textproduct: Eureka

KEY MESSAGES

* Valleys and coastal areas are expected to see a chilly night tonight in Saturday with near freezing or freezing temperatures.

* Light rain is expected Sunday evening through Monday, mainly in Humboldt and Del Norte counties.

* Coastal flooding is expected Sunday into next at high tide, mainly around Humboldt Bay.

SYNOPSIS

Dry weather arrives today and likely through the weekend. Cool and breezier conditions are likely today with near to below freezing temperatures possible tonight. Warm and dry conditions are expected Saturday. The next chance for rain for Humboldt and Del Norte is expected by late this weekend into early next week.

DISCUSSION

High pressure is building into the area and bringing quite a bit of dry air with it. Breezy north winds have also developed, they are mainly along the coast and over the ridges. Highs this afternoon are only in the 50s and 60s, so this is setting things up for a chilly night tonight. There is certainly the potential for areas to see widespread frost and freezing temperatures in the valleys. There may be a some areas that see fog in the valleys and this would prevent frost. This would be most likely closer to the coast. Breezy winds may also keep some valleys warmer. This may keep the Ukiah valley and southern Lake county in the upper 30s, although confidence is low on this and it will need to watched. The higher terrain is expected to see some breezy easterly winds and this will keep temperatures in the 40s. Saturday is expected to warm up nicely after a chilly start. Inland highs are expected to mainly be in the 70s in the valleys. Winds are generally expected to be fairly light, around 10 to 15 mph in the windier spots along the coast. Saturday night into Sunday morning is expected to be warmer than Saturday morning, but the wind is also expected to be lighter and the dewpoints may be lower. So frost or freezing temperatures are possible once again.

Sunday high and mid level clouds are expected to start moving in during the day ahead of a trough moving into the Pacific northwest. Sunday late in the day or Monday this system is expected to bring some rain to the area. Amounts at this point look relatively modest ranging near 3/4 of an inch near the Oregon border to a tenth of an inch in southern Humboldt with less in areas south and east.

Tuesday through Thursday an upper level trough is expected to generally be over the west coast. This is expected to keep temperatures below normal. There may be some rain around as well, but at this point it is hard to pinpoint much significant rainfall. This will need to be watched as it gets closer. MKK

AVIATION

A dry and cold air mass advecting across the area today combined with slight offshore flow has kept the coast clear to VFR conditions all day today. VFR conditions will most likely continue overnight with only patchy ground fog expected thanks to clear skies. Moisture from recent rain did support extensive valley fog this morning, but no terminals were impacted and less interior fog coverage is expected tonight. VFR conditions will most likely continue all day Saturday with dry air remaining in place. /JHW

MARINE

In the wake of a passing cold front, gale force north winds have persisted all day today in the outer waters. Winds have also been strong near shore with hazardous short period seas up to 12 feet even pushing near shore. Despite the front, there is no major swell to speak of with short period seas dominating the sea state.

Winds will weaken and pull back forms shore Saturday with mostly calm winds in the inner waters by early afternoon. Short period seas will fall in response. below 10 feet by mid morning and below 6 feet by the evening. Even in the out waters then mostly calm to gentle north and west winds will persist Sunday through early next week with only a very minor south swell forming the sea state. /JHW

FIRE WEATHER

A much drier airmass arrives today into Saturday as an upper low exits the region. More widespread breezy offshore winds are expected over the higher terrain this evening and overnight. Winds will be most widespread in the higher elevations of Lake County and eastern Mendocino Counties. However they will also be breezy on the Humboldt and Del Norte county ridges. Overnight recoveries outside the valley floors are likely to be poor given these offshore winds with maximum RHs in the 20s and 30s. While elevated to locally critical fire weather conditions are likely in the highest terrain, recent rains may limit the impact of these conditions somewhat. A few areas received little to no rainfall yesterday. This includes much of Del Norte county as well as southern Lake county. MKK/JB

COASTAL FLOODING

High astronomical tides associated with the full moon will bring chances for coastal flooding around Humboldt Bay starting as early as Sunday with chances continuing through next week. Astronomical tides at the North Spit tide gauge reaches 7.49 ft MLLW on 11:26 AM Sunday. The northerly winds this afternoon have dropped the current tidal anomaly to around 0.8 feet. However these northerly winds are expected to diminish and Saturday before becoming southerly on Sunday. This is expected to increase the tidal anomaly once again to over 1.0 ft and possibly close to 1.5 feet again. Unfortunately this is expected to coincide with the highest astronomical tides, and highest chances for coastal flooding, are forecast to be on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week at 8.04 ft and 8.06 ft, respectively. This will likely bring at least minor coastal flooding and possibly moderate coastal flooding. This will mainly be around Humbodlt Bay with little expected outside the bay unless there are large waves. MKK/JB

EKA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

CA... Frost Advisory from 1 AM to 9 AM PDT Saturday for CAZ102- 103-105-106-109.

Freeze Warning from 1 AM to 9 AM PDT Saturday for CAZ108- 110-111-114-116-117.

NORTHWEST CALIFORNIA COASTAL WATERS... Hazardous Seas Warning until 9 PM PDT this evening for PZZ415-450.

Small Craft Advisory until 9 AM PDT Saturday for PZZ455.

Gale Warning until 3 AM PDT Saturday for PZZ470.

Gale Warning until 9 PM PDT this evening for PZZ475.