hot and dry

A Red Flag Warning is currently in effect until 7 pm tomorrow (Saturday) for the central and northern Sacramento Valley and surrounding foothills below 1000 feet. A combination of gusty northwest winds to 30 mph and relative humidity in the 10% range will cause elevated fire risk through tomorrow. Plus, those hot winds will make it feel uncomfortable. It's a great day to lounge around the pool (just be sure to wear sunscreen). The current temperature at the Chico Airport is 88 degrees, with winds up to 20 mph. It looks like highs will push 100 degrees tomorrow, then back off a little for early next week. Highs will remain above 90 degrees through at least next Thursday. Summer is definitely here! As far as fun activities to do in Chico this weekend, a few include: Bark For Life at Bidwell Park, a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society which allows people to walk with their pets, happening at 10 am tomorrow; Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs is an annual event at Horseshoe Lake in Upper Bidwell Park for kids 14 and under that promotes fishing as a hobby and happens tomorrow from 7 am until 1 pm; Chico Bicycle Music Festival, starting at noon tomorrow, is an annual music festival featuring local music artists and promotes pedal power as a primary means of transportation, which begins at Camelia Way Park and ends at the GRUB Cooperative; and, of course, the Saturday Chico Farmers' Market, happening downtown from 7 am until 1 pm tomorrow. For other events and happenings, check out my link to the Chico News and Review's website on the right hand side of my blog page. Have a fun and safe weekend! Here's Chico's hot forecast from the National Weather Service: This Afternoon Sunny, with a high near 92. Northwest wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Tonight Clear, with a low around 62. North northwest wind 7 to 13 mph. Saturday Sunny and hot, with a high near 98. Northwest wind 7 to 11 mph. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 64. North northwest wind around 10 mph. Sunday Sunny and hot, with a high near 96. Northwest wind around 8 mph. Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 65. Monday Sunny, with a high near 93. Monday Night Clear, with a low around 63. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 93. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 62. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 92. Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 63. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 93.

heat and dry conditions lead to high fire danger

There is a Fire Weather Watch in effect for the northern Sacramento Valley and adjacent foothills from Friday afternoon until Saturday evening. Gusty northerly winds to 30 mph and low humidity levels around 10% will combine to create high fire danger. This watch could become a warning if conditions worsen. In other words, DO NOT BURN. Do no outdoor burning of brush, do not grill outdoors, and do not throw lit cigarette butts out of your car window. The heat will increase along with the winds over the next few days, peaking on Saturday. High temperatures by then could reach 100 degrees in some locations. The heat will slowly abate by early next week, but expect highs to remain at or above 90. Prepare for the heat: wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing; keep pets indoors if possible; drink plenty of water; and resist jumping into a nearby creek or lake- the water is still very cold, and you don't want to get hypothermia. Here is Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Sunny, with a high near 84. Northwest wind 7 to 11 mph. Tonight Clear, with a low around 55. Northwest wind 6 to 8 mph. Friday Sunny, with a high near 92. Northwest wind 8 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Friday Night Clear, with a low around 62. North wind 8 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Saturday Sunny and hot, with a high near 98. Northwest wind 8 to 11 mph. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 63. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 95. Sunday Night Clear, with a low around 64. Monday Sunny, with a high near 94. Monday Night Clear, with a low around 62. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 92. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 61. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 90.

get ready for some heat

I hope everyone had a nice Memorial Day weekend. Saturday and Sunday were nice, with sunshine and highs in the 70s. Today was cool and showery in Chico, with .06" falling in the rain bucket and a high temperature of 67 degrees (about 17 degrees cooler than the average for this date). If you didn't like the cool, damp, fall-like weather for your Memorial Day, then you'll like this forecast. Sunshine returns tomorrow after overnight showers, with highs approaching 80 degrees. High temps increase throughout this week, with near 80 degrees for Wednesday, mid-80s for Thursday, and 90s Friday through Sunday. Some areas may flirt with 100 degrees on Saturday! Break out the shades, shorts, and flip-flops! Don't forget the SPF lotion! It's going to get hot, so get ready. Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Tonight A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 56. East southeast wind 6 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. East southeast wind around 6 mph becoming west southwest in the afternoon. Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 57. Calm wind becoming east northeast around 6 mph. Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. Southeast wind 5 to 8 mph becoming light and variable in the morning. Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 55. Calm wind becoming north 5 to 7 mph after midnight. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 84. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 57. Friday Sunny, with a high near 92. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 62. Saturday Sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 64. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 95.

