good news, bad news weather

The past two days in Chico have been cooler as far as temperatures are concerned, with 85 degrees for the high on Monday and 90 degrees yesterday. That's the good news; the bad news is we have seen hazy, smoky conditions thanks to the cooler southerly flow carrying smoke from a fire northwest of Fresno. So, we get the cooler temps, but it comes at the cost of increased air pollution. Those with asthma and other breathing issues will have to stay indoors due to the increased smoke and haze. The smoke is around 3000-4000 feet up in the atmosphere, so we can't smell any smoke, but we can definitely see it. Hopefully this weather pattern will only persist a few more days. Air flow should switch to the north by this weekend, clearing out the smoke and warming the temperatures into the mid 90s by early next week. Here are the specifics for Chico the next seven days courtesy of the National Weather Service: Today Widespread haze before 11am. Patchy smoke before 11am. Sunny, with a high near 91. South wind 5 to 9 mph. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 59. Southeast wind 7 to 9 mph. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 87. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Thursday Night Clear, with a low around 59. East wind around 8 mph. Friday Sunny, with a high near 90. Light and variable wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 61. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 90. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 59. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 92. Sunday Night Clear, with a low around 60. Monday Sunny, with a high near 94. Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 60. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 95.

nice weather for late July

Wow! The high temperature for tomorrow is expected to only be in the upper 80s in Chico! We haven't seen high temps below 90 degrees in weeks! Tuesday morning's low temperature will be below average, as well- dipping into the upper 50s. Throw open those windows and put an extra blanket on the bed! These highs are almost unheard of for late July/ early August (which is, by the way, the hottest time of year in Chico on average). Of course, this time of year these kinds of temperatures do not stick around for very long. Highs will creep back into the mid 90s by the end of this upcoming week. Until then, enjoy this cooler weather while it lasts! Have a great week, everyone! Here is Chico's cooler seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Tonight Clear, with a low around 61. Southeast wind 5 to 9 mph becoming calm after midnight. Monday Sunny, with a high near 89. Light southeast wind becoming south southeast 8 to 13 mph in the afternoon. Monday Night Clear, with a low around 58. South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light southeast after midnight. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 59. East wind around 6 mph. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 90. Wednesday Night Clear, with a low around 58. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 90. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 59. Friday Sunny, with a high near 92. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 60. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 94. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 60. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 95.

cooling off

After a hot streak in which high temperatures have been at or near 100 degrees the past few days, a cooler pool of air will arrive by Sunday and last through most of next week. Cooler being a relative term, of course. Highs by Sunday will only be around 90 degrees. It may begin to warm up again by the end of next week. We've been fortunate in these parts to not have any major fires break out so far this summer. Other than the usual smog we occasionally see due to pollution from the big cities to our south, our air quality and visibility haven't been too bad so far this summer. There have been several thunderstorm cells over the Siskiyou mountains and parts of the Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade range today. The towering thunderheads are so pretty and can be seen from Chico. Chico itself won't see any thunderstorm activity for the next seven days, even though we can use the moisture. Some of the trees in and around Chico are looking distressed due to the below normal rainfall we had this past winter. Hopefully we will have more rain this coming winter. Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Tonight Clear, with a low around 68. Southeast wind 3 to 6 mph. Saturday Sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph in the afternoon. Saturday Night Clear, with a low around 64. Southeast wind 5 to 8 mph. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Sunday Night Clear, with a low around 61. South wind around 6 mph becoming east southeast in the evening. Monday Sunny, with a high near 91. Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 59. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 90. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 60. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 91. Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 62. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 92. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 63. Friday Sunny, with a high near 94.

