now it looks dry for the next week

Good news for sun worshippers! It looks like the next seven days look dry and sunny! And the temperatures will finally moderate to around normal levels! We should be in the mid 50s for highs this time of year. It has felt very chilly the past couple of weeks, especially with the rain and wind. Now we're entering a quiet period weather wise, so expect some nice weather for the next several days. The weather for New Year's Eve festivities should be nice if you plan on being out and about tonight. Temperatures at midnight in Chico should be in the 30s; a bit on the chilly side, so bundle up. However, there will be no rain, so no need to bring the umbrella. The Polar Bear Plunge is tomorrow at 12:30 pm at Sycamore Pool in Lower Bidwell Park. I don't know what the water temperature in the pool is right now, but I am reasonably confident it is COLD! The air temperature for the Plunge should be in the mid to upper 40s. Brrr!! I applaud those brave enough to don Speedos and jump into the cold water. I know I couldn't do it. It's a fun way to ring in the new year, though. Have a safe and happy 2013, everyone! Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Areas of frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 52. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning. Tonight Patchy frost after 10pm. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 24. Calm wind. New Year's Day Areas of frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 51. Calm wind becoming northwest 5 to 8 mph in the morning. Tuesday Night Patchy frost after 10pm. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 26. North wind 3 to 5 mph. Wednesday Areas of frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 54. Light west wind. Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 26. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 51. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 33. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 53. Friday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 54. Saturday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 55.

no new storms on the horizon

It's been pretty quiet weather in Chico the past few days. Despite the high thin clouds yesterday, it was still nice weather. The visibility was excellent, as one could see the snow-covered Trinity Alps west of Redding from Chico, over 100 miles away. Both the Sierra Nevada mountains to the east, and the Coast Mountains to the west, are covered in snow. The snow-covered mountains were very pretty against the (mainly) blue skies yesterday. Quiet weather should persist for the next few days, with below normal highs and lows for temperatures. The next chance for showers arrives towards the end of next week, and may persist into next weekend. For now, enjoy the sunny, albeit chilly weather the next few days. Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 50. North northwest wind 5 to 7 mph. Tonight Patchy frost after 10pm. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 28. Calm wind becoming north northwest around 5 mph after midnight. Monday Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 49. Light west northwest wind. Monday Night Patchy fog after 4am. Patchy frost after 4am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 28. Light north wind. New Year's Day Patchy fog before 10am. Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 51. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph in the morning. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 29. Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 50. Wednesday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. Thursday A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 51. Thursday Night A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Friday A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 52. Friday Night A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Saturday A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 52. I'll update the New Year's Eve forecast in my next blog entry tomorrow.

so far it looks dry for New Year's

Yesterday was sunny, albeit slightly chilly, with highs right around 50 degrees in Chico. Today will be less sunny and more cloudy, as a weak cold front moves through over the next 24 hours. There is a slight chance of rain this afternoon, a better chance of rain overnight tonight, and a diminishing chance tomorrow as skies turn partly sunny tomorrow afternoon. Right now the weather looks dry for New Year's Eve celebrations, but it will be chilly. I predict temps around midnight on New Year's Day will be on either side of 40 degrees, so wear a coat to keep warm if out and about celebrating. The next chance for rain appears to be next Wednesday night and into Thursday. Have a great last weekend of 2012! Here is Chico's forecast from the National Weather Service: Today A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly after 4pm. Patchy fog before 10am. Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 47. Light and variable wind. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Tonight A 50 percent chance of showers, mainly before 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32. North wind around 5 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Saturday A 20 percent chance of showers before 10am. Partly sunny, with a high near 49. Northwest wind around 6 mph. Saturday Night Patchy frost after 4am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 32. Light northeast wind. Sunday Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 49. Calm wind becoming north around 6 mph in the morning. Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 30. Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 49. Monday Night A slight chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 35. New Year's Day Mostly sunny, with a high near 50. Tuesday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Wednesday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 51. Wednesday Night A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40. Thursday A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 51.

