heating up

The high temperatures in Chico have been held in the low to mid 70s the past couple of days due to this persistent low pressure system off the Pacific coast. This low has kept the clouds and widely scattered showers around. However, the low is now moving to our east, and high pressure is building in behind it. This means sunshine and very warm temperatures for the next several days. Break out the shorts, shades, and flip-flops, because you're going to need them. Highs today will soar into the mid 80s, and low 90s are expected tomorrow and Saturday. Highs will remain above 85 degrees into the early part of next week, with sunshine beaming down each day. Just because we received some rain this week, don't assume it's okay to burn outdoors; it is still tinder dry, and the few hundredths of an inch of rain received has not eliminated the fire risk. In other words, if barbecuing outdoors this weekend, be very cautious. If you want to burn that pile of brush you cleared a few weeks ago, just let it sit there until the fall; it's not worth burning down your property and your neighbors' property simply because you want that brush pile gone. Anyway, enjoy your weekend, but be careful. Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. South wind 3 to 5 mph. Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. South wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable. Friday Sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming south southeast 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 59. South wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening. Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming south southwest around 6 mph in the afternoon. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 59. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 86. Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 56. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 87. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 55. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 83.

remaining cool and unsettled

The high temperature in Chico yesterday was only 67 degrees, 12 degrees below normal for the date. It will remain below normal temperature wise, as well as unsettled, today and tomorrow before the sun returns and temps warm back up. There will be just a slight chance of showers today and tomorrow, but the mostly cloudy skies will keep temperatures on the coolish side. A low pressure system off the coast of San Francisco is responsible for the wet weather; Chico's rain gauge picked up .14 of an inch yesterday. I suspect it won't be as wet today. Temps will return to the upper 80s/ low 90s by the end of this week as high pressure returns. Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Isolated showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 73. South wind around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Tonight Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. South southeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Wednesday A 20 percent chance of showers before 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 77. South southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning. Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 56. Light and variable wind. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. Calm wind. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 58. Friday Sunny, with a high near 87. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 61. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 89. Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 60. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 86.

cooler and unsettled the next couple of days

From the National Weather Service: A SPRINGTIME LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE REGION WILL BRING UNSTABLE CONDITIONS TO THE AREA OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. THE UNSTABLE CONDITIONS WILL BRING A THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND NORTHERN PART OF THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY TODAY WITH INCREASED CLOUDS AND MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES ELSEWHERE. DAYTIME HIGHS TODAY WILL DROP AS MUCH AS 10 DEGREES FROM YESTERDAY BRINGING A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE FROM THE NEAR RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES EXPERIENCED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS. THE OVERALL ATMOSPHERE WHICH HAS BEEN QUITE DRY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS SHOULD BEGIN TO MOISTEN UP TODAY AS THE LOW SETS UP OVER THE AREA. THEREFORE ANY MOUNTAIN THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD CONTAIN AT LEAST SOME RAINFALL. THE UPPER LOW IS EXPECTED TO ROTATE A BIGGER SURGE OF MOISTURE OVER THE INTERIOR OF NORTHERLY CALIFORNIA TONIGHT INTO MONDAY WHICH SHOULD HELP TO REDUCE FIRE DANGER EVEN MORE. THERE WILL BE A THREAT OF SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS OVER NEARLY ALL OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY. AS WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS...THE STORMS PRODUCED THIS WEEK COULD PRODUCE LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR HAIL AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN. MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WILL BRING STILL COOLER TEMPERATURES WITH MOST LOCATIONS MONDAY AND TUESDAY LIKELY TO SEE DAYTIME HIGHS SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. THE UNSETTLED AND COOL WEATHER PATTERN IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE AT LEAST THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK ALTHOUGH RAINFALL CHANCES WILL DECREASE WEDNESDAY AND BEYOND WHILE DAYTIME TEMPERATURES BEGIN TO WARM. . IF PLANNING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS BE PREPARED FOR A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CHANGE. MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES ARE LIKELY WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR RAINFALL AND INCLEMENT WEATHER. SNOW LEVELS WILL REMAIN HIGH BUT SOME SNOWFALL ACROSS THE HIGHER PEAKS WILL BECOME LIKELY MONDAY AND TUESDAY. CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES REGARDING THIS SPRINGTIME WEATHER SYSTEM. Yesterday's weather was somewhat unusual. A large complex of thunderstorms associated with this low pressure system mentioned in the NWS's statement moved from east to west over the Sierra Nevada into the valley. By the time it reached the valley there was limited moisture, so not much rain fell. However, the winds from the outflow boundary were very strong from the east, gusting to over 40 mph at times yesterday afternoon and evening. We could see more of that type of weather tomorrow and Tuesday. Stay tuned!