heating up again

The past few days have been rather sticky and uncomfortable despite slightly cooler temperatures. That's thanks to monsoonal moisture streaming up from the south, causing humidity levels to rise. Thunderstorms have been erupting over the Sierra Nevada the past two days, but no thunderstorm activity has occurred over the valley. The monsoonal moisture should begin to abate today and tomorrow as temperatures heat up again to around 100 degrees. It will remain hot through the beginning of next week, with highs from 95-100 degrees. There may be a cool down on the way by the middle of next week as highs only reach the lower 90s by next Tuesday. I'll keep you all posted on that. For now, here's the current seven day forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service: Today Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 98. South wind 5 to 8 mph. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 68. South wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable after midnight. Thursday Sunny and hot, with a high near 100. Calm wind becoming south southwest around 6 mph in the afternoon. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind around 6 mph becoming east northeast in the evening. Friday Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 100. South southwest wind 3 to 6 mph. Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. Saturday Sunny and hot, with a high near 99. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 66. Sunday Sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Sunday Night Clear, with a low around 64. Monday Sunny, with a high near 94. Monday Night Clear, with a low around 61. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 92.

perhaps a chance of a thunderstorm this week?

Again, not as hot this weekend as forecast, with both yesterday's and today's high at 99 degrees. Granted, that's hot, but it did not rise above 100 degrees. The forecast for this week calls for slightly cooler temps along with an increasing chance of thunderstorms, mainly over the Sierra Nevada. However, a stray thunderstorm drifting over the foothills or the valley cannot be ruled out; this will happen mainly on Tuesday. Increased monsoonal moisture is heading north, providing the moisture for these storms. Phoenix, AZ was inundated with heavy rain and thunderstorms this weekend, courtesy of the same monsoonal moisture we will be experiencing. As with any thunderstorm, lightning is a concern this time of year. Hopefully there is enough moisture that any lightning-caused fire will be put out by Mother Nature. Regardless, for those who live in mountain and foothill communities, be on guard this week. Have a great week, and stay cool! Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 65. South southeast wind 7 to 10 mph. Monday Sunny, with a high near 95. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. Southeast wind 5 to 9 mph. Tuesday A slight chance of sprinkles after 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 95. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Tuesday Night A slight chance of sprinkles before 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. Southeast wind around 5 mph. Wednesday Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 98. Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 67. Thursday Sunny and hot, with a high near 99. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 68. Friday Sunny and hot, with a high near 99. Friday Night Clear, with a low around 67. Saturday Sunny and hot, with a high near 99. Saturday Night Clear, with a low around 66. Sunday Sunny and hot, with a high near 98.

not as hot as expected, but still hot

Yesterday's high in Chico only made it to 98 degrees, far below the predicted high of 104. However, it is still expected to be over 100 degrees today and tomorrow, with a slight cooling trend Monday and Tuesday. The heat returns by the end of next week, with highs forecast to be at or above 100 degrees once again. Overnight lows will range from the mid 60s to around 70 degrees. With this high pressure, an inversion layer will likely set up, trapping haze and pollutants close to the ground. Those with breathing issues and the elderly may want to avoid the outdoors during the afternoons over the next several days because of this. Bidwell Park, the crown jewel of Chico, celebrates its 108th birthday this weekend. Annie Bidwell, the "mother" of Chico and wife of Chico founder John Bidwell, donated the original 2500 acres of the park to Chico way back in 1905. Today, the park is over 3000 acres (3,670 acres, to be exact), and the birthday celebration will commence this morning and last all day. There will be a 5k walk/run, painting contest, raffles, games, and more. A movie will be shown in the park this evening, capping off the day's festivities. Fun! Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Sunny and hot, with a high near 105. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph in the afternoon. Tonight Clear, with a low around 69. South wind 5 to 8 mph becoming light and variable after midnight. Sunday Sunny and hot, with a high near 101. South southeast wind 3 to 8 mph. Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 66. Southeast wind 7 to 9 mph. Monday Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 96. Calm wind. Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. Wednesday Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. Thursday Sunny and hot, with a high near 99. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 66. Friday Sunny and hot, with a high near 100.