slight chance of rain for the weekend

Chico received about half an inch of rain from yesterday's storm. Winds were not much of a factor, as they only gusted to around 20 mph at times. This storm will linger through today, but will move out overnight tonight. This will allow us to dry out for the day tomorrow before another chance of rain enters for Friday and Saturday. These chances of rain for this weekend are slight, however, and most areas may not see much of any rain at all. Sunday through New Year's Day look sunny and mild, with highs in the 50s. Here is Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Showers likely, mainly before 4pm. Cloudy, with a high near 49. Calm wind becoming south southeast 5 to 7 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Tonight A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly before 10pm. Areas of frost after 4am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. Calm wind. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Thursday Areas of frost before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 49. Northwest wind 3 to 7 mph. Thursday Night Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 31. North wind 3 to 6 mph. Friday A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48. Light northwest wind. Friday Night A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34. Saturday A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 49. Saturday Night A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 50. Sunday Night Clear, with a low around 36. Monday Sunny, with a high near 52. Monday Night Clear, with a low around 33. New Year's Day Sunny, with a high near 54.

more rain for Christmas

Merry Christmas Eve! That storm we had yesterday was awesome! Winds gusted to nearly 50 mph in Chico, and .71 of an inch of rain fell in the city. My power went out around 1:30 yesterday afternoon, just as the storm was beginning to wind down. Frankly, I'm surprised the power did not go out sooner, as the winds had been blowing since around 4 am. We get a much- needed break from the storminess today, as sunshine returns. Currently in Chico it is a chilly 39 degrees, with some scattered frost and patchy fog in some outlying areas. Once the sun rises about ten minutes from now, temps will respond and warm into the upper 40s to lower 50s by this afternoon. Another storm arrives tomorrow, with some gusty winds, as well (though not nearly as strong as yesterday's winds). This next storm will be out of here by Wednesday, and we should see a nice stretch of dry, sunny weather after that. High temperatures through the end of this week will remain in the upper 40s, with lower to middle 50s for the weekend. Nice! I want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, and thanks again for reading my blog this year. I hope it has been entertaining and informative. Here is Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 50. West northwest wind 5 to 7 mph. Tonight Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Calm wind becoming north northwest around 5 mph. Christmas Day Rain likely, mainly after 10am. Cloudy, with a high near 47. Southeast wind 6 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Tuesday Night Rain. Low around 38. Southeast wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Wednesday Showers likely, mainly before 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 50. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Wednesday Night A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 48. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 29. Friday Partly sunny, with a high near 47. Friday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. Saturday Partly sunny, with a high near 51. Saturday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 54.

High Wind Warning in effect

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A HIGH WIND WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON. THIS REPLACES THE WIND ADVISORY THROUGH 2 PM. THE WIND ADVISORY WILL CONTINUE FROM 2 PM TO 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON. * WINDS: SOUTHEAST 20 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS 35 TO 50 MPH...EXCEPT OVER THE EAST SIDE OF THE VALLEY THROUGH 2 PM WINDS AT TIMES ARE EXPECTED TO SURFACE THAT WILL RANGE BETWEEN 35 AND 45 MPH WITH GUSTS BETWEEN 50 AND 60 MPH. * TIMING: THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. * LOCATIONS INCLUDE: STOCKTON...MODESTO...SACRAMENTO...CHICO ...REDDING...LAKEPORT. * IMPACTS: BROKEN TREE BRANCHES AND DOWNED TREES AND FENCES. POWER OUTAGES LIKELY...VERY DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS...ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES AND BLOWING DEBRIS.

Another Wind Advisory for Sunday

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY FOR THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY...DELTA...NORTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND SOUTHERN LAKE COUNTY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 4 PM PST SUNDAY. * WINDS: SOUTHEAST 20 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS 35 TO 50 MPH. LOCALLY STRONGER SUSTAINED WINDS AND WIND GUSTS WILL BE POSSIBLE. * TIMING: SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON. * LOCATIONS INCLUDE: STOCKTON...MODESTO...SACRAMENTO...CHICO... REDDING...LAKEPORT * IMPACTS: WEAKEN TREES BLOWN OVER AND BROKEN TREE BRANCHES. LOCAL POWER OUTAGES ARE POSSIBLE. DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS...ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT SUSTAINED WINDS OF AT LEAST 25 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH GUSTS AT LEAST 40 MPH OR GREATER. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT...ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION.

it is wet!

