Wind Advisory in effect for this afternoon and evening

Another Bad Hair Day Alert: THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO MIDNIGHT PDT TONIGHT FOR THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL SACRAMENTO VALLEY AND ADJACENT SIERRA FOOTHILLS. * WINDS: SOUTH 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH AT TIMES. * TIMING: WINDS WILL BE INCREASING THROUGH THE DAY AND ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN REACHING ADVISORY SPEEDS AFTER 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON. THE WINDS ARE LIKELY TO BE STRONGEST DURING THE EVENING HOURS. * LOCATIONS INCLUDE: CHICO...REDDING...PARADISE. * IMPACTS: BLOWING DEBRIS MAY MAKE ROAD TRAVEL HAZARDOUS. STEERING COULD BECOME DIFFICULT ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES.

rain increasingly likely

There is more confidence based on computer forecast models that we here in the Northstate will be affected by this storm that is currently bringing heavy rain and wind to parts of the Pacific Northwest. Today should be sunny all day, but clouds will increase overnight tonight and showers may begin as soon as tomorrow afternoon. Winds will also increase, gusting 25-30 mph tomorrow afternoon and evening. Remnants of tropical typhoon Pabuk have been caught up in a powerful jet stream. Those remnants have been carried across the vast Pacific Ocean from the coast of Japan. These remnants of Pabuk are the reason for the winds and rain. I am continually fascinated by weather. It's amazing that a storm that affected an area thousands of miles away can end up impacting our weather here. Anyway, prepare for some wet and breezy weather the next 36-48 hours. The rest of the seven day forecast looks sunny and mild, with highs ranging from the low 70s Monday to the low 80s by next Friday. Here's the specific forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service: Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. Light east wind becoming south southeast 8 to 13 mph in the afternoon. Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 57. Southeast wind 8 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Sunday A slight chance of rain before noon, then a chance of showers after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 73. Southeast wind 11 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Sunday Night Showers likely before midnight, then a chance of rain after midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 59. South southeast wind around 17 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Monday A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72. South southeast wind 8 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Monday Night A 20 percent chance of showers before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 74. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 54. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 77. Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 52. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 78. Thursday Night Clear, with a low around 54. Friday Sunny, with a high near 81.

more rain in the forecast?

This has been a very unusual weather pattern this second half of September. Normally we would see a long stretch of sunny, warm weather, usually with highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s and no rain until around the latter part of October. Not this year. Chico has already seen nearly an inch and a half of rainfall and highs only in the 70s the past few days. I am not complaining, believe me. I love this weather. The forecast is calling for a beautiful last weekend of September, with sunshine and highs right around 80 degrees for Saturday. Sunday will be a bit cooler, with mid 70s and a slight chance of an afternoon shower. Rain chances increase Sunday night into Monday, with highs on Monday only in the low 70s. This does not appear to be a strong storm for us, as most of the moisture and energy associated with this next storm is to our north. Places like Seattle and Portland could see rainfall amounts of 2-3 inches this weekend! We here in Chico won't have to worry about that. By the middle of next week we will see highs in the mid to upper 70s and sunny conditions. Here is the detailed seven day forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service: Today Sunny, with a high near 78. Northwest wind 6 to 8 mph. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 53. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the evening. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 80. Calm wind becoming south southeast 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 57. Southeast wind around 9 mph. Sunday A 20 percent chance of rain after 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 75. South southeast wind 8 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Sunday Night A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Monday A 40 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 71. Monday Night A chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 53. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 73. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 54. Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 52. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 78.

fall like weather

Last night Chico and surrounding areas experienced some unusual weather. Isolated thunderstorms popped up due to atmospheric instability and produced torrential, but brief, rain. I was driving home and hit the heavy rain around 8:40 pm last night. It was very isolated, however, as five minutes later the rain stopped as I traveled north on Highway 99. It was very heavy and I had to slow down due to reduced visibility. I thought I was back in Florida! Chico received officially three tenths of an inch of rain from the storm, although I'm sure other areas received more. At my house, over six-tenths of an inch was recorded on my automatic weather station. Today was cool and breezy, with a high temperature at the University Farm of 73 degrees. Winds were breezy from the north at around 20-25 mph. Some areas in the valley witnessed some isolated shower activity as a cold front moved through. The weather tomorrow will be similar to today, with less in the way of clouds and showers. Friday the winds slacken and the temps warm into the mid 70s. Saturday and Sunday look beautiful, with sunshine and highs around 80 degrees. Highs early next week will stay in the low 80s. Looks like fall weather is hanging around for awhile! Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Tonight A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9pm, then a slight chance of showers between 9pm and midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. North northwest wind 7 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 71. Northwest wind 6 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Thursday Night Clear, with a low around 49. North wind 6 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Friday Sunny, with a high near 76. North wind 7 to 9 mph. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 52. Northwest wind 7 to 10 mph becoming east northeast after midnight. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 79. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 57. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 79. Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 56. Monday A slight chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Monday Night A slight chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 83. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 57. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 81.

