Another Wind Advisory, aka Bad Hair Day Alert

I swear I'm issuing a Bad Hair Day Alert every week lately... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY FOR THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY...DELTA AND SOUTHERN LAKE COUNTY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM TUESDAY TO 8 AM PDT WEDNESDAY. * WINDS: NORTH 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH. STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY AND OVER THE RIDGETOPS OF SOUTHERN LAKE COUNTY. * TIMING: EARLY TUESDAY INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY. * LOCATIONS INCLUDE: REDDING...CHICO...YUBA CITY...SACRAMENTO... VACAVILLE...FAIRFIELD. MAJOR HIGHWAYS INCLUDE: INTERSTATE 5 FROM REDDING SOUTH TO THE SACRAMENTO AREA...INTERSTATE 505 AND INTERSTATE 80 FROM SACRAMENTO TO FAIRFIELD. * IMPACTS: DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS. LOCAL POWER OUTAGES POSSIBLE FROM DOWNED TREES. ***UPDATE*** The Wind Advisory has now been extended until noon PDT on Wednesday. It still becomes effective at 8 am tomorrow. That is all.

warm and breezy

Today was the hottest day of the year so far in Chico, with a high temperature at the airport of 93 degrees! That's 17 degrees above the average of 76 degrees for April 28th. It's not expected to get hotter than today for the rest of the week, but still expect highs in the upper 80s/ lower 90s through next weekend. To add insult to injury, northerly winds (the dry and warm kind) will begin to blow tomorrow, aiding the very warm temperatures and drying out your skin and lips. The northerly winds will be especially strong on Tuesday in the valley, and Tuesday night into Wednesday morning in the Sierra foothills (that's you, Paradise and Magalia). I have a feeling that it's going to be an early and long fire season this year. We've had the driest first three months of the year ever in Northern California, and we're already seeing sustained temperatures in the 80s and 90s. Not good. I wouldn't be surprised if the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for high fire danger on Tuesday. Here is the very warm, windy and dry forecast for Chico from the NWS: Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 58. North wind around 7 mph. Monday Sunny, with a high near 89. Northwest wind 8 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 52. North northwest wind 9 to 13 mph. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 85. North wind 10 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 50. North northeast wind 9 to 11 mph. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 85. Wednesday Night Clear, with a low around 52. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 90. Thursday Night Clear, with a low around 54. Friday Sunny, with a high near 93. Friday Night Clear, with a low around 56. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 91. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 58. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 89.

warm and windy for the middle of this week

From the National Weather Service office in Sacramento: WARM AND WINDY CONDITIONS LIKELY TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY... A STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE REGION ON TUESDAY AS A RESULT OF A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM THAT PASSES THE AREA TO THE NORTH AND DEEPENS OVER THE ROCKIES. THIS WILL RESULT IN WINDY CONDITIONS FOR THE INTERIOR. IMPACTS: * GUSTY NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS COULD CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. * LOCAL DOWNED LIMBS/TREES AND LOCAL POWER OUTAGES TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY ARE POSSIBLE. * BLOWING DEBRIS AND LOCAL LOCATIONS WITH BLOWING DUST POSSIBLE...SECURE LOOSE OBJECTS. WINDY CONDITIONS WILL FIRST DEVELOP OVER THE CENTRAL VALLEY ON TUESDAY. NORTHERLY WINDS 15 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH ARE LIKELY. AS HIGHER PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE GREAT BASIN TUESDAY EVENING NORTHEAST WINDS WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE SIERRA NEVADA RANGE AND COASTAL MOUNTAINS OF LAKE COUNTY. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE THROUGH AND BELOW PASSES AND CANYONS WITH A NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST ORIENTATION WITH THE STRONGER WIND GUSTS BETWEEN 40 TO 60 MPH. THE WINDS WILL PERSIST INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING BEFORE DECREASING WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. LIGHTER NORTHERLY FLOW IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE LATER IN THE WEEK AS A STRONG RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE DEVELOPS OVER THE WEST COAST. VERY WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE WITH TEMPERATURES POSSIBLY CLIMBING WELL INTO THE 90S.

is it summer already?