Chico has received 3.18 inches of rain the past two days. To put that in perspective, Chico receives about 4.5 inches for the entire month of December on average. That is impressive! Rain will continue for Chico today, tonight, and tomorrow as another storm moves in. A Wind Advisory is up until noon today for southerly winds sustained at 20-30 mph and gusts to 45 mph. Snow continues to pile up in the Sierra, with some foothills locations receiving six inches or more the past 24 hours. A Winter Storm Warning continues to be in effect for elevations above 2500 feet through tomorrow. Another 1-2 feet of snow are likely. The sun returns briefly on Monday and Christmas Day before another storm rolls in Tuesday night. That system moves out by Thursday before another chance of rain appears on Friday. It's a very active weather pattern lately! I love it! Here is Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Rain and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. High near 47. South southeast wind 16 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Tonight Rain. Low around 42. Southeast wind 13 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Sunday Rain. High near 49. Southeast wind 14 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Sunday Night Showers likely, mainly before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Southeast wind 7 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 49. Light and variable wind. Monday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. Christmas Day A 30 percent chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 47. Tuesday Night Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Wednesday Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48. Wednesday Night A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40. Thursday Partly sunny, with a high near 48. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 36. Friday A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 48.

Flood Advisory

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED AN * URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR... NORTHEASTERN COLUSA COUNTY... NORTHWESTERN SUTTER COUNTY... WEST CENTRAL YUBA COUNTY... WESTERN BUTTE COUNTY... EASTERN GLENN COUNTY... * UNTIL 915 PM PST * STEADY RAINFALL HAS CAUSED LOCAL SMALL STREAM AND ROADWAY FLOODING IN PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL SACRAMENTO VALLEY. AN OFF DUTY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EMPLOYEE REPORTED ROADWAY FLOODING ALONG HIGHWAY 99 NORTH OF CHICO AROUND ANITA ROAD AT 315 PM. STEADY MODERATE RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE AFFECTING HIGHWAYS 99 AND 70...NORTH OF MARYSVILLE AND YUBA CITY...AND TOWARDS OROVILLE THROUGH EARLY EVENING. PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS IS POSSIBLE ALONG WITH FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS IN THESE AREAS. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE ELEVATED LEVELS ON SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS...AND PONDING OF WATER ON COUNTRY ROADS AND FARMLAND ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS. 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. So far today, Chico has received over two and a quarter inches of rain, with more on the way. Be careful out and about this evening.

messy weather

The Chico Enterprise Record (the local news rag) is stating there are numerous hazardous travel conditions in our area due to the storm that's currently dumping copious amounts of rain and snow on us. Interstate 5 north of Redding is requiring chains due to heavy snow falling; Upper Skyway between Paradise and Magalia also requires chains due to snow. There is a report of urban flooding in Chico at the bottom of the northbound ramp from Hwy 32 onto Hwy 99. Currently the snow level is between 2000-2500 feet, with moderate to occasionally heavy rain falling in the lower elevations. Winds at times have gusted to over 30 mph. All of this is contributing to not-so-fun travel conditions, so if driving today, be extra careful. Also, to see where the snow is falling compared to the rainfall, click on the weather.com site on the right side of my main page. The weather.com radar delineates blue as snowfall and green as rainfall. This will give you a good idea of where the snow is actually falling.

Winter Storm Warning for foothill communities

This includes Paradise, Magalia, and Forest Ranch residents: THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW AND/OR BLOWING SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 4 PM PST FRIDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. * SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 8 TO 16 INCHES. * SNOW LEVELS: SNOW LEVELS WILL INITIALLY BE 1000 TO 2000 FEET TODAY THEN GRADUALLY RISE TO 3000 FEET BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON. * TIMING: SNOW WILL BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON WITH PERIODS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOWFALL THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON. * LOCATIONS INCLUDE: PARADISE AND AREA HIGHWAYS. * WINDS: SOUTHEAST 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH. * IMPACTS: SNOW WILL LIKELY IMPACT TRAVEL ON AREA ROADS AND HIGHWAYS. CHAIN REQUIREMENTS ARE LIKELY. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT... FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