becoming windy this week

Yesterday was a gorgeous day in the Northstate, with a high of 84 degrees in Chico under sunny skies. Today will be even better, with continued sunny skies and a high of only 74 degrees. Fall is definitely in the air. By Wednesday expect a slight chance of showers as a quick-moving storm slides through the area. This storm will also bring some snowflakes to the highest elevations of the Sierra Nevada mountains by Wednesday night. In the valley, winds will increase tomorrow behind this front, gusting from the north between 25-30 mph. If you have any loose objects in the backyard, today may be the day to secure them. Winds will continue into Thursday before abating on Friday. Highs tomorrow will only be in the upper 60s (!) in Chico, warming into the mid 70s Thursday and upper 70s by Friday. The weekend looks dry and warm, with sunshine both Saturday and Sunday and highs in the mid 80s. The average high this time of year in Chico is around 87 degrees, so we should remain below that for the next seven days. Nice! Here's Chico's forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. East southeast wind 7 to 9 mph. Tonight A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. North wind 8 to 10 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Wednesday A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 69. Northwest wind 13 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 47. North northwest wind 8 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 73. North northwest wind 14 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Thursday Night Clear, with a low around 49. Friday Sunny, with a high near 78. Friday Night Clear, with a low around 52. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 81. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 55. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 83. Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 57. Monday Sunny, with a high near 84.

lots of rain

Yesterday was one for the history books. Chico State University Farm, on the south side of town, received exactly one inch of rain from this storm. It began raining early Saturday morning and rained almost continuously (well, not continuously, but it seemed like it) most of the day. The high temperature in Chico yesterday did not get above the mid 60s, over 20 degrees below average for the date. The rainfall had to have broken a record for the date, but Chico does not have an official National Weather Service reporting site, so I have no idea. I do know that the total precipitation for Chico for the month of September is .42 inches, so we got over double the amount for the whole month in just one day. Other locations around the Northstate did break their daily rainfall records, including Sacramento, Red Bluff and Redding. Again, very unusual to see a storm of this strength this time of year, but we desperately needed the rain. All of that rain has moved on to the east, leaving us with a clear but chilly morning- the temperature currently is 48 degrees in Chico. The expected high for today is 73- fall is definitely in the air! It will remain below normal temperature-wise the rest of the week, with highs only in the 70s to lower 80s. This is my kind of weather! Here are the specifics for Chico courtesy of the NWS: Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. Light and variable wind becoming west 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 56. Light and variable wind becoming north around 5 mph after midnight. Monday Sunny, with a high near 80. North wind 5 to 9 mph becoming west northwest in the afternoon. Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 58. Light and variable wind. Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. Light and variable wind becoming south southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 70. Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 75. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 52. Friday Sunny, with a high near 80. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 56. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 84.

some showers, then nice weather

It has been breezy and warm in Chico today, with sunny skies this morning giving way to mostly cloudy skies this afternoon as the front inches closer. Highs so far today have been in the mid 80s, with gusty south winds to 25 mph. There is still a chance of showers overnight tonight (a 30% chance), and a better chance tomorrow (a 70% chance). Winds will decelerate some tonight and then pick back up tomorrow as the actual front moves through. Chico should expect around a quarter of an inch in the rain bucket by late tomorrow afternoon. Some mountain locations could see one to two inches of rain, while elevations above 7500 feet may see a dusting of snow. Temperatures will drop by nearly twenty degrees tomorrow compared to today, with highs only in the mid to upper 60s. Highs climb into the mid 70s Sunday with the return of sunshine. Temps warm into the lower 80s for much of next week, but that's still below average for this time of year (88 degrees). So enjoy the touch of fall as we head into fall- it begins Sunday afternoon local time. Pastels on the Plaza occurs tomorrow at Chico's Downtown Plaza. It's a chance for the community to show their creative side by drawing on the sidewalks bordering the plaza. The weather may not cooperate, as showers are in the forecast. I doubt a little rain will deter attendees from this fun event, however. Here is Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Tonight Scattered showers after 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. South southeast wind 7 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Saturday Showers likely, with thunderstorms also possible after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. South southeast wind 10 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Saturday Night A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm, then a chance of showers between 8pm and 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. South wind 11 to 16 mph becoming light and variable in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. Calm wind becoming west northwest 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. Light and variable wind. Monday Sunny, with a high near 81. Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 57. Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 53. Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 76. Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 53. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 82.