statement on the upcoming weather pattern change

From the National Weather Service: NORTHERLY FLOW BETWEEN A HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE PACIFIC AND A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE GREAT BASIN WILL BRING BREEZY NORTH WINDS TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SATURDAY MORNING. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE OVER THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE STATE AND WILL LIKELY ELEVATE FIRE DANGER. THE GREAT BASIN LOW IS FORECAST TO MOVE WESTWARD SATURDAY AFTERNOON BRINGING AN END TO THE BREEZY NORTH WINDS AND A MAJOR CHANGE TO THE WEATHER PATTERN. MORE UNSTABLE CONDITIONS WILL BRING A THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE MOUNTAINS OVER THE WEEKEND WITH INCREASED CLOUDS AND COOLER TEMPERATURES ELSEWHERE. IT APPEARS THAT INITIALLY...ANY THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY MAY ONLY CONTAIN VERY LIGHT RAINFALL WHICH COULD TEMPORARILY INCREASE FIRE DANGER. SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPERATURES SATURDAY WILL BE FOLLOWED BY STILL COOLER TEMPERATURES ON SUNDAY WITH HIGHS DROPPING TO NEAR NORMAL. THIS WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE FROM THE NEAR RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES EXPERIENCED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS. ANY MOUNTAIN THUNDERSTORMS SUNDAY SHOULD CONTAIN AT LEAST SOME RAINFALL AS THE ATMOSPHERE BEGINS TO MOISTEN UP. THE UPPER LOW IS EXPECTED TO ROTATE UP A BIGGER SURGE OF MOISTURE ON MONDAY. THIS WILL BRING A THREAT OF SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS TO NEARLY ALL OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. AS WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS...MONDAYS STORMS WILL PRODUCE LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR HAIL AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN. MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WILL BRING STILL COOLER TEMPERATURES WITH MOST LOCATIONS MONDAY LIKELY TO SEE DAYTIME HIGHS SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. THE UNSETTLED AND COOL WEATHER PATTERN IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE AT LEAST THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. IF PLANNING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS BE PREPARED FOR A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CHANGE. MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES ARE LIKELY MOST AREAS WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR RAINFALL AND INCLEMENT WEATHER. CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES REGARDING THIS SPRINGTIME WEATHER SYSTEM.