earthquake felt in Chico

A 5.7 magnitude earthquake, the epicenter of which was in Greenville, California, was felt in Chico and surrounding areas around 9 pm this evening. I felt nothing within my sturdy home, but many of my Facebook friends are freaking out about it. Hopefully there are no injuries and only modest damage. Remember your earthquake safety tips: go outside, if possible, or stand inside a sturdy doorway. Ah, the joys of living in California!

a chance of rain for Memorial Day?

Might you be dodging some raindrops during your barbeque on Monday? Perhaps, as there is a slight chance of showers for Memorial Day. This is due to a weak trough of low pressure moving in from the Pacific Ocean. Meanwhile, cooler air has settled in to the Northstate, and I read on the National Weather Service's website that below average temperatures will stick around for the next two weeks! The average high temp for late May is 83/84 degrees, so expect highs to be below that for awhile. Look for sunny skies and calmer winds today through Sunday, as pleasant weather is expected for most of this holiday weekend. It should be beautiful weather for Chico State graduates and their families this weekend, as it is graduation weekend in Chico. Graduate students will be honored Friday night indoors at Laxson Auditorium, while undergraduates will have their ceremonies outdoors Saturday and Sunday at University Stadium. Congratulations, graduates! Oh, I will be going camping with my hubby this weekend, so this will be my last posting until Monday. Have a fun and safe Memorial Day weekend! Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the NWS: Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. North wind 5 to 7 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 51. West wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable. Friday Sunny, with a high near 78. North wind around 6 mph becoming calm. Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. South wind around 6 mph becoming east northeast in the evening. Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph in the afternoon. Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. Memorial Day A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 78. Monday Night A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. Tuesday A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 81. Tuesday Night A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56. Wednesday A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 80.

nice weather for the rest of this week

My thoughts and condolences go out to the victims and their families of the Oklahoma tornado. As of this blog posting, over 50 people have died from the tornado that tore through Moore, Oklahoma earlier today. What a tragedy. Closer to home, it has been heat we've been dealing with, along with dry and breezy conditions. The high temperature in Chico so far today has been 90 degrees, with gusty west to northwest winds over 20 mph. This should be the last hot day for at least a week as the Delta breeze kicks in overnight tonight. That will bring in cooler marine air from the south into the valley. The coolest days look to be Wednesday and Thursday, with highs only in the lower 70s! That's ten degrees below average! Windy conditions may set up on Wednesday, increasing the fire danger. Otherwise, the Memorial Day weekend looks great for outdoor activities. Here's Chico's detailed seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 59. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the evening. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 81. Calm wind becoming west 5 to 9 mph. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 46. South southeast wind 7 to 16 mph becoming north northwest after midnight. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 72. North northwest wind 11 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 47. North wind around 11 mph. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 72. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 56. Memorial Day Mostly sunny, with a high near 81.

brief warm up

Sorry I haven't updated my blog the past several days. I've been both busy and not feeling too well. I feel somewhat better now (sinus headaches associated with allergies). The past few days in Chico have been nice weather-wise, with high temperatures in the low to mid 70s. Today has been warmer, but still pleasant, with a high today of 83 degrees. Expect even warmer temps tomorrow though Tuesday, with highs ranging from the mid 80s to lower 90s. By Wednesday, a weak trough will pass to our north, bringing cooler temps our way. Highs will be in the mid to upper 70s Wednesday through Saturday. Nice! It should be lovely weather for Memorial Day weekend activities, and for once, no rain is anticipated. The past three consecutive Memorial Day weekends it has rained in the Chico area at least one of the three Memorial Day weekend days. Hopefully not this year. Here's Chico's seven day outlook from the National Weather Service: Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 55. North northwest wind 8 to 10 mph. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 86. North northwest wind 10 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Sunday Night Clear, with a low around 57. North wind 9 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Monday Sunny, with a high near 90. North northwest wind 9 to 11 mph. Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 60. Light and variable wind becoming east northeast around 5 mph after midnight. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 85. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 52. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 75. Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 49. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 76. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 53. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 76. Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 78.