cold and stormy Christmas weekend

Interesting that we are expected to have a very stormy and wet weekend, yet there is no Special Weather Statement from the National Weather Service about it. There IS a statement about heavy snow impacting the foothills and mountains of the Sierra Nevada this weekend. Places such as upper Paradise, Forest Ranch, and Magalia could see over a FOOT of snow between late Thursday and Sunday. Even locations as low as 1700 feet could see several inches of the white stuff late this week. At this time, a Winter Storm Watch has been posted for elevations above 1500 feet in the Sierra Nevada foothills for all of this expected snow. This could turn into a Winter Storm Warning over the next 24 hours as the first in a series of storms gets closer. For the valley, expect about an inch of rain with this first storm, due to arrive later tomorrow. Also expect gusty winds from the southeast up to 35 mph. There is rain (or snow- depending on your elevation) all through the weekend, so if traveling for the Christmas holiday, factor in hazardous weather conditions. By Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the rain should end and sunny weather return. Here is Chico's seven day outlook from the National Weather Service: Today A slight chance of sprinkles after 4pm. Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 48. Calm wind becoming southeast 5 to 7 mph in the morning. Tonight A slight chance of sprinkles before 10pm, then a slight chance of sprinkles after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. Southeast wind around 11 mph. Thursday A chance for sprinkles, then rain likely, mainly after 4pm. Cloudy, with a high near 50. Breezy, with a southeast wind 15 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Thursday Night Rain. Low around 37. East southeast wind 16 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Friday Rain. High near 47. Southeast wind around 17 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Friday Night Rain. Low around 40. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Saturday Rain. High near 48. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Saturday Night Rain. Cloudy, with a low around 37. Sunday Showers. Cloudy, with a high near 47. Sunday Night A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Monday A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 48. Monday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32. Christmas Day Partly sunny, with a high near 51.

active weather pattern

Chico experienced a thunderstorm yesterday evening that contained small hail, thunder and lightning, and heavy rain. The storm was very isolated, and skirted the east side of Chico as it moved south toward Oroville. I was driving into the storm last night as I was coming home from work. I thought I was back in Florida! I almost stopped to pull to the side of the road to wait out the heavy rain as I could not see very well. Within moments, however, the rain eased as I was driving out of the storm. Also yesterday morning, there was a Wind Advisory posted, as winds gusted up and over 30 mph. The winds eased after 9 am, and the sun even shone through the clouds for the afternoon. Expect a brief lull before more storms arrive later this week. Today and tomorrow will be sunny, but chilly, with highs only in the upper 40s to lower 50s. Wednesday night, rain returns, and will last through Sunday. It appears we'll be measuring rainfall in inches in the valley, and feet of snow in the mountains. Speaking of snow, some of the precipitation in the Redding and Shasta Lake areas (well north of Chico) may fall as snow. That's because it is expected to be very chilly tonight and tomorrow night in those areas, so Redding may see 2-4 inches of snow Wednesday night before transitioning to all rain by Thursday. No snow is expected for Chico, but some foothills locations such as Magalia may see snow initially before turning over to rain late Wednesday into early Thursday. It will also be very breezy Thursday, with southeasterly wind gusts reaching 40 mph for the valley. Calm weather returns by Christmas Eve. Here is Chico's detailed forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 51. North northwest wind 6 to 13 mph. Tonight Patchy frost after 10pm. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 29. North wind around 7 mph. Wednesday A 10 percent chance of rain after 4pm. Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 47. Calm wind. Wednesday Night Rain likely, mainly after 4am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 34. Southeast wind 8 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Thursday Rain. High near 45. Southeast wind 14 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Thursday Night Rain. Low around 36. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Friday Rain. High near 45. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Friday Night Rain. Cloudy, with a low around 41. Saturday Rain. Cloudy, with a high near 48. Saturday Night Rain. Cloudy, with a low around 40. Sunday Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 47. Sunday Night A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 47.

a very wet period ahead

Well, the weather forecast has changed again. Now it looks like we are entering a very wet and unsettled period. Yesterday was wet in Chico, with .20 of an inch falling. Highs yesterday were stuck in the lower 40s, with 30s for highs in the foothill communities east of Chico. Warmer air will overtake the region later today, pushing snow levels up to above 3000 feet. There may still be some leftover snow showers down to 1700 feet this morning, though, so be careful on the roads. Rain remains in the picture tonight, tomorrow, and Tuesday before we see a slight break on Wednesday. However, we may see more powerful storms beginning Thursday and lasting through the weekend before Christmas. At this time, it's hard to predict how much precipitation will fall over the next seven days, so keep checking back for updates. At least for the next 24 hours, expect rain and breezy conditions for Chico as the first of many storms affects us this coming week. Here are the specifics from the National Weather Service: Today Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 47. Southeast wind 6 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Tonight Rain. Low around 44. Southeast wind 13 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Monday Rain, mainly before 4pm. High near 50. South southeast wind 11 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Monday Night Showers likely, mainly after 10pm. Cloudy, with a low around 35. East southeast wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Tuesday A 40 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 47. Light west northwest wind. Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 30. Wednesday A 20 percent chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 47. Wednesday Night A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Thursday Rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 44. Thursday Night Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38. Friday Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48. Friday Night Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. Saturday Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 51.