feeling like summer

Ugh. It's already 95 degrees at the Chico Airport, and it's only May 3rd. The northern and central Sacramento Valley is under both a Red Flag Warning (beginning at midnight tonight and expiring at 4 pm tomorrow) and a Wind Advisory (from 8 am until 4 pm tomorrow). It is bone dry out there, and the fire danger is exceptionally high. The Panther Fire near Butte Meadows northeast of Chico has quickly grown to over 10,000 acres, and a layer of smoke has hung over Chico for most of the day today. Northwesterly winds kicked up this afternoon, pushing some of the smoke out of the valley, but also heating up the temperature into the mid 90s. Winds will again be strong and gusty from the northwest tomorrow, with speeds up to 35 mph in gusts. All outdoor burning is banned. There is a slight chance of a shower or thunderstorm tomorrow night, and a better chance of showers and thunderstorms Monday through Wednesday. Hopefully these storms will have some moisture to work with; otherwise, lightning strikes may ignite more fires. I'm sensing this fire season may be a repeat of the summer of 2008, when hundreds of fires were ignited by dry lightning strikes. Fingers crossed we don't repeat that awful summer. The good news is we start ratcheting down the hot temperatures the next seven days. Tomorrow we'll see highs in the upper 80s, and lower 70s by Monday! These cooler temperatures should aid the firefighters in their efforts to contain the Panther fire and other fires burning in California. Temps will warm back into the lower to middle 80s by the end of next week, but no 90 degree temps are anticipated for now (after today). The first weekend in May is usually a busy one in Chico, with numerous events going on. Here's a rundown of the big ones: Pioneer Days Parade in downtown Chico on Saturday morning; the International Festival on the grounds of Chico State University Saturday; Chico Artisans Faire at the Downtown Chico Plaza both Saturday and Sunday; the Endangered Species Faire at Cedar Grove in Lower Bidwell Park on Saturday; the annual Spring Garden Tour, beginning at St. John's Episcopal Church in Chico, in which there are tours of five different private gardens in Chico and Durham; the first annual Salsa Festival (in honor of Cinco de Mayo) at Gordo Burrito on Sunday, sponsored by Chico's own lifestyle magazine, Upgraded Living; and the annual Margarita Mix-off, a fundraiser for Chico's Active 20/30- a service organization for young men in the community- held this year at Silver Dollar Fairgrounds on Saturday. For times of these and and other events happening this weekend (as this list is by no means exhaustive), go to the Chico News and Review website. Have a safe and fun Cinco de Mayo weekend! Here's Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Tonight Clear, with a low around 57. North northwest wind 5 to 9 mph becoming light west northwest. Saturday Increasing clouds, with a high near 87. North northwest wind 8 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Saturday Night Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. Northwest wind 5 to 14 mph becoming east after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Sunday Partly sunny, with a high near 79. South wind 7 to 10 mph. Sunday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. South wind around 8 mph becoming east northeast in the evening. Monday A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 71. Monday Night A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Tuesday A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 72. Tuesday Night A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. Wednesday A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Wednesday Night A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 53. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. ***UPDATE ON THE FIRES*** The Panther Fire, burning in Tehama County, has shrunk in size from 10,000 acres to 6400 acres, not because of firefighters' efforts, but because of better mapping techniques. Still, with the windy conditions tomorrow, the fire is expected to grow. Also, the smaller Cedar Fire, south of Butte Meadows in Butte County, is currently at 55 acres. More updates as they happen.

high fire danger over the next couple of days

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 4 PM PDT SATURDAY. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. * AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 215 NORTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY TO SOUTHERN TEHAMA COUNTY LINE BELOW 1000 FT AND FIRE WEATHER ZONE 216 CENTRAL SACRAMENTO VALLEY IN GLENN, COLUSA, YUBA, NORTHERN SUTTER, AND BUTTE COUNTY BELOW 1000 FT. * WINDS...NORTH 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH. * TIMING...INCREASING WINDS LATE TONIGHT AND CONTINUING INTO SATURDAY AFTERNOON. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...MAXIMUM HUMIDITY RECOVERY UP TO 40 PERCENT TONIGHT. MINIMUM HUMIDITY AS LOW AS 7 TO 12 PERCENT SATURDAY. * IMPACTS...GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES COMBINED WITH FUEL CONDITIONS AT CRITICAL LEVELS MAY LEAD TO ENHANCED FIRE DANGER...ESPECIALLY FOR FINE FUELS. This is not good news. There are two fires now burning northeast of Chico, with the Panther fire the larger of the two at over 2000 acres. Smoke is drifting across the Sacramento Valley from these fires. It is tinder dry right now, so please be careful with cigarette butts and any outdoor burning. In fact, outdoor burning is banned, so don't even do it. Let's all be careful out there this weekend!

still warm and windy, but cooler by next week

Happy May Day! Yesterday's high temperature in Chico was 84 degrees, with a northwesterly wind gusting to 41 mph. There were some trees damaged and limbs strewn about a few neighborhoods yesterday in Chico. The winds will again be strong today, and the Wind Advisory is still in effect until 3 pm this afternoon. Wind gusts could reach 40 mph, although currently the winds aren't very strong. The hottest day over the next seven days appears to be Friday, when highs will hover in the mid 90s. Saturday could be another windy day, but the cooling trend will begin then, and highs by early next week will only be around 80 degrees. That's much better! Here's Chico's seven day outlook courtesy of the National Weather Service: Today Sunny, with a high near 83. North wind 10 to 13 mph. Tonight Clear, with a low around 53. North northeast wind 9 to 11 mph. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 89. North wind 6 to 8 mph. Thursday Night Clear, with a low around 58. Calm wind. Friday Sunny, with a high near 93. North northeast wind around 6 mph becoming west northwest in the afternoon. Friday Night Clear, with a low around 57. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 90. Saturday Night Clear, with a low around 56. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 81.