heat will abate

Well, I was incorrect in my last blog posting, saying that high temps would not get above 90 degrees for the foreseeable future. The high temperature yesterday in Chico was 92 degrees, while today's high was 95! To me, it felt somewhat muggy, as well. An upper level low pressure system interacted with just enough moisture to allow thunderstorms to develop over the Sierra Nevada today, especially east of Sacramento. Tomorrow (hopefully) will be cooler than today, with highs in the mid 80s. Thursday looks to be the coolest day of the next seven, with a chance of showers and highs in the mid 70s. Nice! These showers will be associated with a weak cold front moving through our area Thursday and Friday. By the beginning of next week, expect highs once again in the lower 90s. Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Overnight Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. North wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening. Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. South wind 3 to 6 mph. Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 56. Light and variable wind becoming north northwest 5 to 9 mph in the evening. Thursday A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 75. North northeast wind 6 to 9 mph becoming south in the morning. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Thursday Night A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. South southeast wind around 6 mph becoming northeast in the evening. Friday A 20 percent chance of showers before 11am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 53. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 83. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 55. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 87. Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 56. Monday Sunny, with a high near 90. Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 56. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 86.

warm throughout this week

I hope everyone enjoyed their Mother's Day! It was a warm one in Chico, with a high temperature at the Chico Airport of 93 degrees. A southerly breeze kicked up this afternoon, clearing out some of the smoke and haze from nearby fires. It shouldn't be as warm the rest of the week as it was today, with mid to upper 80s Monday through Wednesday. By Thursday, a brief cool down will allow temps to lower into the lower 80s through Friday. By next weekend, expect temps to creep back into the mid 80s. However, we will not see highs above 90 degrees for the foreseeable future. No rain is in the forecast through next weekend. Here are the details from the National Weather Service: Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 61. South wind 5 to 8 mph becoming light and variable after midnight. Monday Sunny, with a high near 87. South southeast wind 5 to 9 mph. Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 57. West wind around 8 mph becoming northeast in the evening. Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. West northwest wind around 7 mph. Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph after midnight. Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 54. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 84. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 55. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 86. Have a great week!

heading into summer

It was a warm day in Chico yesterday, with a high temperature of 88 degrees. It will be about five degrees hotter today, as we creep into the mid 90s. Temperatures will remain above average for the next several days (the average high in Chico for mid-May is 81 degrees) as high pressure exerts its force over Northern California. This heat isn't too unusual; we sometimes see highs well into the 90s by the middle of May, and record highs well into the triple digits. In fact, due to our location in the Sacramento Valley, record highs in the triple digits have occurred well into October! To say it gets hot here in the summer is an understatement. I am fairly confident this summer may be one of the hottest summers we've seen in a while. In my nearly 11 years of living here, the hottest summer was in 2006, when Chico saw 11 consecutive days at or above 100 degrees, with the hottest temperature during that stretch peaking at 112. Ugh! The all-time record high for Chico is 117, which occurred in August, 1972. I don't think we'll reach that this summer, but you never know. For Mother's Day (which is tomorrow, in case you've forgotten), it looks sunny in the Northstate, with highs in the low to mid 90s. Perhaps an indoor activity, such as brunch at one of Chico's many fine restaurants, is in order. Here's what the rest of Chico's weather looks like over the next seven days, courtesy of the National Weather Service: Today Sunny, with a high near 93. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 8 mph in the morning. Tonight Clear, with a low around 64. East southeast wind 5 to 9 mph. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 61. South southeast wind 5 to 8 mph becoming east in the evening. Monday Sunny, with a high near 85. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon. Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 58. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 86. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 57. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 88. Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 57. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 85. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 54. Friday Sunny, with a high near 83.

