high so far (and current temperature) in Chico is 69 degrees. While not a record, it is 13 degrees warmer than where we should be this time of year. I haven't noticed any blooms on the fruit and non-fruit bearing trees in Chico, but I'm sure if this weather holds up, the blooms will begin appearing any day. The cool thing about the climate here is that the spring blooms usually last over a month. Blooms that begin appearing in early February continue into early March, for example. The wildflowers should begin appearing soon, as well. It is very beautiful when the blues, whites, yellows, and oranges of the wildflowers blend in with the deep emerald green grass. Add in the white, snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains in the background, and you've got a picture-perfect opportunity! I will venture to Table Mountain (located between Chico and Oroville, it's almost world-famous for its spring wildflowers)in the next few weeks to take some pics with my new camera. The only downside to this fantastic weather is the fact that we are not getting any precipitation. As I stated in an earlier post, January is Chico's wettest month on average. So far this month, we're barely 25-35% of average for rainfall. Maybe we'll make up for it in February. For now, continue to enjoy the dry and slightly cooler weather the next seven days! Here's the detailed forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 37. North northwest wind between 4 and 7 mph becoming calm.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 65. West northwest wind between 3 and 9 mph.

Wednesday Night: Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 37. South wind at 7 mph becoming west northwest.

Thursday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 63. North northeast wind around 6 mph becoming calm.

Thursday Night: Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 37. Calm wind.

Friday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 61.

Friday Night: Patchy dense fog after 10pm. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 37.

Saturday: Areas of dense fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 59.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 37.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 56.

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

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 58.

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

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 59.

It was a beautiful, warm day in Chico yesterday. I took these pics on my back porch facing west towards the Coast Range mountains on the west side of the Sacramento Valley. It was so warm, in fact, that Chico missed its record high temp for the date by just one degree! The high yesterday was 74 degrees; the record for January 22 is 75 degrees. Today has been much cooler, thanks to some haze and morning fog that has been slow to burn off. The current temperature (and high so far today) is 60 degrees. It should be warmer than average for much of this upcoming week as high pressure dominates our weather. Also expect dry conditions, as there are no storms on the horizon for the next seven to ten days. Here is the detailed forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:


Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 40. North northeast wind between 3 and 5 mph.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63. Light northwest wind.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43. Light and variable wind.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 64. North wind around 7 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 62.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 41.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 64.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 40.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 61.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 39.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63.

Have a great week, everyone!

gorgeous weekend

It is going to be a fantastic weekend weatherwise in Chico this weekend. Sunny skies, light winds, and very mild temperatures will be the dominant features for the weather both today and tomorrow. Get out and enjoy it, because weather this nice doesn't happen too often this time of year. A persistent dome of strong high pressure over the eastern Pacific will be responsible for this wonderful weather. I just hope this won't be a consistent pattern for the rest of the winter. That could set up a dangerous fire season this spring and summer if this dry pattern continues indefinitely. Looking out ten days, there is no rain on the horizon. Hopefully the pattern will shift, and we'll get some nice late winter/ early spring rain storms that will ease the potential severity of the fire season. Perhaps I'm simply getting ahead of myself, as we have seen some pretty decent rains over the past couple of months. I should just enjoy the beautiful weather on tap the next several days. Here is the detailed forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 64. Southeast wind 8 to 11 mph becoming north northwest.

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 38. West wind around 10 mph becoming north.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 62. North northwest wind between 6 and 8 mph.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 40. North northwest wind around 5 mph.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 63. North northeast wind between 3 and 6 mph.

Monday Night: Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 41.

Tuesday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 61.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 56.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 55.

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

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54.

where's the rain?

It's been over a week now since it last rained, and there is no rain on the horizon for Chico. This is supposed to be our wettest month on average, but it sure doesn't seem like it this month. Maybe the weather forecast will change, but for now, enjoy the dry weather and mild temperatures. Yesterday it was sunny and warm in Chico, with those downsloping northwest winds warming the temperature to 67 degrees! In January! Today has been sunny and nice, as well, though not as warm as yesterday. Expect dry weather through the end of next week, with at or slightly above normal temps. The Chico State students return next week to begin the spring semester. Prepare for lots of traffic! Here's the detailed seven day forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 41. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 59. Light northwest wind.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. Calm wind becoming north around 6 mph.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 58. North northwest wind between 7 and 13 mph.

Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 42. North northwest wind between 9 and 11 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 59.

Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 40.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 61.

Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 42.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 56.