snow for Paradise

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE EASTERN FOOTHILLS OF THE NORTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY FOR SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST SUNDAY. * SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 2 TO 4 INCHES. * TIMING: THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. * LOCATIONS INCLUDE: PARADISE. * WINDS: LIGHT WINDS. * IMPACTS: SLICK ROADS. CHAIN REQUIREMENTS AND TRAVEL DELAYS POSSIBLE. 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. If you live in Paradise and are shopping in Chico this afternoon, be careful heading home up the Skyway, as snow may be falling. Slick roads are a possibility driving in the foothills east of Chico this evening and overnight. Use caution.

wet and chilly weather

It was quite chilly today in Chico, with a high temperature of 50 degrees. It will be quite chilly tonight, as the expected low dips into the upper 20s! Patchy frost is possible tomorrow morning, so cover any tender vegetation. Rain is likely for much of this weekend and into early next week as a series of storms move through our region. The next dry day looks to be next Wednesday; the dry weather should stick around into next weekend. However, the cold air pouring in from the Gulf of Alaska will stick around through much of the forecast period. Hey, it'll get you into the Christmas spirit, right? Speaking of getting into the Christmas spirit, the Northstate Symphony Orchestra is having a Christmas concert this evening in Chico. Also, the Nutcracker is being staged by the Chico Community Ballet all this weekend at Laxson Auditorium. Check out the Chico News and Review for times and ticket info. Have a safe and merry weekend! Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Tonight Patchy frost after 4am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 29. Calm wind. Saturday Rain likely, mainly after 4pm. Patchy frost before 7am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 48. Light south southeast wind becoming southeast 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Saturday Night Rain likely, mainly before 10pm. Cloudy, with a low around 33. Southeast wind 5 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Sunday A 50 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 49. Southeast wind 6 to 8 mph. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Sunday Night A 50 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. Southeast wind 8 to 10 mph. Monday Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 51. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Monday Night Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Tuesday Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49. Tuesday Night A slight chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 26. Wednesday Partly sunny, with a high near 53. Wednesday Night Patchy fog. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 49. Thursday Night Patchy fog. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 34. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 51.

feeling like Christmas

If at least not LOOKING like Christmas (no snow on the ground-- it doesn't snow in Chico very often). As I type this, it is 33 degrees in Chico. Brrr! Not much rain fell with this last system-- less than a quarter of an inch in Chico-- but more wet weather is on the way. It looks like the best chance for rain at this time is Saturday night. It will remain chilly, with highs only climbing into the low 50s after lows in the mid 30s both Friday and Saturday mornings. Lows climb into the upper 30s/ lower 40s Sunday morning through Tuesday morning as somewhat milder Pacific air is brought in by subsequent weather systems. These additional systems will also bring more showers to our area. It doesn't look like a pleasant weekend to go holiday shopping, but, thankfully, most of the shopping is indoors! Here's Chico's seven day outlook from the National Weather Service: Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 51. Northwest wind 3 to 8 mph. Tonight A 10 percent chance of rain after 5am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 35. Light northeast wind. Friday A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 48. Light and variable wind. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Friday Night A 20 percent chance of showers before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34. Calm wind. Saturday Partly sunny, with a high near 51. Calm wind becoming south southeast 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon. Saturday Night Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Sunday A 50 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 50. Sunday Night A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. Monday A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 53. Monday Night Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. Tuesday A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54. Tuesday Night A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38. Wednesday A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 51.

