textproduct: Eureka

KEY MESSAGES

- Northerly breezes near the coastline through the weekend.

- Hotter temperatures over the holiday weekend.

SYNOPSIS

Northerly breezes will persist along the coastline into the weekend but be noticeably lighter than the last few days. Seasonably warm to below average temperatures are expected through Thursday before temperatures warm up Friday and through the holiday Weekend.

DISCUSSION

A very typical summer pattern is in-store for Northwest California over the next week as troughing over the inter-mountain west is replaced by a building ridge and heat builds toward the region over the weekend. Temperatures will begin around normal to slightly below normal Thursday into Friday and then warm generally above normal Saturday and Sunday across the interior. Highs Thursday will mostly be in the 80s and low 90s in interior valleys, warming to the mid to upper 90s by Sunday. Coastal areas will likely see an increase in moisture due to a compacting of the marine layer, which should result in more stratus and the potential for drizzle each morning Friday through Sunday, especially in the Humboldt Bay area. The ridge may break down some early next week as a trough strengthens over British Columbia. This could decrease 850mb temperatures over the region resulting in a slight decrease in temperatures early to mid next week. This outcome remains highly uncertain as the exact location of the trough/ridge axes will determine the end result over our area.

Details specific to July 4th: Temperatures are forecast to be around 60 at the coast and in the lower to mid 90s inland. Cloud cover may be more extensive along the coastline with moisture increasing in the boundary layer and a stronger marine layer inversion due to the building ridge. Low stratus and fog may be a concern during the evening hours for coastal areas depending on the strength of the coastal winds and the mixing they can provide. Drizzle may develop during the morning hours and late evening. /RPA

AVIATION

VFR conditions are prevailing across Northwest California this afternoon with gusty northerly winds along the coast, particularly in the CEC area. Winds will decrease this evening leaving most areas with light winds overnight, but once again CEC will likely remain gusty for much of the night. Model guidance indicates stratus will gradually increase the next few days along the coast with tonight probably being a near repeat of last night. Thus, MVFR to IFR ceilings are likely at ACV into the morning hours on Thursday. /RPA

MARINE

Northerly gales have continued today with very steep seas in the outer waters. Some of the steep seas have propagated into the inner zones with 10 ft at 8 seconds reported at the Humboldt Bay North Spit buoy. Thus, the gales and hazardous seas warnings remain in place. Winds and seas will gradually decrease overnight tonight into Thursday morning and the warnings should be able to expire at some point Thursday morning. However, the pressure gradient over the waters will remain strong enough to maintain small craft conditions through the weekend. New small craft advisories will need to be issued replacing the warnings once conditions fall below criteria. /RPA

EKA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

CA... None. NORTHWEST CALIFORNIA COASTAL WATERS... Hazardous Seas Warning until 6 AM PDT Thursday for PZZ450- 455.

Gale Warning until 6 AM PDT Thursday for PZZ470-475.