Well, no, but Mother Nature thinks it is. More on that in a moment. The high temperatures have been above average the past few days in Chico, with highs ranging from the upper 70s to mid 80s (the high was 84 degrees in Chico today). Now, more about the summer reference. Highs will continue to heat up over the next seven days in the Sacramento Valley, pushing 90 degrees tomorrow, and perhaps the mid to upper 90s by the end of next week! Yikes! We should be in the mid to upper 70s for average highs this time of year. Keep in mind that the area streams and rivers are running cold with the recent snowmelt. The water may be tempting to jump into this warm weekend, but the water temperature may only be in the 40s or 50s Fahrenheit. Your muscles may begin to cramp if you stay in the cold water for very long. You can probably dip your toes in without much harm, but be wary of jumping right in. For cycling enthusiasts, the Chico Velo Wildflower Century is this Sunday morning. It's a bicycle event (I don't think it's considered a "race"), with different levels ranging from very challenging to beginners. The routes wind throughout Butte County, and begin and end at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico. It's an annual event that has been going on for over 30 years now. For more info, visit the Chico Velo website. If doing any other outdoor activities this weekend, be mindful of the warm temps and take it easy. If you want to get that jog or hike in, it's a good idea to do it early to avoid the heat of the afternoon. Have fun, but be careful this weekend! Here's Chico's seven day outlook courtesy of the National Weather Service: Tonight Clear, with a low around 52. Light and variable wind becoming north northeast around 5 mph after midnight. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 88. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Saturday Night Clear, with a low around 53. South wind 5 to 7 mph becoming north after midnight. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 87. North northeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming northwest in the morning. Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 52. North wind around 5 mph. Monday Sunny, with a high near 88. Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 59. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 88. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 51. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 90. Wednesday Night Clear, with a low around 52. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 91. Thursday Night Clear, with a low around 53. Friday Sunny, with a high near 94.

continued warm

Yesterday the temperature in Chico made it to 85 degrees, aided by breezy northwest winds gusting to 25 mph. Don't expect the breezy conditions today, but do expect continued warm temperatures. High pressure is locked in place over Northern California, and with the higher sun angle this time of year, it doesn't take much to warm up temperatures. High temps over the next seven days will be 5-10 degrees above average. Winds will shift to the south tomorrow, cooling off the temps a little bit as cooler Delta air comes up the valley. However, by Friday, temps warm back up into the mid and upper 80s. Cooler air (relatively speaking) may return by early next week. Again, no rain is in the forecast as we begin our dry season. Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Sunny, with a high near 85. North wind 7 to 11 mph becoming west northwest in the afternoon. Tonight Clear, with a low around 49. West northwest wind 8 to 13 mph becoming light and variable after midnight. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 81. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Thursday Night Clear, with a low around 49. South southeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming east northeast in the evening. Friday Sunny, with a high near 85. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon. Friday Night Clear, with a low around 52. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 87. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 52. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 83. Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 50. Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 82. Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 82

Yet Another Bad Hair Day Alert

AKA, a Wind Advisory. From the National Weather Service: THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY FOR THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY...DELTA AND SOUTHERN LAKE COUNTY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM PDT THIS AFTERNOON. * WINDS: NORTH 15 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH. STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF THE VALLEY FROM SOUTH OF RED BLUFF TO AROUND VACAVILLE. * TIMING: THROUGH EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. * LOCATIONS INCLUDE: REDDING...SACRAMENTO...VACAVILLE...FAIRFIELD AND INCLUDING INTERSTATE 5 FROM SACRAMENTO TO REDDING... INTERSTATE 505 AND INTERSTATE 80 FROM SACRAMENTO TO FAIRFIELD. * IMPACTS: DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS. LOCAL POWER OUTAGES POSSIBLE FROM DOWNED TREES.

moderate cool down

It was a warm weekend in Chico, with a high temperature yesterday of 84 degrees, and a high today of 88 degrees! The normal high for April 21st is 74 degrees, so, yeah, it was warm. The warmth was aided by breezy northwesterly (read: downsloping) winds both yesterday and today. The warmth continues (along with the breezy north winds) into the work week, as highs stay in the mid 80s through midweek. A trough will begin to influence the temperatures later in the week, and we may see highs below 80 degrees by next weekend. High temps will stay above average through the next seven days. Overnight lows will be right around 50 degrees. No rain is in the forecast. Here are the specifics for Chico from the National Weather Service: Tonight Clear, with a low around 49. Northwest wind 5 to 9 mph becoming north northeast in the evening. Monday Sunny, with a high near 84. Northwest wind 8 to 13 mph. Monday Night Clear, with a low around 50. North northeast wind 7 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 82. Northwest wind 8 to 13 mph. Tuesday Night Clear, with a low around 51. North northeast wind 6 to 11 mph. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 84. Wednesday Night Clear, with a low around 52. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 80. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 51. Friday Sunny, with a high near 80. Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 50. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 78.