Tuesday Night: Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Wednesday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 56.

Wednesday Night: Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Thursday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 59.

enough of the fog!

Chico has not been able to shake the foggy weather the past few days. The fog did dissipate enough early this afternoon to allow the sun to shine through the gloom. Temps have been kept in check by the fog and low clouds the past couple of days- mainly right around the 50 degree mark. The forecast for the next seven days looks promising- sunny skies and seasonal temperatures through early next week. Who knows when (or if) the rain will return? For now, it remains dry for the forseeable future. Hopefully the fruit- bearing trees will begin to bloom soon! It usually happens around the first week of February. It's quite a pretty sight with all of the white, pink, and purple blossoms. Of course I will take pictures of the blossoms with my new camera and post them on my blog. Until the blossoms appear, enjoy the dry and seasonable weather. Here are the details from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45. North northwest wind between 8 and 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 61. North northwest wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 39. North northeast wind around 9 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 57. North northwest wind around 9 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 40. Northeast wind around 6 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 58.

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

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 62.

Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 44.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 59.

Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 43.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 62.

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

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60.

not as warm as previously thought

The fog and low clouds were persistent today in Chico, which kept the temperatures down (as well as some people's spirits). The high today in Chico was a mere 53 degrees- just two degrees below normal, but still rather chilly- especially with the grayness. It looks like the fog will stick around tonight and through the morning tomorrow before the sun (hopefully) appears. It looks as though the warm temps previously forecasted will not become reality. Dry weather and sunny skies will still occur, but the forecast highs have been knocked down by a few degrees. Still, expect nice weather and mild temps this upcoming week. Here are the details from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Patchy fog. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. North northwest wind between 3 and 6 mph.

M.L.King Day: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 60. Calm wind becoming north northwest between 5 and 8 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45. North wind between 5 and 9 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 61. North northwest wind around 8 mph.

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

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 58.

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

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60.

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

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62.

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

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 61.

Dense Fog Advisory in effect currently

From the National Weather Service:

Central Sacramento Valley-
Including The City Of...Chico

...Dense Fog Advisory Remains In Effect Until 8 AM PST This
Morning For The Central Sacramento Valley...

• Visibility: Patchy Visibilities Of One-Quarter Mile Or Less
Early This Morning.

• Locations Include: Chico...Oroville...Willows...Colusa

• Impacts: Areas Of Poor Visibility At Times Along Interstate
5...And Highways 65...70...And 99.

Precautionary/Preparedness Actions...

A Dense Fog Advisory Means Visibilities Will Frequently Be
Reduced To Less Than One Quarter Mile. If Driving...Slow Down...
Use Your Headlights...And Leave Plenty Of Distance Ahead Of You.

warm and dry

Sorry I haven't posted in the past few days. Life can be so busy sometimes. Anyway, with all of the weird and wild weather in the world lately, and the fact that we may hit 70 degrees this next week, I am once again thinking about the impacts of global warming. Sure, wild weather has occurred sinced the Earth began, but has the weather been so out of whack before? Floods in Brazil that have killed over 400 people, two big blizzards in the Northeastern U.S. in the past three weeks, record cold in Europe that has killed hundreds, and now near record warmth here in my little corner of the world. Makes me wonder. Personally, I am a big believer in global warming, and that we humans have contributed to it through pollution and the use of fossil fuels. The proof is there- more cities and towns around the world have experienced twice as many record high temperatures than record lows over the past 30 years. Extreme weather events are happening at greater frequency and intensity than at any other time since weather records have been kept. I understand there are still skeptics out there, and I respect their opinions on the subject. For me, personally, it is very distressing, and I fear we as a species have reached a turning point from which there is no going back. We will continue to see record heat and violent weather in the future, and the loss of life and damage will be staggering. On that positive note, for those who like spring in January, enjoy the next seven days! Yesterday Chico hit a high of 62 degrees, and we may flirt with 70 degrees by the middle of next week. Is it January or April? Here's the latest forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Today: Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 63. Light and variable wind.

Tonight: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Calm wind.

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

Sunday Night: Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. North wind between 3 and 5 mph.

M.L.King Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. North northwest wind between 6 and 9 mph.

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

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 65.

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

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 67.

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

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 66.

