nice weather for now... but storminess on the way

If you like sunny, warm weather, well, today is your day. Chico's forecast high today under mainly sunny skies will be 70 degrees. Tomorrow doesn't look bad, either, with partly sunny conditions and temps in the mid 60s. However, Friday through Monday look pretty wet and unsettled. Two storms are expected to affect our area: the first on Friday and lingering into Saturday, and the second, more powerful storm arriving on Sunday. With these two storms, Chico and other valley locations could see two inches (or more) of rain, while the Sierra Nevada above 5000 feet could see two to three feet of snow. Highs during this period will be in the 50s in Chico, and winds could exceed 30 mph, especially on Sunday. Not good timing, as Chico's annual Christmas Preview is this Sunday from 4-8 pm. It's a combined indoor/outdoor activity, so if you plan on going, dress warmly and hold on tightly to your umbrella. More details to follow as the National Weather Service updates the forecast. For now, here's what it looks like for Chico the next seven days: Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 69. North wind around 5 mph becoming light and variable. Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 42. North northeast wind around 6 mph. Thursday Partly sunny, with a high near 64. North northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning. Thursday Night A 30 percent chance of rain after 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. Southeast wind 5 to 8 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Friday Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60. Southeast wind 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Friday Night Rain. Low around 46. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Saturday Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 58. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Saturday Night Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 49. Sunday Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 57. Sunday Night Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 45. Monday Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 56. Monday Night A chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 47. Tuesday A chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 60.