showers for this weekend

It won't be a total washout, however. Showers will begin Friday night ahead of the main frontal system that will also bring breezy conditions. Showers linger into Saturday once the front pushes through. Sunday, however, looks really nice, with sunny skies and highs only in the mid 70s. In fact, much of the next seven days look fantastic, with below average temps each day. This time of year we should be in the upper 80s for highs. We'll get close to that today, the warmest day of the next seven. Other than Friday night and Saturday, the rest of the forecast will be dry and sunny, perfect early fall weather. Speaking of which, astronomical fall begins this Sunday. Meteorological fall began back on September 1st. It's finally beginning to feel like it here in Northern California! Here's Chico's seven day outlook from the National Weather Service: Today Sunny, with a high near 87. North wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 59. South wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable after midnight. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. Light southeast wind becoming south 6 to 11 mph in the afternoon. Friday Night A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56. South southeast wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Saturday Showers likely, mainly after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. South southeast wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Saturday Night A 20 percent chance of showers before 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 76. Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 82. Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 56. Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 77.

a chance of rain still in the forecast

It probably won't be a lot of rain, but the chance is still there for the end of this week. A fairly strong storm (for this time of year)will move into Northern California on Friday, giving us a chance for rain and an even better chance for cooler weather. The average high for this time of year is around 89 degrees, and we will be below that all week this week, especially Saturday. That day's high will only be in the mid 70s! Come on, fall! The National Weather Service is not giving specific chances of rainfall other than Friday, but hopefully the forecast will become more accurate as we get closer to the end of the week. For now, here is what the NWS is saying for Chico: Today Sunny, with a high near 81. Southeast wind 6 to 8 mph. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 55. Light and variable wind becoming north 5 to 9 mph after midnight. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 86. Northwest wind 6 to 10 mph. Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 57. Northwest wind 6 to 10 mph becoming northeast after midnight. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 88. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 58. Friday A 20 percent chance of rain after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. Friday Night A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Saturday A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 74. Saturday Night A chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 82. Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.

a chance of rain?

Yesterday was sunny but hazy in Chico, probably from the fires that have been burning. There are no big fires in the immediate vicinity of Chico, but air currents have brought the smoke from other fires burning further away. The high temperature yesterday was 92 degrees, and that looks to be the last 90+ degree day for awhile in Chico. A trough of low pressure that will bring showers and thunderstorms to the Pacific Northwest will allow the Delta Breeze to kick in, pumping up cooler marine air into the Sacramento Valley. That will translate into cooler than average temps for Chico through next weekend. Another, possibly stronger, area of low pressure may affect our weather by the end of next week. This one will bring even cooler temperatures (70s, anyone?) and the possibility of some rain. Right now it does not look to be a major storm- just some hit-and-miss, off-and-on shower activity. What I'm liking are the fall-like temperatures for next weekend. Highs in the 70s and lows in the 50s? Yes, please! Here are the details for Chico from the National Weather Service: Today Sunny, with a high near 87. South southeast wind 5 to 13 mph. Tonight Clear, with a low around 59. South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light south after midnight. Monday Sunny, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 60. East southeast wind 3 to 6 mph. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 82. Light southeast wind becoming south southeast 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 57. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 86. Wednesday Night Clear, with a low around 59. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 89. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 60. Friday A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 82. Friday Night A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Saturday A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 76.