heating up

The high temperatures in Chico have been held in the low to mid 70s the past couple of days due to this persistent low pressure system off the Pacific coast. This low has kept the clouds and widely scattered showers around. However, the low is now moving to our east, and high pressure is building in behind it. This means sunshine and very warm temperatures for the next several days. Break out the shorts, shades, and flip-flops, because you're going to need them. Highs today will soar into the mid 80s, and low 90s are expected tomorrow and Saturday. Highs will remain above 85 degrees into the early part of next week, with sunshine beaming down each day. Just because we received some rain this week, don't assume it's okay to burn outdoors; it is still tinder dry, and the few hundredths of an inch of rain received has not eliminated the fire risk. In other words, if barbecuing outdoors this weekend, be very cautious. If you want to burn that pile of brush you cleared a few weeks ago, just let it sit there until the fall; it's not worth burning down your property and your neighbors' property simply because you want that brush pile gone. Anyway, enjoy your weekend, but be careful. Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. South wind 3 to 5 mph. Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. South wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable. Friday Sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming south southeast 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 59. South wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening. Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming south southwest around 6 mph in the afternoon. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 59. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 86. Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 56. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 87. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 55. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 83.

remaining cool and unsettled

The high temperature in Chico yesterday was only 67 degrees, 12 degrees below normal for the date. It will remain below normal temperature wise, as well as unsettled, today and tomorrow before the sun returns and temps warm back up. There will be just a slight chance of showers today and tomorrow, but the mostly cloudy skies will keep temperatures on the coolish side. A low pressure system off the coast of San Francisco is responsible for the wet weather; Chico's rain gauge picked up .14 of an inch yesterday. I suspect it won't be as wet today. Temps will return to the upper 80s/ low 90s by the end of this week as high pressure returns. Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Isolated showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 73. South wind around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Tonight Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. South southeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Wednesday A 20 percent chance of showers before 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 77. South southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning. Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 56. Light and variable wind. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. Calm wind. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 58. Friday Sunny, with a high near 87. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 61. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 89. Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 60. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 86.

cooler and unsettled the next couple of days

From the National Weather Service: A SPRINGTIME LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE REGION WILL BRING UNSTABLE CONDITIONS TO THE AREA OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. THE UNSTABLE CONDITIONS WILL BRING A THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND NORTHERN PART OF THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY TODAY WITH INCREASED CLOUDS AND MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES ELSEWHERE. DAYTIME HIGHS TODAY WILL DROP AS MUCH AS 10 DEGREES FROM YESTERDAY BRINGING A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE FROM THE NEAR RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES EXPERIENCED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS. THE OVERALL ATMOSPHERE WHICH HAS BEEN QUITE DRY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS SHOULD BEGIN TO MOISTEN UP TODAY AS THE LOW SETS UP OVER THE AREA. THEREFORE ANY MOUNTAIN THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD CONTAIN AT LEAST SOME RAINFALL. THE UPPER LOW IS EXPECTED TO ROTATE A BIGGER SURGE OF MOISTURE OVER THE INTERIOR OF NORTHERLY CALIFORNIA TONIGHT INTO MONDAY WHICH SHOULD HELP TO REDUCE FIRE DANGER EVEN MORE. THERE WILL BE A THREAT OF SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS OVER NEARLY ALL OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY. AS WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS...THE STORMS PRODUCED THIS WEEK COULD PRODUCE LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR HAIL AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN. MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WILL BRING STILL COOLER TEMPERATURES WITH MOST LOCATIONS MONDAY AND TUESDAY LIKELY TO SEE DAYTIME HIGHS SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. THE UNSETTLED AND COOL WEATHER PATTERN IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE AT LEAST THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK ALTHOUGH RAINFALL CHANCES WILL DECREASE WEDNESDAY AND BEYOND WHILE DAYTIME TEMPERATURES BEGIN TO WARM. . IF PLANNING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS BE PREPARED FOR A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CHANGE. MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES ARE LIKELY WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR RAINFALL AND INCLEMENT WEATHER. SNOW LEVELS WILL REMAIN HIGH BUT SOME SNOWFALL ACROSS THE HIGHER PEAKS WILL BECOME LIKELY MONDAY AND TUESDAY. CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES REGARDING THIS SPRINGTIME WEATHER SYSTEM. Yesterday's weather was somewhat unusual. A large complex of thunderstorms associated with this low pressure system mentioned in the NWS's statement moved from east to west over the Sierra Nevada into the valley. By the time it reached the valley there was limited moisture, so not much rain fell. However, the winds from the outflow boundary were very strong from the east, gusting to over 40 mph at times yesterday afternoon and evening. We could see more of that type of weather tomorrow and Tuesday. Stay tuned!

