wet weather returns... again

I wanted to post this fantastic photo of an almond orchard in bloom near Chico, taken in late February of this year. This photo is courtesy of Anthony Dunn Photography, and can also be found on the Butte County photostream on Flickr. It's a beautiful picture, and gives those of you not from the local area an idea of how gorgeous our area of the world is. As far as the local weather goes, it's time to get those umbrellas back out (if you ever put them away in the first place), as another series of storms moves through our area over the next several days. I was hoping the first half of the weekend would be dry, but it looks like we'll see a decent shot of rain for tomorrow (Saturday), with rain likely tomorrow night and Sunday. Winds look to be gusty, as well, generally out of the south between 15 and 25 mph. It looks like a weekend for indoor activities. Here's the latest forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. Southeast wind around 6 mph.

Saturday: A 40 percent chance of rain after 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61. South southeast wind between 6 and 13 mph.

Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. Southeast wind around 9 mph.

Sunday: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60. Southeast wind between 10 and 16 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Sunday Night: Rain. Low around 49. Southeast wind between 13 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Monday: A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64.

Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48.

Tuesday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 63.

Tuesday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50.

Wednesday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64.

Wednesday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Thursday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60.

Thursday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Friday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62.

more rain coming

After a beautiful day today and a fair day yesterday (yesterday's high in Chico under partly to mostly cloudy skies was 63 degrees; today's high under mostly sunny skies and breezy conditions was 66 degrees) it looks like wet weather will return for the end of the week. A fast-moving storm will enter the picture early tomorrow and will be out of here by tomorrow night. A half inch to an inch of rain is expected in the Sacramento Valley, along with winds of 15 to 20 mph and gusts to 25 mph. The Sierra Nevada mountains will see 4-8 inches of snow above 5000 feet between tomorrow morning and late tomorrow night. We'll get a brief break Friday through Sunday before the rain returns Sunday night. Right now the forecast models are setting up a fairly unsettled pattern through at least the middle of next week. It's too soon to make exact forecast predictions at this point, but keep checking back for updates on the potentially soggy extended outlook. For now, here's the latest detailed forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: A 30 percent chance of rain after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. East southeast wind between 4 and 7 mph becoming calm.

Thursday: Rain, mainly between 10am and 4pm. High near 61. South southeast wind between 7 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers before 10pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 44. Southeast wind between 8 and 11 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. Calm wind becoming south southwest between 4 and 7 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. South southeast wind around 9 mph.

Saturday: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Sunday: A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 63.

Sunday Night: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Monday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64.

Monday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Tuesday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62.

Tuesday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Wednesday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 63.

dreary day

It has been a dreary day today in Chico, with light rain falling most of the day and temps stuck in the mid 50s. The unofficial high in Chico today was 55 degrees. Over six-tenths of an inch of rain fell, as well. More shower activity is forecast for tonight through Tuesday before sunshine and warmer temperatures return by the middle of the week. There will be slight chances of rain for late in the week and next weekend as weak weather disturbances clip our area. Otherwise, look forward to the long-awaited return of spring weather! Here is the detailed forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: A chance of showers before 10pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 10pm and 4am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4am. Cloudy, with a low around 40. Light south southeast wind. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Monday: A chance of showers before 10am, then a slight chance of showers after 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 58. North northwest wind between 9 and 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly after 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. Northwest wind between 4 and 7 mph becoming calm.

Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of rain before 10am. Partly sunny, with a high near 66. Southeast wind between 7 and 13 mph.

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

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 69.

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

Thursday: A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 64.

Thursday Night: A slight chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 42.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 66.

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

Saturday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66.

Saturday Night: A slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.

Sunday: A slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 67.

update on unsettled weather

The latest from the National Weather Service office in Sacramento:

A PACIFIC FRONT WILL BRING VALLEY RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW TO
INTERIOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY. PRECIPITATION
WILL SPREAD OVER THE AREA TONIGHT AND INCREASE IN INTENSITY OVER
MUCH OF THE AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT. ALTHOUGH THERE MAY BE A BREAK OR
LULL IN THE RAIN AND SNOW SUNDAY EVENING...A COLDER STORM SYSTEM
WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA LATE SUNDAY INTO MONDAY BRINGING ADDITIONAL
RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS TO THE AREA.

IN THE COASTAL AND NORTHERN INTERIOR MOUNTAINS...RAIN AND SNOW WILL
INCREASE TONIGHT AND SUNDAY WITH PERIODS OF MODERATE SNOW AND
GUSTY WINDS. SNOW LEVELS INITIALLY AROUND 6000 TO 7000 FEET SHOULD
LOWER TO 3000 TO 4000 FEET AS THE COLDER STORM MOVES INLAND LATE
SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. TWO TO 7 INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED OVER THE
COASTAL RANGE WITH 5 TO 9 INCHES OF SNOW OVER THE SHASTA COUNTY
MOUNTAINS THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. THE HEAVIER AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED
TO BE GENERALLY BE ABOVE 5000 FEET.

