Unsettled weather returns to the Central Coast on Thursday as a broad winter storm system impacts much of the state. Overland southwesterly flows will bring clouds and increasingly gusty winds Thursday afternoon. We may see some drizzle/showers early in the day, but widespread precipitation will hold off until late afternoon when a cold front moves in from the northwest. The rain will be moderate at best and the winds will be active but not strong. We'll get a short break behind the front late Thursday night, but a low on the coast will send multiple waves of heavy rain and gusty winds through our area during the day Friday and into Saturday. All the while, temperatures will slowly drop to the point where our mountains will start to see some snow starting late Friday night. Snow levels can reach 2,500 feet which is close to pass level in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Some minor flooding issues and isolated wind damage appear likely over the weekend and our beaches will endure high surf.
Air quality: good
OvernightLow clouds develop slowly and gather around the Gulf and the coast, extending into the valleys. Patchy fog is possible. Lows are in the 40s in most areas.
Thursday: The weather will become partly cloudy with scattered showers early in the day. The southwesterly wind is increasing slowly. A cold front will bring moderate rain to the area, starting in the north in the late afternoon and then moving south during the evening. Highs in the upper 50s to low 60s.
Friday: The weather will be cloudy in most areas with scattered rain, and winds will be active at times. Highs are in the 50s to around 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
**Tip on high waves**
…Effective from 10 a.m. Friday through 4 p.m. Saturday for the immediate coast of Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.
* Large breaking waves of 15 to 20 feet along exposed west-facing beaches.
* Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions and local beach erosion. Large waves can wash ashore without warning, pulling people out to sea from rocks, jetties and beaches. These waves can also move large objects such as tree trunks, crushing anyone who falls beneath them.
Inexperienced swimmers must stay out of the water due to dangerous surf conditions.
extended: Rainfall and mountain snow are expected to continue until Saturday. Snow levels may drop below 2,000 feet but will not reach sea level. Rain activity may continue until Sunday morning, and the cold air mass will settle in with very cold weather on Sunday and Monday morning. Frost can be a major concern indoors. The active weather is likely to continue until mid-week.
*Note: Any advisories from the National Weather Service in Monterey will be indicated in italics above. Alerts may be edited for brevity or local clarity (in parentheses).
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Typical temperatures for this week:
–Coastal cities–
Low: 45 degrees Fahrenheit
High: 62 degrees Fahrenheit
–inland cities–
Low: 40 degrees Fahrenheit
High: 65 degrees Fahrenheit
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– Forecasts from the Climate Prediction Center for March 7y – 13y It calls for the possibility of below-normal temperatures and above-normal precipitation.
– ENSO (El Niño/La Niña) situation: El Niño warning, La Niña monitoring
– ENSO forecast: Transition from El Niño to neutral by spring and then to La Niña by summer.
-Drought condition in the region: Currently drought free