the heat is back

Today's high temperature at the Chico State University Farm was 96 degrees, three degrees above the average of 93 for this date. It's going to be even hotter tomorrow and the following few days as high pressure currently over the Desert Southwest moves northward. There will also be a slight chance of a thunderstorm over the Sierra Nevada mountains this weekend, with an increasing chance next week. That's due to monsoonal moisture being pumped northward courtesy of this same high pressure. High temps will dip below 100 by next Tuesday, but still remain hot- upper 90s will be the highs most of next week. Overnight lows will range from the mid 60s to around 70, so not much relief during the overnight hours. You know the heat drill- drink plenty of water; restrict outdoor activities to the early morning or late evening; check on the elderly, children, and pets; and wear plenty of sunscreen. Climatologically speaking, Chico is heading into the hottest time of the year; during late July and early August we see the average high around 94 degrees and overnight lows around 62. By the second week of August, we, on average, begin cooling down. Of course, Mother Nature rarely goes by averages. Stay cool, Chicoans! Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Tonight Clear, with a low around 65. South wind around 6 mph becoming calm after midnight. Friday Sunny and hot, with a high near 102. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph in the afternoon. Friday Night Clear, with a low around 68. South wind around 6 mph becoming east in the evening. Saturday Sunny and hot, with a high near 105. Light and variable wind. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 68. South wind around 5 mph becoming east southeast in the evening. Sunday Sunny and hot, with a high near 103. Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. Monday Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 100. Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 68. Tuesday Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 98. Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 68. Wednesday Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 98. Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 68. Thursday Sunny and hot, with a high near 98.

the heat returns

After a couple of nice days, the triple digit heat returns by Friday. Yesterday's high in Chico was a pleasant 85 degrees, while Monday's high was a below average 91. Today will be similar to Monday, with a high expected of 92 degrees this afternoon. The heat begins to build tomorrow, with highs in the upper 90s. Triple digit heat will begin a streak on Friday, and will continue through at least Monday. However, it is not expected to be as hot as the heat wave of late June/ early July. The peak of the heat will be Saturday, with highs around 105 to 106 degrees. Hopefully be next week the heat will break and temps will drop back down into the 90s. Overnight lows will range from the mid 60s to around 70. Here are the details from the National Weather Service: Today Sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming west southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Tonight Clear, with a low around 65. South wind around 5 mph becoming light and variable after midnight. Thursday Sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Light and variable wind. Thursday Night Clear, with a low around 67. Light and variable wind. Friday Sunny and hot, with a high near 102. Calm wind. Friday Night Clear, with a low around 69. Saturday Sunny and hot, with a high near 105. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 69. Sunday Sunny and hot, with a high near 103. Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 70. Monday Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 100. Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. Tuesday Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 99.

hot summer days

It has been a hot weekend this weekend in Chico, with yesterday's high temperature at 95 degrees and today's high at 97 degrees. We'll see a brief cool down (relatively speaking) on Tuesday before the heat ratchets up later this week and into next weekend. Highs will push and even surpass the century mark by Friday, but I don't expect we will see the kind of heat we saw two weeks ago. Still, prepare for more heat this week; if working or playing outdoors, stay hydrated and take plenty of breaks in the shade. At least we'll see some relief during the overnight, with lows in the low to mid 60s. Early morning may be the best time of day to get that jog or hike in, before the heat sets in later in the afternoon. Oh, well- it IS summer in Northern California, after all. At least we don't have the smoke from wildfires to contend with (yet). Here's Chico's seven day outlook courtesy of the National Weather Service: Tonight Clear, with a low around 62. South wind around 5 mph becoming light and variable. Monday Sunny, with a high near 94. South wind 3 to 8 mph. Monday Night Clear, with a low around 61. Southeast wind 5 to 9 mph. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 91. South wind 3 to 8 mph. Tuesday Night Clear, with a low around 61. East southeast wind around 8 mph. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 95. Wednesday Night Clear, with a low around 63. Thursday Sunny and hot, with a high near 99. Thursday Night Clear, with a low around 66. Friday Sunny and hot, with a high near 100. Friday Night Clear, with a low around 67. Saturday Sunny and hot, with a high near 101. Saturday Night Clear, with a low around 67. Sunday Sunny and hot, with a high near 100.