warming up

It's going to be a warm weekend in Chico, with sunny skies and high temperatures both Saturday and Sunday in the low to mid 80s. It will really heat up by early next week, with highs soaring into the mid to upper 80s. A strong ridge of high pressure will exert its influence over Northern California, bringing with it sunshine and very warm temperatures. We'd normally be in the low to mid 70s during mid-April, so this is much warmer than usual. Get outside and enjoy some of the outdoor events happening this weekend, such as the Saturday Farmers' Market in downtown Chico, the Earth Day celebration at the Chico Creek Nature Center in Bidwell Park, or the California Nut Festival happening Saturday at the Patrick Ranch from 11 am until 4 pm. Other fun stuff is happening in Chico and the surrounding area, as well; for more info, click on the Chico News and Review's link on my home page. Here is Chico's hot (relatively speaking) forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Light and variable wind. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 52. Light and variable wind becoming north 5 to 10 mph after midnight. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 80. North northwest wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Saturday Night Clear, with a low around 52. Northwest wind 5 to 9 mph becoming calm in the evening. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 83. Northwest wind 5 to 9 mph. Sunday Night Clear, with a low around 53. Monday Sunny, with a high near 85. Monday Night Clear, with a low around 54. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 85. Tuesday Night Clear, with a low around 52. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 87. Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 53. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 86

more wind today, but warmer by the weekend

Yesterday was very breezy in Chico (as expected), with winds gusting to over 30 mph. Today will be breezy, as well, but should be below Wind Advisory criteria. High temperatures will warm from around 70 degrees today into the mid 80s by early next week. Winds should ease by tomorrow, making for a pleasant end to the week. Sunshine will dominate, with no rain in the forecast. Dare I say that the rainy season is over? Here is Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Sunny, with a high near 70. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 16 to 21 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 29 mph. Tonight Clear, with a low around 44. Northwest wind 5 to 14 mph becoming north northeast in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 78. Northwest wind 7 to 11 mph. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 49. Northwest wind 7 to 10 mph becoming north northeast in the evening. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. North northeast wind around 6 mph becoming west in the morning. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 51. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 81. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 53. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 81. Sunday Night Clear, with a low around 51. Monday Sunny, with a high near 83. Monday Night Clear, with a low around 51. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 83.

Wind Advisory

Winds are already gusting over 25 mph in Chico currently. This Wind Advisory begins at 9 am tomorrow. More from the National Weather Service office in Sacramento: WIND ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM TO 5 PM PDT TUESDAY... * WINDS: NORTH 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH. * TIMING: INCREASING LATE MORNING WITH PEAK IN EARLY AFTERNOON. * LOCATIONS INCLUDE: SACRAMENTO...CHICO...REDDING...STOCKTON... MODESTO. * IMPACTS: SCATTERED DOWNED LIMBS AND POSSIBLE POWER OUTAGES. CROSS WINDS ON WEST TO EAST ROADWAYS. Prepare now for this high wind event by tying down loose objects in your yard or securing lightweight objects, such as children's toys, by removing them from your yard.

hold on to your hats!

It's going to get windy! Similar to last week, northerly winds will begin to blow today and become strong tomorrow. Wind speeds may reach 40 mph in the valley late tomorrow morning and early tomorrow afternoon. It may become gusty even today as a trough of low pressure skirts by us as it heads into the Great Basin. It will be noticeably cooler today and tomorrow compared to this past weekend, with highs only in the 60s. Fear not, warm weather lovers, for it will be in the low 80s by this coming weekend. There is no rain in the forecast. Here's Chico's seven day outlook from the National Weather Service: Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 64. Northwest wind 6 to 11 mph. Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 42. Northwest wind 11 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 68. Northwest wind 11 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Tuesday Night Clear, with a low around 40. North wind 8 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 71. Northwest wind 8 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Wednesday Night Clear, with a low around 47. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 77. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 50. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 51. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 79. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 52. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 81.