statement on the upcoming weather pattern change

From the National Weather Service: NORTHERLY FLOW BETWEEN A HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE PACIFIC AND A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE GREAT BASIN WILL BRING BREEZY NORTH WINDS TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SATURDAY MORNING. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE OVER THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE STATE AND WILL LIKELY ELEVATE FIRE DANGER. THE GREAT BASIN LOW IS FORECAST TO MOVE WESTWARD SATURDAY AFTERNOON BRINGING AN END TO THE BREEZY NORTH WINDS AND A MAJOR CHANGE TO THE WEATHER PATTERN. MORE UNSTABLE CONDITIONS WILL BRING A THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE MOUNTAINS OVER THE WEEKEND WITH INCREASED CLOUDS AND COOLER TEMPERATURES ELSEWHERE. IT APPEARS THAT INITIALLY...ANY THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY MAY ONLY CONTAIN VERY LIGHT RAINFALL WHICH COULD TEMPORARILY INCREASE FIRE DANGER. SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPERATURES SATURDAY WILL BE FOLLOWED BY STILL COOLER TEMPERATURES ON SUNDAY WITH HIGHS DROPPING TO NEAR NORMAL. THIS WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE FROM THE NEAR RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES EXPERIENCED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS. ANY MOUNTAIN THUNDERSTORMS SUNDAY SHOULD CONTAIN AT LEAST SOME RAINFALL AS THE ATMOSPHERE BEGINS TO MOISTEN UP. THE UPPER LOW IS EXPECTED TO ROTATE UP A BIGGER SURGE OF MOISTURE ON MONDAY. THIS WILL BRING A THREAT OF SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS TO NEARLY ALL OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. AS WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS...MONDAYS STORMS WILL PRODUCE LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR HAIL AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN. MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WILL BRING STILL COOLER TEMPERATURES WITH MOST LOCATIONS MONDAY LIKELY TO SEE DAYTIME HIGHS SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. THE UNSETTLED AND COOL WEATHER PATTERN IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE AT LEAST THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. IF PLANNING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS BE PREPARED FOR A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CHANGE. MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES ARE LIKELY MOST AREAS WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR RAINFALL AND INCLEMENT WEATHER. CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES REGARDING THIS SPRINGTIME WEATHER SYSTEM.