becoming chilly and unsettled

The nice stretch of dry, mild weather will be coming to an end today. It'll be mostly sunny, but a chance of showers will creep into the area late this afternoon. A cold front will be sweeping through our region tonight, bringing rain and breezy conditions with it. We won't see the drenching rains from a little over a week ago with this storm, though. Behind the front, temperatures will drop, with highs only in the upper 40s tomorrow with light rain showers. The snow level will drop to around 2500-3000 feet by Wednesday morning. Expect up to a foot of snow above 5000 feet, with 3-6 inches down to 3000 feet by Wednesday afternoon. It will remain chilly and unsettled through the weekend, with another potent storm for Saturday. It's definitely beginning to look and feel like Christmas! Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today A 30 percent chance of rain after 4pm. Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 59. Light east southeast wind becoming south southeast 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. Tonight Rain, mainly after 10pm. Low around 40. Southeast wind 7 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Wednesday Showers, mainly before 4pm. High near 49. Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Wednesday Night A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34. Light and variable wind. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 53. Light and variable wind becoming west around 5 mph in the morning. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 36. Friday A 30 percent chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 50. Friday Night A slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. Saturday A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 52. Saturday Night Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Sunday A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55. Sunday Night A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38. Monday A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 55.

mild days, cold nights

The Dense Fog Advisory issued for the Sacramento Valley yesterday morning was not needed, as there were never any problems with visibility in Chico. Oh, well. Yesterday was beautiful in Chico, with partly sunny skies and a high temperature of 62 degrees (normal for December 8th is 58). It sure has been chilly in the mornings, though. Lows have been dipping into the mid 30s (normal for this time of year is 37). OK, so we're not that much off the mark as far as actual vs. average lows, but it has still been chilly. The mild days/ chilly nights scenario will continue the next few days, with highs in the 60s and lows in the 30s. A cooldown will begin midweek, with highs by Wednesday in the mid 50s, along with a chance of rain. High temps will remain in the 50s through next weekend. Here is Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Sunny, with a high near 64. North northwest wind 7 to 11 mph. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 33. North wind around 6 mph. Monday Sunny, with a high near 63. East northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning. Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 35. Light and variable wind. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 61. East northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning. Tuesday Night A 20 percent chance of showers after 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Wednesday A 50 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54. Wednesday Night A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 57. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 34. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 56. Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 37. Saturday A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 56.

Dense Fog Advisory for this morning

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A DENSE FOG ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM PST THIS MORNING. * TIMING: AREAS OF DENSE FOG CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH LATE MORNING. * LOCATIONS INCLUDE: MARYSVILLE...SACRAMENTO...STOCKTON...MODESTO. * IMPACTS: VISIBILITIES BELOW 1/4 MILE IMPACTING TRAVEL. 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.

Nice stretch of weather

Well, the sun finally came out today after three days of clouds and gloom. The day started out foggy and gray, but the sun began to peek through right before noon. The sunset this evening was spectacular; unfortunately, I was driving home at the time and could not get a photo. We should see more spectacular sunsets as skies will remain mainly cloud-free for the next several days. High temps will be mostly in the upper 50s to low 60s, and overnight lows in the upper 30s/ lower 40s. The annual Christmas Tree Lighting takes place tomorrow night at the Downtown Plaza in Chico. The festivities start around 6pm. The weather should be very nice, with clear skies and temps in the lower 50s. Bring a jacket, but leave the umbrella at home. Here is Chico's seven day outlook from the National Weather Service: Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 40. North northwest wind 5 to 9 mph. Friday Sunny, with a high near 59. Northwest wind 6 to 10 mph. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 39. North northwest wind 6 to 11 mph. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 60. North northwest wind 9 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 40. North wind 10 to 13 mph. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 59. Sunday Night Clear, with a low around 38. Monday Sunny, with a high near 62. Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 42. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 60. Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 42. Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 56.

nice stretch of dry weather

Chico has received 1.21 inches of rain the past 24 hours, with temperatures stuck in the mid 50s. The gray, drizzly weather will persist this morning, but hopefully the sun will peek through the clouds later today as this weather system moves out. Tomorrow the sun really returns, and stays with us through the middle of next week. This will allow Chico to dry out from the recent heavy rains. Highs the next seven days will be in the upper 50s, which is where we should be this time of year. Overnight lows will be in the upper 30s to around 40 degrees. Enjoy the sunshine! Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Showers, mainly before 10am. High near 56. South southeast wind 3 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Tonight A 30 percent chance of showers before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Calm wind. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 59. Northwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. Calm wind becoming north northwest around 6 mph in the evening. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 58. Northwest wind 3 to 7 mph. Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 39. Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 58. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 40. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 58. Sunday Night Clear, with a low around 39. Monday Sunny, with a high near 61. Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 38. Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.