RAIN IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY LATER TONIGHT
AND CONTINUE INTO SUNDAY. ALTHOUGH THE RAIN MAY LET UP AT TIMES
SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...OCCASIONAL SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED LATE
SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. THE COLDER AIR MOVING INTO THE AREA
SUNDAY NIGHT MAY BRING A FEW THUNDERSTORMS TO THE AREA. RAINFALL
AMOUNTS IN THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY SHOULD RANGE FROM A THIRD OF AN
INCH TO NEARLY AN INCH THROUGH MONDAY.

PERSONS PLANNING TRAVEL INTO THE MOUNTAINS OVER THE WEEKEND
INTO MONDAY SHOULD CHECK THE LATEST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
FORECAST INFORMATION AND ROAD CONDITIONS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE.
DRIER WEATHER IS FORECAST FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.

Overall I'd say this is a fairly benign storm with light winds and occasionally moderate precip. Nothing exciting or unusual- mainly just nuisance rain for the valley. The mountains may experience the harsher conditions.

another storm for the weekend

I wonder if this storm will be a dud, as well. For now, the National Weather Service is saying expect light rain tomorrow but more moderate rainfall Sunday into Monday. Two storms will affect the region: The first will enter late tomorrow into Sunday, while the second will arrive Sunday night and linger into Monday. The first storm is a mild storm, so expect snow levels above 6000 feet in the Sierra Nevada. The second storm is colder, so snow levels may drop to around 4000 feet Sunday night into Monday morning. Three feet of snow is forecast for the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada by Monday afternoon. Gusty winds are expected, but the NWS is not stating specific wind speeds at this time. Keep checking back for updates. In the meantime, if you have travel plans into the mountains this weekend (a little skiing in Tahoe, perhaps?), make plans accordingly. Here is the specific seven day forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. East southeast wind between 3 and 7 mph.

Saturday: Rain likely after 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62. Calm wind becoming south southeast between 6 and 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Saturday Night: Rain. Low around 46. Southeast wind between 7 and 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Sunday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 59. South southeast wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Sunday Night: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Monday: A 40 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 58.

Monday Night: A slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 58.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 39.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 66.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Thursday: A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 64.

another dud of a storm

Once again, the drama queens at the National Weather Service overhyped this storm, just like so many previous ones. The storm that moved through today (well, the actual cold front moved through; the low pressure system is still spinning off the coast of British Columbia) produced wind gusts of around 25 mph (yawn) and light but steady rain totaling just .59" (unimpressive). The forecast was for wind gusts in excess of 40 mph and an inch of rain. I am disappointed because I am a storm lover. I remember when I was growing up back in Indiana, looking towards the western sky during the spring and summer and seeing the grey and black clouds moving closer. I would watch lightning snake its way out of those clouds followed by distant rumbles of thunder. The hair on the back of my neck stood up and my heart would begin to race. That's what I miss. Here in Northern California, I have to be content with the occasional strong winter storm, but we haven't had any good ones as of late. Not that I want property damage or people injured. I just like having my adrenaline pumped by a good, powerful storm. I know I'm weird (my husband keeps telling me this), but I know I'm not alone. Anyway, expect hit or miss garden-variety showers the next 24 hours, followed by a brief break on Friday. Another storm moves in for the weekend, followed by sunny and warmer weather for next week. Here are the details for Chico from the NWS:

Tonight: Showers. Low around 43. Southeast wind around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Thursday: Showers likely, mainly before 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 59. Southeast wind between 7 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers before 10pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 42. Southeast wind between 6 and 9 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63. South southeast wind between 3 and 7 mph.

Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42. Southeast wind between 8 and 10 mph.

Saturday: A 50 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 61.

Saturday Night: Rain. Low around 45. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Sunday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 59.

Sunday Night: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.

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

Monday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 58.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 37.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62.

Wind Advisory goes into effect at midnight tonight

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A WIND
ADVISORY FOR THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY...CARQUINEZ STRAIT AND DELTA...
NORTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY...SOUTHERN LAKE COUNTY AND THE
FOOTHILLS OF THE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA INCLUDING THE MOTHERLODE WHICH
IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON PST WEDNESDAY.

* WINDS: INCREASING TO 20 TO 30 MPH OR HIGHER. GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH
OR HIGHER POSSIBLE.

* TIMING: LATE TONIGHT THROUGH MIDDAY WEDNESDAY. STRONGEST WINDS ARE
EXPECTED EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING.

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: REDDING...CHICO...YUBA CITY...SACRAMENTO...
STOCKTON...MODESTO...GRASS VALLEY...LAKEPORT...PARADISE

* IMPACTS: LOCAL POWER OUTAGES POSSIBLE. DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT WIND GUSTS OF 40 MPH OR HIGHER ARE
EXPECTED. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT...ESPECIALLY
FOR SMALL CARS AND HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION.