gorgeous weekend

It is going to be a fantastic weekend weatherwise in Chico this weekend. Sunny skies, light winds, and very mild temperatures will be the dominant features for the weather both today and tomorrow. Get out and enjoy it, because weather this nice doesn't happen too often this time of year. A persistent dome of strong high pressure over the eastern Pacific will be responsible for this wonderful weather. I just hope this won't be a consistent pattern for the rest of the winter. That could set up a dangerous fire season this spring and summer if this dry pattern continues indefinitely. Looking out ten days, there is no rain on the horizon. Hopefully the pattern will shift, and we'll get some nice late winter/ early spring rain storms that will ease the potential severity of the fire season. Perhaps I'm simply getting ahead of myself, as we have seen some pretty decent rains over the past couple of months. I should just enjoy the beautiful weather on tap the next several days. Here is the detailed forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 64. Southeast wind 8 to 11 mph becoming north northwest.

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 38. West wind around 10 mph becoming north.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 62. North northwest wind between 6 and 8 mph.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 40. North northwest wind around 5 mph.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 63. North northeast wind between 3 and 6 mph.

Monday Night: Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 41.

Tuesday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 61.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 56.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 55.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54.

where's the rain?

It's been over a week now since it last rained, and there is no rain on the horizon for Chico. This is supposed to be our wettest month on average, but it sure doesn't seem like it this month. Maybe the weather forecast will change, but for now, enjoy the dry weather and mild temperatures. Yesterday it was sunny and warm in Chico, with those downsloping northwest winds warming the temperature to 67 degrees! In January! Today has been sunny and nice, as well, though not as warm as yesterday. Expect dry weather through the end of next week, with at or slightly above normal temps. The Chico State students return next week to begin the spring semester. Prepare for lots of traffic! Here's the detailed seven day forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 41. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 59. Light northwest wind.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. Calm wind becoming north around 6 mph.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 58. North northwest wind between 7 and 13 mph.

Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 42. North northwest wind between 9 and 11 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 59.

Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 40.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 61.

Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 42.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 56.

Tuesday Night: Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Wednesday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 56.

Wednesday Night: Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Thursday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 59.

enough of the fog!

Chico has not been able to shake the foggy weather the past few days. The fog did dissipate enough early this afternoon to allow the sun to shine through the gloom. Temps have been kept in check by the fog and low clouds the past couple of days- mainly right around the 50 degree mark. The forecast for the next seven days looks promising- sunny skies and seasonal temperatures through early next week. Who knows when (or if) the rain will return? For now, it remains dry for the forseeable future. Hopefully the fruit- bearing trees will begin to bloom soon! It usually happens around the first week of February. It's quite a pretty sight with all of the white, pink, and purple blossoms. Of course I will take pictures of the blossoms with my new camera and post them on my blog. Until the blossoms appear, enjoy the dry and seasonable weather. Here are the details from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45. North northwest wind between 8 and 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 61. North northwest wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 39. North northeast wind around 9 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 57. North northwest wind around 9 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 40. Northeast wind around 6 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 58.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 44.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 62.

Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 44.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 59.

Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 43.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 62.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 42.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60.

not as warm as previously thought

The fog and low clouds were persistent today in Chico, which kept the temperatures down (as well as some people's spirits). The high today in Chico was a mere 53 degrees- just two degrees below normal, but still rather chilly- especially with the grayness. It looks like the fog will stick around tonight and through the morning tomorrow before the sun (hopefully) appears. It looks as though the warm temps previously forecasted will not become reality. Dry weather and sunny skies will still occur, but the forecast highs have been knocked down by a few degrees. Still, expect nice weather and mild temps this upcoming week. Here are the details from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Patchy fog. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. North northwest wind between 3 and 6 mph.

M.L.King Day: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 60. Calm wind becoming north northwest between 5 and 8 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45. North wind between 5 and 9 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 61. North northwest wind around 8 mph.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. North northeast wind around 8 mph.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 58.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 44.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 61.