a brief break before more rain

Chico and Butte County remain under a Flood Warning until 10 am this morning for urban and small creek flooding. Today will be dry and partly sunny, a brief break before more rain comes in late tonight. Tomorrow and Wednesday look wet, and Chico may see another half an inch to an inch of rainfall from this next storm. Since last Wednesday, Chico has received over five and a third inches of rain. For some perspective, that total is the average amount of rainfall we typically see for the entire month of January! The rest of this week beyond Wednesday looks nice and dry, with sunshine and seasonal temperatures. Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 59. Calm wind becoming south southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon. Tonight A 50 percent chance of rain after 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. Calm wind. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Tuesday Rain. High near 57. Southeast wind 6 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Tuesday Night Rain. Low around 49. Southeast wind 9 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Wednesday Showers, mainly before 4pm. High near 59. South southeast wind 7 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Wednesday Night A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 59. Friday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. Saturday Partly sunny, with a high near 57. Saturday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 57.

some damage from today's storm

Here is some wind and flooding damage in Chico from last night and early this morning. Pretty dramatic pictures, with Five Mile Recreation Area in Bidwell Park almost completely submerged. The gas station that suffered the damage is located on 8th Street just west of Hwy 99. This was a serious storm!

update on the latest storm

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A * FLOOD WATCH FOR A PORTION OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...CENTRAL SACRAMENTO VALLEY AND NORTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY. * FROM 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON * FLOODING WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE AROUND LOW LYING AREAS NEAR THE UPPER SACRAMENTO RIVER...ESPECIALLY AROUND RED BLUFF THROUGH MONDAY. SOME CREEKS THAT MAY EXPERIENCE CONTINUED FLOODING INCLUDE COW CREEK...COTTONWOOD CREEK...BATTLE CREEK...CLEAR CREEK...DRY CREEK...BUTTE CREEK. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON CURRENT FORECASTS. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP. In addition, there is a Small Stream and Urban Flood Advisory until 10:30 am this morning for Chico and all of Butte County for the potential of street flooding. Also, three bodies of water flow through Chico: Big Chico Creek, Little Chico Creek, and Lindo Channel. Of course, Lindo Channel is a human-made bypass for Big Chico Creek's excessive runoff, but even Lindo Channel is nearly overflowing at this time. Many homes and neighborhoods are adjacent to Lindo Channel and both Big and Little Chico Creek. Be ready to move if you see the water begin to rise. Heavy rain has inundated our area since last evening. So far at the time of this blog posting, Chico has received nearly two inches of rain since yesterday evening, with more coming. At my house in the foothills east of Chico, elevation 1500 feet, my rain gauge has measured nearly 4 inches of rain in the past 24 hours. The rain should taper to showers this morning, and the showers should end by later this afternoon. Be safe out there!

one more storm

Let's do it one more time! There is another storm, the third in the series, to affect our area today and tonight. But first, how much rain has Chico received in the past 24 hours ending at 8 pm last night? Why, only 2.30 inches! The creeks and bypasses are overflowing currently, and this latest storm could only make conditions worse. The ground is already saturated, and any more heavy rain we receive will now just run off into those already overflowing creeks. A Flood Watch continues to be in effect until Monday afternoon, while a Wind Advisory will go into effect beginning at 10 pm tonight and last until 10 am tomorrow (Sunday). Wind gusts in excess of 40 mph in the valley, and 50 mph in the foothills, are likely during that time period. Chico could receive another 1 to 3 inches of rain between now and tomorrow afternoon. Some mountain locations east of Chico could get another 10 inches of rain! Snow will be confined to above 7000 feet, as this is a very warm storm tapping into subtropical moisture. Monday should be calm, but another storm has its sights set on us Tuesday. Chances of rain linger through Wednesday, then it should dry out for Thursday and Friday (fingers crossed). Here is Chico's seven day outlook from the National Weather Service: Today Rain. High near 61. South southeast wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Tonight Rain. Low around 54. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 25 to 29 mph, with gusts as high as 38 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible. Sunday Showers. High near 57. Windy, with a south wind 21 to 31 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible. Sunday Night A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. East southeast wind 7 to 10 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 59. Calm wind. Monday Night A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. Tuesday Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Tuesday Night Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. Wednesday A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60. Wednesday Night A slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 58. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 57.