nice cool down coming

The past two days in Chico have been dry and sunny, with highs in the 80s (85 degrees on Wednesday; 89 degrees yesterday). Temperatures will creep back into the 90s the next couple of days, but not as hot as previously expected- highs will only top out around 93 degrees both today and tomorrow. As we look ahead to Sunday and early next week, we will see a nice cooling of the temps, with highs on Sunday in the mid 80s through next Wednesday. This will be courtesy of a low pressure system coming in from the Pacific Ocean and moving to our north. That will set up the Delta Breeze and allow temps to remain below average for several days beginning Sunday. Ah, fall is just around the corner- I can feel it! The main event happening this weekend in Chico is the 20th annual Chico World Music Festival. The featured artist for this year's festival is Jake Shimabukuro, who I hear plays a mean ukulele. He will play tonight at Laxson Auditorium on the Chico State University campus. Tomorrow is the main day of the Chico World Music Festival, with several stages on the Chico State campus playing host to a myriad of national and international performers. You can hear a variety of music from many different genres, from traditional Irish to Zydeco to big band to African rhythms. Some performances will be inside (Laxson Auditorium), while others will be outside (Taylor and Sycamore stages). There will also be family activities, such as face painting and kids' stage performances, as well as international food carts stationed around the festival grounds. You can go to the Chico Performances link to the right of this page for complete details. The weather for the festival looks fairly warm, with highs around 93 degrees and plenty of sunshine. However, the outdoor stages are set up under a thick canopy of trees, so you can lounge in the shade on the grass while listening to the music. How nice! Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph in the afternoon. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 65. South wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm after midnight. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph in the afternoon. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 62. Southeast wind around 7 mph. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 87. South wind around 9 mph. Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 59. Monday Sunny, with a high near 86. Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 58. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 85. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 55. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 87. Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 57. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.

cooler the next couple of days

After a near record high temperature of 105 degrees on Monday, Chico saw a ten degree temperature drop with the high yesterday of 95. It'll be even cooler today, with the high expected to be around 90 degrees. The Delta Breeze kicked in last evening, cooling the morning lows down to around 60 degrees this morning and aiding in cooling off the highs for the next two days. Highs tomorrow should also remain around the average high for this time of year before heating up again into the mid 90s Friday and Saturday. However, fingers crossed, highs by next Tuesday will not get above 90 degrees. I'm hoping this happens, as I am ready for fall! I hate seasonal lag! We sometimes will see temps in the 90s well into October, and that just sucks! Hopefully not this year, but only time will tell. For now, let's just get through the rest of this week, shall we? Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 63. South southeast wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming southwest around 6 mph in the afternoon. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 65. South southeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the evening. Friday Sunny, with a high near 95. Calm wind becoming west southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 66. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 95. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 64. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 91. Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 61. Monday Sunny, with a high near 90. Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 61. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 88.

gradual cool down

It reached 100 degrees at the Chico State University Farm on the south side of town today, the first time in over a month it has reached the century mark in Chico. Hopefully people who attended the Taste Of Chico today found ways to stay cool! Looking ahead the next seven days, it looks like there will be a slow moderation of temperatures- from the upper 90s tomorrow to around 90 by next Sunday. Overnight lows will also gradually cool- from the mid 60s overnight tonight to around 60 by next Sunday morning. Normals for the second week of September are 91 degrees for the high and 58 degrees for the low. Is it fall yet? Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Tonight Clear, with a low around 65. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Monday Sunny and hot, with a high near 98. Northeast wind 6 to 9 mph becoming west northwest in the afternoon. Monday Night Clear, with a low around 66. West northwest wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 95. Northeast wind around 7 mph becoming south southwest in the afternoon. Tuesday Night Clear, with a low around 64. East southeast wind around 7 mph. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 93. Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 62. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 93. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 62. Friday Sunny, with a high near 92. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 61. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 92. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 61. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 91.

September heat

As is typical this time of year, we will see a mini- heat wave across Northern California the next few days. The string of above- average temperatures began yesterday, with northerly (re: downsloping) winds helping the high reach 93 degrees in Chico (average for September 6th is 91 degrees). That string will continue through at least the middle of next week, with Monday and Tuesday looking like the hottest days. Highs then will be around 100 degrees in Chico, with highs in Redding topping out near 105. Ugh! Hopefully a cooling pattern will set up by the end of next week, with highs near average. Overnight lows will be warm, as well, with low to mid 60s (we should be in the upper 50s this time of year). Artoberfest kicks off today with Chico Palio, happening in Bidwell Park. It's modeled after the Palio di Siena in Italy, except real horses are not used. Instead, art horses made of various materials are used, with competitors "racing" around a track at Sycamore Field in Lower Bidwell Park. Teams who race compete for prizes, and it's all part of Artoberfest, which begins officially next month. I don't understand why the kick-off to Artoberfest happens this early. Anyway, that's Chico for you. I'll put up a link to this year's Artoberfest on my weather blog home page so you can check out the myriad of happenings celebrating the local arts here in Chico. If attending the Chico Palio today, which starts at noon, wear light colored clothing, as temps will creep into the mid 90s by mid-afternoon. Also wear sunscreen, as brilliant sunshine will dominate. Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Sunny, with a high near 93. Northeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable. Tonight Clear, with a low around 63. South wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable. Sunday Sunny and hot, with a high near 96. North northeast wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable in the morning. Sunday Night Clear, with a low around 65. Light and variable wind becoming northeast 5 to 7 mph after midnight. Monday Sunny and hot, with a high near 99. Northeast wind around 7 mph becoming west southwest in the morning. Monday Night Clear, with a low around 65. Tuesday Sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Tuesday Night Clear, with a low around 65. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 93. Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 63. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 93. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 62. Friday Sunny, with a high near 90.

