not so wet weekend after all

Chico received over half an inch of rain from yesterday evening's storm. It wasn't really a storm at all; it was a "rain event." Well, it was more a shower event than a rain event, but you get the picture. Anyway, it looks like this weekend won't be a total washout after all, as the next storm will mainly affect the Pacific Northwest. There will be a slight chance of showers both Saturday and Sunday, but it will be dry overall. High temperatures this weekend should be comfortable, with mid to upper 50s expected. The sun returns in full force by early next week, with highs back around 60 degrees. Overnight lows the next seven days will range from the mid 30s to lower 40s. The cold air is, for now, gone. At least we don't have to experience the extremely cold weather much of the Midwest and Northeast are now dealing with! Some parts of the upper Midwest have been seeing wind chills in the -20 degree range! That's insanely cold! Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Isolated showers before 10am. Partly sunny, with a high near 60. Calm wind becoming northwest 5 to 7 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 38. Calm wind becoming north northeast around 5 mph after midnight. Friday A 20 percent chance of rain after 10am. Partly sunny, with a high near 60. North wind around 5 mph becoming light and variable. Friday Night A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. East southeast wind 3 to 5 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Saturday A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56. South southeast wind 5 to 7 mph. Saturday Night A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Sunday A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54. Sunday Night A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34. Monday A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 54. Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 34. Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 58. Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 34. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 60.

wet weather approaches

After several weeks of dry weather, an abrupt shift in the pattern is expected today. Light rain will begin later this morning and may become moderate at times this afternoon. This is not a major storm with heavy rain and strong wind, but Chico could still see up to half an inch of rain from this one. Snow levels in the mountains will generally be around 5000 feet, with some local snow levels in the northern Coastal Range down to 4500 feet. This storm will move out by tonight, with dry conditions tomorrow and Friday. Another storm, with colder air, will bring more showers and lower snow levels this weekend. Stay tuned for more info on that as we get closer to the weekend. Here is Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Rain, mainly after 10am. High near 53. Calm wind becoming south southeast around 5 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Tonight Showers, mainly before 4am. Low around 39. East southeast wind 6 to 11 mph becoming light and variable after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Thursday A 20 percent chance of showers before 10am. Partly sunny, with a high near 59. Calm wind becoming northwest 5 to 8 mph in the morning. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 38. Light north northeast wind. Friday A 20 percent chance of rain after 10am. Partly sunny, with a high near 57. North northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning. Friday Night Isolated showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Saturday A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56. Saturday Night A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. Sunday A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54. Sunday Night A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34. Monday A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 54. Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 32. Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 57.

continued mild for January; possible rain next weekend

This weekend's weather in Chico was more representative of early March than mid-January. High temperatures both yesterday and today were in the mid 60s, while morning lows were just below freezing. The mild, slightly above average temperatures will continue for much of this upcoming work week. There is a slight chance (20%) of rain on Wednesday; otherwise, it will be dry through Friday. The next chance of some decent rain will be late Saturday into early Sunday. That's still a ways off, but keep your fingers crossed that we will receive our first significant precipitation this year. For now, enjoy the frosty, cold mornings and mild, sunny afternoons. Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Tonight Areas of frost after 4am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 29. Northeast wind around 7 mph. M.L.King Day Areas of frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 62. Northeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the morning. Monday Night Areas of frost after 4am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 31. Northeast wind 5 to 7 mph. Tuesday Areas of frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 59. Northeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the morning. Tuesday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Light and variable wind. Wednesday A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 59. Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 35. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 62. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 32. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. Friday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Saturday A slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 58. Saturday Night A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Sunday A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 52.

staying mild... chance of rain next week?

Wow! The Chico State University Farm on the south side of Chico recorded a high temperature of 65 degrees today. It was a beautiful day today, with spring-like temperatures and sunny skies. Expect the weather to remain mild for the next several days, with dry conditions and daytime highs ranging from the upper 50s to lower 60s. There may be some patchy morning fog in some valley locations; otherwise, expect mostly sunny skies through early next week. It'll be perfect weather to honor Martin Luther King, Jr by volunteering for the Day of Service this weekend. By the middle of next week, a quick-moving cold front may skirt by our area, which may bring us a slight chance of a shower. Another slight chance for showers may occur next Friday. Overnight lows will still be cold the next several nights- mainly upper 20s to lower 30s. It is still winter, after all. Here is Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Tonight Patchy fog after 4am. Patchy frost after 10pm. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 28. Northeast wind around 7 mph. Saturday Patchy fog before 10am. Areas of frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 57. Northeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the morning. Saturday Night Patchy fog after 4am. Areas of frost after 4am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 28. Northeast wind around 7 mph. Sunday Patchy fog before 10am. Areas of frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 58. Northeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the morning. Sunday Night Patchy fog after 4am. Areas of frost after 4am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 29. Northeast wind 3 to 7 mph. M.L.King Day Patchy fog before 10am. Areas of frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 58. Monday Night Clear, with a low around 31. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 58. Tuesday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Wednesday A slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55. Wednesday Night A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 57. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 35. Friday A slight chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 57.