Dense Fog Advisory in effect currently

From the National Weather Service:

Central Sacramento Valley-
Including The City Of...Chico

...Dense Fog Advisory Remains In Effect Until 8 AM PST This
Morning For The Central Sacramento Valley...

• Visibility: Patchy Visibilities Of One-Quarter Mile Or Less
Early This Morning.

• Locations Include: Chico...Oroville...Willows...Colusa

• Impacts: Areas Of Poor Visibility At Times Along Interstate
5...And Highways 65...70...And 99.

Precautionary/Preparedness Actions...

A Dense Fog Advisory Means Visibilities Will Frequently Be
Reduced To Less Than One Quarter Mile. If Driving...Slow Down...
Use Your Headlights...And Leave Plenty Of Distance Ahead Of You.

warm and dry

Sorry I haven't posted in the past few days. Life can be so busy sometimes. Anyway, with all of the weird and wild weather in the world lately, and the fact that we may hit 70 degrees this next week, I am once again thinking about the impacts of global warming. Sure, wild weather has occurred sinced the Earth began, but has the weather been so out of whack before? Floods in Brazil that have killed over 400 people, two big blizzards in the Northeastern U.S. in the past three weeks, record cold in Europe that has killed hundreds, and now near record warmth here in my little corner of the world. Makes me wonder. Personally, I am a big believer in global warming, and that we humans have contributed to it through pollution and the use of fossil fuels. The proof is there- more cities and towns around the world have experienced twice as many record high temperatures than record lows over the past 30 years. Extreme weather events are happening at greater frequency and intensity than at any other time since weather records have been kept. I understand there are still skeptics out there, and I respect their opinions on the subject. For me, personally, it is very distressing, and I fear we as a species have reached a turning point from which there is no going back. We will continue to see record heat and violent weather in the future, and the loss of life and damage will be staggering. On that positive note, for those who like spring in January, enjoy the next seven days! Yesterday Chico hit a high of 62 degrees, and we may flirt with 70 degrees by the middle of next week. Is it January or April? Here's the latest forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Today: Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 63. Light and variable wind.

Tonight: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Calm wind.

Sunday: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60. Calm wind.

Sunday Night: Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. North wind between 3 and 5 mph.

M.L.King Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. North northwest wind between 6 and 9 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 65.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 67.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 66.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 66.

spring-like warmth by next week

I'm sure that's what a lot of people in Chico want to hear. It has been frosty cold the past several mornings, with lows generally in the 20s. High temps haven't been that warm, either- mainly stuck in the 40s. A lot of people want the temps to warm up, and they will. There is also rain (supposedly) on the way for tonight, although current radar does not look all that impressive. After tonight, a series of weak weather systems will quickly move through Northern California, bringing slight chances of rain or showers to the valley. Back to what I alluded to earlier- the warmer temps. By this weekend highs will be back into the mid to upper 50s (where we should be this time of year), while early next week we're talking highs in the 60s! It won't be long until the almond, pear, and plum trees will be flowering. That's how it is here in Chico- we have four seasons, but winter is the shortest season. It typically last about six to eight weeks from early December until late January. Spring begins in earnest by the first week of February, and can last well into April. By early to mid-May we begin to feel the heat of summer creeping in, and by June, the heat is on. Fall typically comes rolling in around the third week of October and lasts until late November, when the cycle starts all over again. So look for the transition of the seasons- in this case winter to spring- within a couple of weeks. For now, here's the latest forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Rain. Patchy fog after 4am. Temperature rising to around 42 by 5am. Calm wind becoming east around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of rain after 4pm. Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 52. North northwest wind between 3 and 5 mph.

Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. North northeast wind around 6 mph.

Thursday: A 50 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53. North northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers before 10pm. Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Friday: Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 56.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 58.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47.

Sunday: A slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57.

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47.

M.L.King Day: A slight chance of rain. Mostly sunny, with a high near 61.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62