hot and sunny

The recent weather in Chico has been nice, with sunshine and below average temperatures the past couple of days (92 degrees yesterday; 91 today- average highs are around 93-94 degrees). High temps the next several days will stay right around the average, with continued dry and sunny weather. Overnight lows under starry skies will hover in the low to mid 60s, also right around the average for lows this time of year. We may begin to see temps creep toward the century mark by the end of next week as strong high pressure builds in over the western U.S. Don't forget the annual Slice of Chico happens all day tomorrow. Downtown Chico merchants will have special deals on merchandise, and you can receive free slices of ice cold watermelon while shopping. Also, Tres Hombres, that wonderfully delicious Mexican restaurant downtown (who is one of the main sponsors of the Slice of Chico) will have watermelon margaritas on tap, as well. Sounds yummy to me! The weather will be hot, with highs in the mid 90s, perfect for watermelon consumption! Enjoy your weekend! Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Tonight Clear, with a low around 60. South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light southeast after midnight. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Saturday Night Clear, with a low around 59. South southeast wind 5 to 8 mph becoming east after midnight. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 95. Light and variable wind. Sunday Night Clear, with a low around 62. East southeast wind around 6 mph. Monday Sunny, with a high near 94. Monday Night Clear, with a low around 61. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 95. Tuesday Night Clear, with a low around 62. Wednesday Sunny and hot, with a high near 96. Wednesday Night Clear, with a low around 64. Thursday Sunny and hot, with a high near 96. Thursday Night Clear, with a low around 61. Friday Sunny and hot, with a high near 97.

seasonable weather

I'm back from the heat and humidity of southern Indiana, returning to the dry heat of northern California. Temperatures the past seven days in Chico have ranged from the lower to upper 90s: 91 on July 6th, 94 on both July 7th and 8th, 99 on July 9th, and 98 on July 10th (yesterday). This trend will continue, with seasonable highs generally in the mid 90s the next seven days. As is usual this time of year, sunny skies and dry conditions will dominate. Not much else to say about our weather, other than no major fires have erupted so far this summer in the local area. Hopefully this trend will continue, as well. Tonight is the weekly Thursday Night Market in downtown Chico, with food, produce, and entertainment for all who visit. The weather for tonight's market looks nice, with warm temps and dry conditions. Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Sunny, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming south southeast 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon. Tonight Clear, with a low around 62. East southeast wind 8 to 11 mph. Friday Sunny, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming south southeast 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon. Friday Night Clear, with a low around 62. East southeast wind 5 to 7 mph. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 95. Calm wind becoming south southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Saturday Night Clear, with a low around 63. Sunday Sunny and hot, with a high near 96. Sunday Night Clear, with a low around 64. Monday Sunny, with a high near 95. Monday Night Clear, with a low around 64. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 95. Tuesday Night Clear, with a low around 63. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 95.

cooling off

"Cooling off" being a relative term. Relative to yesterday's scorching temperatures! Yesterday's high at the Chico State University Farm on the south end of Chico was a blistering 112 degrees. That's definitely hot as a firecracker! Sorry, couldn't resist. Temps will be "cooling" by nearly 20 degrees from yesterday's highs- mid 90s for today. That's still hot, but more typical of what we see around these parts for July. Oh, there were some very isolated thunderstorms yesterday morning in the Chico area. The main features of these storms were lightning and a few sprinkles. Then the winds switched to the northwest after these storms dissipated, resulting in the very hot temperatures. Back to the good news: Chico should not see highs above 100 degrees again for at least the next week. Back to typical summer heat. I will be out of town for the next several days. I'm going home to Indiana to see the family, so I won't be updating my blog until sometime next week. I will leave you with a much better forecast for the next seven days, courtesy of the National Weather Service: Today Sunny and hot, with a high near 96. Light and variable wind becoming south southeast 5 to 9 mph in the morning. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 63. Southeast wind 5 to 9 mph. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 91. South southeast wind 3 to 5 mph. Saturday Night Clear, with a low around 64. South southeast wind 5 to 9 mph becoming light east southeast in the evening. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 94. Light and variable wind. Sunday Night Clear, with a low around 64. Monday Sunny and hot, with a high near 96. Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 65. Tuesday Sunny and hot, with a high near 98. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 65. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 95. Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 63. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 92.