a Special Weather Statement

From the National Weather Service office in Sacramento: A WEATHER SYSTEM PRESENTLY ALONG THE COAST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA WILL MOVE QUICKLY SOUTHWARD INTO FAR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ON MONDAY BEFORE SHIFTING EAST INTO THE ROCKIES ON TUESDAY. A VARIETY OF WEATHER IMPACTS ARE EXPECTED AS THE WEATHER SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH THE REGION INCLUDING AN INCREASING CHANCE OF SHOWERS ACROSS MAINLY THE HIGHER TERRAIN LATER TONIGHT AND MONDAY...STRONG GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS DEVELOPING IN ITS WAKE ON TUESDAY AND BRINGING MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES. SCATTERED SHOWERS ARE FORECAST TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS TONIGHT AND SPREAD SOUTH AND INCREASE IN COVERAGE OVER THE NORTHERN SIERRA ON MONDAY. A FEW SHOWERS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE IN THE VALLEY. ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL MAY BECOME AN ISSUE ACROSS THE NORTHERN SIERRA PASSES BEGINNING EARLY MONDAY AND CONTINUING INTO EARLY TUESDAY. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF A INCH OR SO WILL BE POSSIBLE DOWN TO AROUND THE 5000 FOOT LEVEL WHILE UP TO 5 INCHES MAY ACCUMULATE ALONG THE NORTHERN SIERRA CREST...SO MOTORISTS PLANNING TRAVEL OVER THE PASSES MONDAY SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS. GUSTY NORTH WINDS WILL DEVELOP IN THE WAKE OF THIS SYSTEM ACROSS THE INTERIOR OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ON TUESDAY. NORTH WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE...SO DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED AND THERE WILL BE POTENTIAL FOR DOWNED TREES AND LOCAL POWER OUTAGES. DRY AND WARMER WEATHER WITH LESS BREEZY CONDITIONS WILL RETURN BY MID-WEEK.

nice weather

While some parts of the country are dealing with wintry weather conditions, we here in Northern California are enjoying warm and calm weather. The high temperature in Chico yesterday was a pleasant 82 degrees, along with bright sunshine and light breezes. Today will be another gorgeous day for outdoor activities, with sunshine and highs in the mid 70s. It may become breezy to windy at times as we head into late Sunday and Monday, so a Bad Hair Day Alert (the third one in a week's time) may be issued. Along with those windy conditions, temps will cool down, as well- mainly in the mid to upper 60s for early next week. However, the winds will slacken by midweek, and highs will warm back into the lower 80s by the end of next week. No rain is in the forecast for the next seven days. Here's Chico's forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. Light north wind becoming northwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. North northwest wind 7 to 10 mph. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 71. West northwest wind 5 to 11 mph. Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 44. Calm wind becoming north northwest 5 to 9 mph after midnight. Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. Northwest wind 7 to 11 mph. Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 42. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 68. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 45. Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 49. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 77. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 51. Friday Sunny, with a high near 80.

another bad hair day

I'm going to post another Bad Hair Day Alert, as winds are expected to gust to over 20 mph from the northwest today. It's spring, and it is usually fairly breezy this time of year. Winds shouldn't be nearly as strong today as they were on Monday. Sunshine will dominate the next seven days There is a slight chance of showers on Monday; otherwise, expect dry, mild weather the next several days. Highs should range from the mid 70s to the lower 80s today through Sunday, with a cooldown on Monday. Highs for the beginning of next week should be in the upper 60s to lower 70s Monday through Wednesday of next week. The long range outlook trends drier than normal through the end of next month. Most Northern California reservoirs are only 80-85% full for this time of year. We need more precipitation, but are not going to get it. Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. North northwest wind 9 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 49. Northwest wind 6 to 11 mph. Friday Sunny, with a high near 80. Northwest wind 7 to 10 mph. Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 51. South wind around 5 mph becoming north northeast in the evening. Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Calm wind becoming northwest around 6 mph in the afternoon. Saturday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. Sunday Partly sunny, with a high near 70. Sunday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. Monday A slight chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 67. Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 70. Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 44. Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 71.

return to mild and sunny weather

I'm back! Was it windy yesterday, or what? It was a bumpy ride as my plane was landing in Sacramento yesterday. I was admiring the countryside from the air; it was very green in the valley, with the snow-capped Sierra Nevada in the background. We do live in a beautiful area of the country! Anyway, winds gusted up to 40 mph in the Chico area yesterday, after a cold front moved through and dropped a quarter of an inch of rain. Dry weather stays in the forecast for the next week, as high pressure builds in. It will still be breezy today and tomorrow, but not as much as yesterday. So I'm issuing a Bad Hair Day Alert for today, at least. High temperatures through the forecast period will be in the mid 70s to the mid 80s, with lows in the upper 40s to around 50 degrees. Here's Chico's seven day outlook from the National Weather Service: Today Sunny, with a high near 75. Northwest wind 8 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 50. Northwest wind 11 to 16 mph decreasing to 5 to 10 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 23 mph. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 83. Calm wind becoming north northwest 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 54. Light north northwest wind increasing to 8 to 13 mph after midnight. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. West wind 14 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 51. Friday Sunny, with a high near 78. Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 51. Saturday Partly sunny, with a high near 78. Saturday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. Sunday Partly sunny, with a high near 73. Sunday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 71.