feeling like summer

Ugh. It's already 95 degrees at the Chico Airport, and it's only May 3rd. The northern and central Sacramento Valley is under both a Red Flag Warning (beginning at midnight tonight and expiring at 4 pm tomorrow) and a Wind Advisory (from 8 am until 4 pm tomorrow). It is bone dry out there, and the fire danger is exceptionally high. The Panther Fire near Butte Meadows northeast of Chico has quickly grown to over 10,000 acres, and a layer of smoke has hung over Chico for most of the day today. Northwesterly winds kicked up this afternoon, pushing some of the smoke out of the valley, but also heating up the temperature into the mid 90s. Winds will again be strong and gusty from the northwest tomorrow, with speeds up to 35 mph in gusts. All outdoor burning is banned. There is a slight chance of a shower or thunderstorm tomorrow night, and a better chance of showers and thunderstorms Monday through Wednesday. Hopefully these storms will have some moisture to work with; otherwise, lightning strikes may ignite more fires. I'm sensing this fire season may be a repeat of the summer of 2008, when hundreds of fires were ignited by dry lightning strikes. Fingers crossed we don't repeat that awful summer. The good news is we start ratcheting down the hot temperatures the next seven days. Tomorrow we'll see highs in the upper 80s, and lower 70s by Monday! These cooler temperatures should aid the firefighters in their efforts to contain the Panther fire and other fires burning in California. Temps will warm back into the lower to middle 80s by the end of next week, but no 90 degree temps are anticipated for now (after today). The first weekend in May is usually a busy one in Chico, with numerous events going on. Here's a rundown of the big ones: Pioneer Days Parade in downtown Chico on Saturday morning; the International Festival on the grounds of Chico State University Saturday; Chico Artisans Faire at the Downtown Chico Plaza both Saturday and Sunday; the Endangered Species Faire at Cedar Grove in Lower Bidwell Park on Saturday; the annual Spring Garden Tour, beginning at St. John's Episcopal Church in Chico, in which there are tours of five different private gardens in Chico and Durham; the first annual Salsa Festival (in honor of Cinco de Mayo) at Gordo Burrito on Sunday, sponsored by Chico's own lifestyle magazine, Upgraded Living; and the annual Margarita Mix-off, a fundraiser for Chico's Active 20/30- a service organization for young men in the community- held this year at Silver Dollar Fairgrounds on Saturday. For times of these and and other events happening this weekend (as this list is by no means exhaustive), go to the Chico News and Review website. Have a safe and fun Cinco de Mayo weekend! Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Tonight Clear, with a low around 57. North northwest wind 5 to 9 mph becoming light west northwest. Saturday Increasing clouds, with a high near 87. North northwest wind 8 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Saturday Night Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. Northwest wind 5 to 14 mph becoming east after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Sunday Partly sunny, with a high near 79. South wind 7 to 10 mph. Sunday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. South wind around 8 mph becoming east northeast in the evening. Monday A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 71. Monday Night A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Tuesday A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 72. Tuesday Night A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. Wednesday A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Wednesday Night A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 53. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. ***UPDATE ON THE FIRES*** The Panther Fire, burning in Tehama County, has shrunk in size from 10,000 acres to 6400 acres, not because of firefighters' efforts, but because of better mapping techniques. Still, with the windy conditions tomorrow, the fire is expected to grow. Also, the smaller Cedar Fire, south of Butte Meadows in Butte County, is currently at 55 acres. More updates as they happen.

high fire danger over the next couple of days

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 4 PM PDT SATURDAY. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. * AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 215 NORTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY TO SOUTHERN TEHAMA COUNTY LINE BELOW 1000 FT AND FIRE WEATHER ZONE 216 CENTRAL SACRAMENTO VALLEY IN GLENN, COLUSA, YUBA, NORTHERN SUTTER, AND BUTTE COUNTY BELOW 1000 FT. * WINDS...NORTH 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH. * TIMING...INCREASING WINDS LATE TONIGHT AND CONTINUING INTO SATURDAY AFTERNOON. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...MAXIMUM HUMIDITY RECOVERY UP TO 40 PERCENT TONIGHT. MINIMUM HUMIDITY AS LOW AS 7 TO 12 PERCENT SATURDAY. * IMPACTS...GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES COMBINED WITH FUEL CONDITIONS AT CRITICAL LEVELS MAY LEAD TO ENHANCED FIRE DANGER...ESPECIALLY FOR FINE FUELS. This is not good news. There are two fires now burning northeast of Chico, with the Panther fire the larger of the two at over 2000 acres. Smoke is drifting across the Sacramento Valley from these fires. It is tinder dry right now, so please be careful with cigarette butts and any outdoor burning. In fact, outdoor burning is banned, so don't even do it. Let's all be careful out there this weekend!

still warm and windy, but cooler by next week

Happy May Day! Yesterday's high temperature in Chico was 84 degrees, with a northwesterly wind gusting to 41 mph. There were some trees damaged and limbs strewn about a few neighborhoods yesterday in Chico. The winds will again be strong today, and the Wind Advisory is still in effect until 3 pm this afternoon. Wind gusts could reach 40 mph, although currently the winds aren't very strong. The hottest day over the next seven days appears to be Friday, when highs will hover in the mid 90s. Saturday could be another windy day, but the cooling trend will begin then, and highs by early next week will only be around 80 degrees. That's much better! Here's Chico's seven day outlook courtesy of the National Weather Service: Today Sunny, with a high near 83. North wind 10 to 13 mph. Tonight Clear, with a low around 53. North northeast wind 9 to 11 mph. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 89. North wind 6 to 8 mph. Thursday Night Clear, with a low around 58. Calm wind. Friday Sunny, with a high near 93. North northeast wind around 6 mph becoming west northwest in the afternoon. Friday Night Clear, with a low around 57. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 90. Saturday Night Clear, with a low around 56. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 81.