this heat can go away now

Happy Independence Day! This heat wave has been off the hook (as the young'uns say)! Yesterday's high temperature at the Chico Airport was 111 degrees! The dew point (the direct measurement of the amount of moisture in the air- the higher the dew point, the more moisture) reached 70 degrees (almost unheard of in these parts; that's more like the East Coast). At one point yesterday afternoon the combination of the dew point and the air temperature made it feel like 120 degrees! Right around 6 pm yesterday thunderstorms building over the Sierra Nevada produced outflow winds that reached all the way down to Chico. Winds from the north gusted to over 30 mph, making it feel like a blast furnace. It was just miserable. Already before 7 am this morning the temperature in Chico is 90 degrees. I am SO over this heat wave! It looks like we'll have to endure one more day of triple digit heat (extending the streak of 100+ degree temps to seven consecutive days). Heat relief should come tomorrow, as highs are only expected to reach the middle 90s, and low 90s on Saturday! Break out the jackets and long pants! That will feel downright chilly compared to these recent temps. It looks like highs will remain below 100 degrees through the middle of next week. Still hot, but more like what we're used to seeing. If celebrating the United States' 237th birthday today, have fun, but be careful. Highs will still be oppressive, so drink plenty of water and kick back in the shade. Chico's annual Fourth of July celebration takes place all day in Bidwell Park, and fireworks will be exploding over the Silver Dollar Speedway around 9:30 tonight. If traveling to the mountains to escape the heat, be careful of thunderstorms firing up today. Golf ball size hail was reported yesterday in eastern Shasta County, north of Chico; reports similar to this may occur again today, along with heavy rain, gusty winds, and lightning. Again, have fun, but be safe! Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Independence Day Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 106. Calm wind becoming northwest 5 to 7 mph in the morning. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 70. Northwest wind around 8 mph. Friday Sunny and hot, with a high near 96. Calm wind becoming south southeast 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 63. Southeast wind 5 to 7 mph. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 92. South wind around 5 mph. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 64. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 95. Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 64. Monday Sunny and hot, with a high near 96. Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 65. Tuesday Sunny and hot, with a high near 96. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 65. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 95.

Excessive Heat Warning extended

Again, sorry about not posting lately; I think my internet has finally been repaired. Chico has seen high temperatures above 100 degrees for four days in a row: Friday, 104; Saturday and Sunday, 106; and today, 108. Guess what? It's only going to get hotter. Expect highs to be around 111-113 degrees tomorrow and Wednesday. In fact, triple digit heat is expected through at least Friday. That's why the Excessive Heat Warning has been extended from 9 pm Wednesday to 9 pm Thursday. Slow relief is anticipated by this weekend, but it will still remain 8-10 degrees above normal. It has felt and looked weird today, just hot, oppressive and heavy. There's been some haze in the air, as well, but the visibility is still fairly good. For example, you can see both the Sierra Nevada and the Coast Range mountains very well from Chico. It's as if the haze is several thousand feet up- the sky is a murky blue and the sunrises and sunsets have been a brilliant reddish-orange color. I've checked and there are currently no fires burning nearby. Perhaps the southerly flow that has brought the heat and humidity up to our area has carried the smoke from those huge fires in Arizona up, as well. Just a theory. Here is Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 77. Light and variable wind. Tuesday Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 111. Heat index values as high as 117. Northwest wind 3 to 8 mph. Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 78. Northwest wind 5 to 9 mph becoming calm after midnight. Wednesday Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 112. Heat index values as high as 118. Calm wind becoming west 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Wednesday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 76. North wind 7 to 10 mph. Independence Day Sunny and hot, with a high near 108. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 71. Friday Sunny and hot, with a high near 102. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 65. Saturday Sunny and hot, with a high near 98. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 63. Sunday Sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 63. Monday Sunny and hot, with a high near 97.