more wet weather on the way

Yesterday was stellar in the Northstate, with sunny skies and highs in the mid 70s (it reached 75 degrees in Chico). Today will be a carbon copy of yesterday, with a few degrees tacked on to today's forecast highs. However, all good things must come to an end, as they say. A cold front will invade our area tomorrow, bringing breezy conditions and rain showers to the valley, while snow will fall in the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada (above 6000 feet). Expect 2-4 inches of snow above that elevation, while only about a third of an inch of rain is expected to fall in the valley. This is not a big, potent storm by any means. This system will move out of the area by Friday, with another system right behind which will bring more showers Friday night and into Saturday morning. A slight chance of showers lingers Sunday into Monday before the sun returns by next Tuesday. High temperatures will be in the mid to upper 70s today, mid 60s tomorrow, around 70 for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and back to the mid 70s by next week. This will be my last blog posting until next week, as I am going out of town this weekend. Have a wonderful weekend! Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 76. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph in the afternoon. Tonight Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. Southeast wind 5 to 7 mph. Thursday Showers. High near 64. South southeast wind 9 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Thursday Night A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Southeast wind 9 to 11 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Friday A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 69. South southeast wind around 10 mph. Friday Night A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Saturday A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. Saturday Night A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. Sunday A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 71. Sunday Night A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Monday A slight chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 48. Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 76.

Special Weather Statement

From the National Weather Service office in Sacramento: PACIFIC STORM MOVES THROUGH THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY NIGHT... IMPACTS: * SNOW WITH GUSTY WINDS COULD CAUSE POSSIBLE TRAVEL DELAYS AND CHAIN REQUIREMENTS IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA. * SLICK ROADWAYS COULD LEAD TO INCREASED TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS. NEXT PACIFIC STORM IS EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH INTERIOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY NIGHT. LIGHT TO MODERATE PRECIPITATION WILL DEVELOP OVER THE FORECAST AREA THURSDAY MORNING...TURNING SHOWERY THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO THURSDAY NIGHT. THE SHOWER ACTIVITY WILL DIMINISH BY EARLY FRIDAY AND THEN BE CONFINED TO MAINLY THE NORTHERN INTERIOR MOUNTAINS. RAINFALL AMOUNTS IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY LOOK TO RANGE FROM AROUND A THIRD OF AN INCH OR LESS. IN THE FOOTHILLS AND MOUNTAINS... PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS WILL VARY FROM A FEW TENTHS TO UPWARDS OF AN INCH OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN. SNOW LEVELS WILL INITIALLY BE AROUND 7000 TO 8000 FEET THURSDAY MORNING BUT WILL LOWER TO AROUND 6000 TO 7000 FEET BY FRIDAY MORNING AS THE STORM IS WINDING DOWN. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS UP TO 5 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ABOVE 7000 FEET WITH LOCALLY 1 TO 2 INCHES POSSIBLE DOWN TO AROUND 6000 FEET. LOCALLY BREEZY SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 15 TO 30 MPH ARE POSSIBLE OVER HIGHER TERRAIN THURSDAY. LONGER RANGE FORECAST MODELS ARE SHOWING VARYING SOLUTIONS AT THIS TIME BUT THE POSSIBILITY EXISTS FOR UNSETTLED WEATHER OVER THE WEEKEND...ESPECIALLY IN THE MOUNTAINS.

beneficial rain

Chico received .64" between midnight and 9 am yesterday morning, and then an additional quarter of an inch with a thundershower last evening. There was no severe weather in the Chico area yesterday; that was all south of us in the southern Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys. Areas near Tracy and Manteca received copious amounts of rain which led to urban flooding, as well as reports of hail and lightning. Again, nothing like that here. The wet weather is done for the next few days as high pressure moves in. There is a slight chance of a shower today, but otherwise, the sun will be out and temps will warm up. Highs tomorrow and Wednesday may push 80 degrees! By Thursday, another storm moves through, bringing valley rain and high elevation snow. Showers could linger all the way through next weekend as a series of weak disturbances affect our area. Here is Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Isolated showers after 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 69. Calm wind becoming south southeast around 6 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. South southeast wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening. Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Calm wind becoming west northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 50. Calm wind. Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Calm wind becoming south southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon. Wednesday Night A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. Thursday Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 67. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Thursday Night A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Friday A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 71. Friday Night A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. Saturday A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. Saturday Night A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. Sunday A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 68.