Chico heat

Chico used to have a minor league baseball team named the "Heat," and we'll be feeling the heat by late this weekend. Today will be mild, as a trough of low pressure skirts by us, bringing heavy rain to the Pacific Northwest. Highs today under sunny skies will be around 85 degrees. Temperatures will warm up after today, with upper 80s for tomorrow and lower to middle 90s by Saturday. Sunday and Monday look to be the hottest of the next seven days, with highs pushing the century mark. By Tuesday and Wednesday, look for cooler temperatures (relatively speaking, of course), with highs backing off into the lower to middle 90s. It's not unusual in September to see highs pushing the century mark. We here in Northern California see it most every year. September is usually the San Francisco Bay area's hottest month on average, for example. We don't see consistent fall-like temperatures until late October. I can't wait until then! Here's Chico's hot seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Sunny, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon. Tonight Clear, with a low around 61. South wind 5 to 8 mph becoming calm after midnight. Friday Sunny, with a high near 89. Northwest wind 7 to 10 mph. Friday Night Clear, with a low around 63. North northwest wind 5 to 8 mph becoming calm in the evening. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 93. North wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the morning. Saturday Night Clear, with a low around 64. Sunday Sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Sunday Night Clear, with a low around 65. Monday Sunny and hot, with a high near 98. Monday Night Clear, with a low around 66. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 94. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 63. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 92.

hot weekend ahead

It's that time of year in which we see alternating periods of nice, mild weather with scorching hot periods. Yesterday's high temperature in Chico was a pleasant 87 degrees under sunny skies and low humidity. Those conditions will continue today, albeit slightly warmer. By this weekend, however, look for hotter weather as temps soar into the mid and perhaps even upper 90s. The normal high temperature in Chico for the first week of September is 92 degrees, while the average low is 59, just for a comparison. The heat looks like it may hang out for several days, as highs stay in the mid 90s through the middle of next week. The Taste Of Chico is this Sunday, which will feature several local restaurants selling items off of their menus in a festive atmosphere in downtown Chico. You can taste samples from these restaurants' menus and hear live music from local bands while roaming the streets of downtown. Dress appropriately, as the heat will be in full effect. Expect highs on Sunday to be in the mid and upper 90s. Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming south southeast 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 61. South wind 5 to 8 mph becoming east in the evening. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming south southwest 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 60. Light and variable wind becoming north northeast around 5 mph after midnight. Friday Sunny, with a high near 91. North northeast wind around 7 mph becoming west northwest in the morning. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 62. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 94. Saturday Night Clear, with a low around 64. Sunday Sunny and hot, with a high near 96. Sunday Night Clear, with a low around 66. Monday Sunny, with a high near 95. Monday Night Clear, with a low around 65. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 94.

warming up again

After a hot Friday and Saturday in which high temperatures in Chico soared into the mid 90s (95 degrees on Friday and 96 on Saturday), it cooled off by about ten degrees both yesterday and today (85 yesterday, and so far 86 today). That's thanks to a trough of low pressure and cool front that slid through the area yesterday and today. That same front brought showers and thunderstorms to parts of the valley and Sierra Nevada mountains the past 24 hours. It has also been breezy, with winds gusting from the southeast to 20 mph. It should begin to heat up again by later this week, with highs creeping from the upper 80s tomorrow and Wednesday into the mid 90s by this coming weekend. Summer is not over with us yet, despite Labor Day being the unofficial end of summer. Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 62. East wind 5 to 10 mph. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 61. East southeast wind 3 to 8 mph. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon. Wednesday Night Clear, with a low around 61. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 85. Thursday Night Clear, with a low around 59. Friday Sunny, with a high near 92. Friday Night Clear, with a low around 63. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 94. Saturday Night Clear, with a low around 65. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 95. Sunday Night Clear, with a low around 65. Monday Sunny, with a high near 94.