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

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 66.

spring-like warmth by next week

I'm sure that's what a lot of people in Chico want to hear. It has been frosty cold the past several mornings, with lows generally in the 20s. High temps haven't been that warm, either- mainly stuck in the 40s. A lot of people want the temps to warm up, and they will. There is also rain (supposedly) on the way for tonight, although current radar does not look all that impressive. After tonight, a series of weak weather systems will quickly move through Northern California, bringing slight chances of rain or showers to the valley. Back to what I alluded to earlier- the warmer temps. By this weekend highs will be back into the mid to upper 50s (where we should be this time of year), while early next week we're talking highs in the 60s! It won't be long until the almond, pear, and plum trees will be flowering. That's how it is here in Chico- we have four seasons, but winter is the shortest season. It typically last about six to eight weeks from early December until late January. Spring begins in earnest by the first week of February, and can last well into April. By early to mid-May we begin to feel the heat of summer creeping in, and by June, the heat is on. Fall typically comes rolling in around the third week of October and lasts until late November, when the cycle starts all over again. So look for the transition of the seasons- in this case winter to spring- within a couple of weeks. For now, here's the latest forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Rain. Patchy fog after 4am. Temperature rising to around 42 by 5am. Calm wind becoming east around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of rain after 4pm. Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 52. North northwest wind between 3 and 5 mph.

Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. North northeast wind around 6 mph.

Thursday: A 50 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53. North northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers before 10pm. Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Friday: Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 56.

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

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 58.

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

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

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47.

M.L.King Day: A slight chance of rain. Mostly sunny, with a high near 61.

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

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62

Here's a pic of the fog in the valley this past Friday, January 7, 2011, from my back porch. This is facing west/ southwest, about a half hour after the sun set. You can (hopefully) see the sea of fog with the Coast Range poking up over it. This is the view from my back porch! Back to the recent weather, yesterday was just gloomy all day long. The fog was thick at my house, while in Chico, 1300 feet below my house, it was overcast all day. Today the fog broke and the sun came out. It made for a beautiful, if chilly, day. Temps were stuck in the mid 40s all day in Chico, despite the sunshine. It looks like another pattern shift is setting up, with unsettled weather beginning midweek and lasting into next weekend. We may not see any big storms, but it looks like rain is a certainty, especially Thursday. The latest forecast from the National Weather Service for Chico is after the pic:




Tonight: Patchy fog. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 29. North northwest wind around 7 mph.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 52. North wind around 7 mph.

Monday Night: A slight chance of sprinkles after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. North northeast wind around 7 mph.

Tuesday: A chance for sprinkles, then a chance of rain after 10am. Cloudy, with a high near 51. East northeast wind between 3 and 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 36. Southeast wind between 5 and 9 mph.

Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53.

Wednesday Night: A 50 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 41.

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

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

Friday: A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 57.

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

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

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

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

freezing fog possible

If you have to be out and about early this morning, be aware that there could be some patchy freezing fog and/or black ice on the roads, especially in sheltered areas and in the foothills. I live in the foothills east of Chico, and the road I live on was extremely slick and frosty yesterday morning. Basically what I'm trying to say is: Be careful while driving.The sun never came out in Chico yesterday due to the very thick overcast blanketing the valley. It looked like a sea of white from my house, with the Coast Ranges poking through the dense fog layer. I took a couple of pics with my new camera, and as soon as I can figure out how to download them, I'll post them on my next blog entry. The National Weather Service states that there will be sun this afternoon, but we'll have to wait and see. Currently there is thick fog in Chico and surrounding areas, with temps ranging from the upper 20s to mid 30s. Temps will be chilly this weekend- only in the 40s (we should be around 54 degrees this time of year). Temps will begin to moderate as we get into next week. A series of storms will begin to affect our weather by the middle of next week, and we could see rain well into next weekend. Of course, all this could change, so keep checking back for updates. For now, here's what the NWS is saying for Chico:

Today: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 45. Light south wind.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 31. East southeast wind at 5 mph becoming northwest.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 48. Northwest wind between 3 and 7 mph.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 29. West wind at 5 mph becoming east.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 53. Northeast wind at 6 mph becoming west.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33.

Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 54.

Tuesday Night: A slight chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 36.

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

Wednesday Night: A chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 39.

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

Thursday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.

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

morning fog, afternoon sun

We're experiencing typical January weather in Chico lately, with foggy mornings giving way to hazy sunshine in the afternoon. The high temperature in Chico today was only 45 degrees due to the dense morning fog and overcast. There is a Dense Fog Advisory in effect for the Sacramento Valley, including Chico, through 10 am tomorrow. Visibilities will range from a quarter of a mile down to zero in some locations, so use those low beams and reduce your speed. There is a chance a couple of winter storms may pass through by the middle of next week. Until then, enjoy the sunshine this weekend. Here's the forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Areas of dense fog after 10pm. Otherwise, partly cloudy during the early evening, then becoming cloudy, with a low around 34. Light east northeast wind.