warming up... finally

This bout of cold weather (well, cold for us here in Northern California) has been stubborn to leave. The low temperatures the past four days have been dipping into the mid 20s, while highs have struggled to get past 50 degrees (normals for mid January are 55 and 36 for the high and low respectively). However, it appears milder air from the Pacific will attempt to scour out the cold air that has been plaguing us lately. High temperatures the next seven days will be in the mid to upper 50s, while overnight lows will warm into the lower to middle 30s. No rain is in the forecast, so sunshine and blue skies will prevail over our area through the beginning of next week. It's not uncommon to see a long stretch of dry weather in January, despite it being our wettest month on average. Hopefully we'll get more rain (and snow for the mountains) soon. For now, here is the sunny and milder seven day forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service: Today Areas of frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 55. North wind around 6 mph. Tonight Areas of frost after 4am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 28. Light north wind. Thursday Areas of frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 57. North northwest wind around 5 mph. Thursday Night Areas of frost after 4am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 30. North wind 3 to 5 mph. Friday Areas of frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 59. Light north northwest wind. Friday Night Clear, with a low around 31. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 59. Saturday Night Clear, with a low around 30. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 59. Sunday Night Clear, with a low around 33. M.L.King Day Sunny, with a high near 57. Monday Night Clear, with a low around 33. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 55.

another hard freeze

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A HARD FREEZE WARNING FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY... DELTA AND NORTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 9 AM PST MONDAY. * TEMPERATURES: MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE FROM THE UPPER TEENS TO UPPER 20S WITH THE COLDEST READINGS EXPECTED ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF THE VALLEY. DURATIONS BELOW 28 DEGREES OF 3 TO 6 HOURS ARE LIKELY. * TIMING: LATE TONIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING. * LOCATIONS INCLUDE: CHICO...YUBA CITY...SACRAMENTO...FAIRFIELD... STOCKTON...MODESTO. * IMPACTS: LONG DURATIONS BELOW FREEZING WILL KILL UNPROTECTED FREEZE SENSITIVE VEGETATION. EXPOSED WATER PIPES COULD BURST. PETS AND LIVESTOCK FEEL THE EXTREME COLD AS WELL. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A HARD FREEZE WARNING MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE IMMINENT OR HIGHLY LIKELY. THESE CONDITIONS WILL KILL CROPS AND OTHER SENSITIVE VEGETATION. By midweek we should see both highs and lows closer to normal (55 degrees for the normal high and 35 for the normal low). Sunshine will rule during the day, while starry skies will dominate during the night the next seven days. No storms are on the horizon. Have a good week!

Hard Freeze Warning for early tomorrow

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A HARD FREEZE WARNING FOR THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY... DELTA AND NORTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY... WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 9 AM PST SUNDAY. * TEMPERATURES: MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE FROM THE UPPER TEENS IN COLDEST AREAS OF THE VALLEY TO UPPER 20S IN LARGE URBAN AREAS. DURATIONS BELOW 28 DEGREES OF 3 TO 6 HOURS ARE LIKELY. * TIMING: LATE TONIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING. * LOCATIONS INCLUDE: REDDING... CHICO... YUBA CITY... SACRAMENTO... VACAVILLE... FAIRFIELD... STOCKTON... MODESTO. * IMPACTS: LONG DURATIONS BELOW FREEZING WILL KILL UNPROTECTED FREEZE SENSITIVE VEGETATION. EXPOSED WATER PIPES COULD BURST. PETS AND LIVESTOCK FEEL THE EXTREME COLD AS WELL. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A HARD FREEZE WARNING MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE IMMINENT OR HIGHLY LIKELY. THESE CONDITIONS WILL KILL CROPS AND OTHER SENSITIVE VEGETATION.