Friday: Areas of dense fog before 10am. Otherwise, cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 52. Light north northwest wind.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. Light and variable wind.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 56. Calm wind.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 32. South southwest wind around 6 mph.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 53.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 29.

Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 55.

Monday Night: Cloudy, with a low around 38.

Tuesday: A chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 52.

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

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

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

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

frosty mornings, sunny afternoons

That just about sums up the weather the past couple of days. Morning lows have been chilly- mainly in the the 20s to lower 30s, while afternoon temps have been in the mid 50s. This trend should continue for the next seven days, with the chance of rain completely removed from this weekend's forecast. Be careful when driving to work tomorrow- a Dense Fog Advisory will be in effect from 10 pm this evening until 10 am tomorrow. Visibilities in some areas of the valley may lower to less than a quarter of a mile. Allow some extra time for tomorrow morning. Otherwise, enjoy the nice, balmy January weather. Here's the Chico seven day forecast from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 31. East northeast wind between 3 and 5 mph.

Wednesday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 55. North northwest wind between 3 and 5 mph.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 35. North wind around 6 mph becoming east.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. East northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 36. Calm wind becoming east northeast around 5 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 57.

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

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 56.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 53.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 36.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54.

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

Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 56.

nice, uneventful weather

Today in Chico started out gray and gloomy, with light rain showers persisting into the early afternoon. By late afternoon, the clouds parted and the sun came out. The temperatures responded, climbing from the mid 40s around noon to the mid 50s around 4 pm. It should be partly cloudy tonight (the National Weather Service is forecasting a slight chance of a shower before 10 pm) with lows in the low to mid 30s. Much of the upcoming work week looks very nice, with sunny skies and seasonable temps. A chance of rain returns for next weekend, but we'll worry about that then. For now, let's enjoy the return of the sun! Here's the seven day forecast from the NWS:

Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers before 10pm. Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 33. North northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Monday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 51. Light north wind.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 32. Calm wind becoming east northeast around 6 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 52. Northeast wind around 6 mph becoming calm.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 32. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 55.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 37.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55.

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

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 56.

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

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 54.

Saturday Night: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37.

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

rainy start to the new year

Well, there wasn't much snow in Chico today, although some colder valley areas did see some snow early this morning. The foothills east of Chico above about 1000 feet saw anywhere from 1 to 3 inches of snow. Temps have warmed into the lower 40s in many areas today, and the next storm moving in tonight and lingering tomorrow will bring rain to most lower elevation locations. Once this next storm exits late tomorrow, look for abundant sunshine and milder temperatures for much of the next work week. The next chance for rain won't be until next weekend, and it'll be a slight chance, at that. Here are the details from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: A 50 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38. North northwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm.

Sunday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 50. Northwest wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. North wind around 6 mph.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 53. Northeast wind between 3 and 6 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 32.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 52.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 32.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 36.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 56.

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

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55.

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

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

Happy (cold and white) New Year!

Happy 2011! To kick off this new year, Chico could get a little snow this morning! About two to three inches of snow have fallen at my house at 1500 feet in elevation. Some parts of the valley floor could see an inch of the white stuff! More info from the National Weather Service:

A Winter Weather Advisory Remains In Effect Until Noon PST Today.

• Timing: Rain Will Spread Across The Region This Morning. Light
To Moderate Snow Showers Will Fall New Year's Morning As Snow
Levels Drop Below 500 Feet. Snow Will Taper Off To Scattered
Rain And Snow Showers Late This Morning As Snow Levels Rise
Above 1000 Feet.

• Main Impact: Early New Year's Revelers Will Encounter Snowfall
Along Interstate 5 And Toward Chico Toward The Sutter Buttes.
Accumulating Snow Will Occur Over The North Valley And Likely On
The Periphery Of The Valley And On The Sutter Buttes.

• Snow Accumulations: 2 To 4 Inches Above 1000 Feet By Noon
Saturday. Up To 1 Inch May Fall In The Valley Early This
Morning.

Precautionary/Preparedness Actions...

A Winter Weather Advisory For Snow Means That Periods Of Snow
Will Cause Primarily Travel Difficulties. Be Prepared For Snow
Covered Roads And Limited Visibilities...And Use Caution While
Driving.