And Not Even a Touch of Fog. Simply Fantastic.

Same rock, different day.  Pleasure Point, Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz never saw the forecasted fog the past two mornings, so I fully expect the same for tomorrow.  It now looks like Wednesday will be the peak of the current warm spell, with high 80s in Santa Cruz, and in the South Bay.  The Central Valley will get a few hot days in the low to mid 90s.  The city will have to be happy with high 70s, or perhaps, with a little luck 80 degrees.  Still, the fog that made things a little chilly the past two days should clear out to sun.  Thursday should also be warm, but the cooling begins.  Highs in the 60s are expected across the region by Sunday.  Rebound begins on Monday with the mid 70s returning to Santa Cruz.

Our cooling this weekend comes from another low pressure system running into the Pacific Northwest and Bristish Columbia.  They have had a good share of rain up there recently, with few breaks.  We should not get anything more than a few passing clouds, but Humboldt and areas north will get more rain this weekend.  Early next week, the storm track lifts north for a few days, with Vancouver on its southern flank.  Some long term forecasting are suggesting that late next week and into the following weekend, a cool pocket will begin driving south along the coast.  Moisture will build just to our west, with the possibility of a wave or two of storms hitting us around mid month.  It is not out of the ordinary to get some rain and cold in May, so we will need to keep an eye on this one.  But when compared to last year, this month is already looking great.

Bridge washed away on Eucalyptus Trail.

Up in the Sierra, the snowpack is still thick up above 8000 feet, with a fair amount of coverage down to 6000 feet.  But that should change over the next few weeks.  With day time highs in the 50s and 60s at 8000 feet this week we should see two things happen.  First, the melt off will begin in ernest.  With daily warming and early May sunshine, a lot of settlement is expected.  As a note, keep an eye on creeks, streams and rivers - both above and below snow level.  Up in the snow, use caution when approaching snow bridges.  They can collapse under the weight of a skier or sled, and underneath, the water is very cold and moving swiftly (especially in the afternoon).  Below snow level, expect water ways to rise quickly in the late afternoon and early evening.  This water will also be cold, and swift enough to sweep people and objects away.  On the plus side, there should be some killer kayaking and rafting this week, and no major flooding is expected at this point.  Secondly, in the right spots, the corn should be epic this week.  Keep an eye out for inversions, and find locations that had a good overnight freeze for the best riding.  Have fun out there on this amazing spring snow pack.  And play smart and safe.

The Wilder Ranch locals are a tough crew.

Down here on the coast, we have some great weather.  The surf is pretty small, so you may be looking for something else to do.  To beat the heat, take a walk around some redwoods.  Head up to Henry Cowell in Felton, the Pogonip by campus or Nisene Marks in Aptos.  All have great forested hiking trails.  Or you can take the bike out for a spin.  Wilder is riding well, with the forested trails much smoother than the meadow trails.  Except for some isolated, but significant storm damage, the woods are swift.  If you don't like rain pivoted single track, I suggest staying away from those in the grassy zones.  There are not a whole lot of tire ruts, but the rain did do some damage to the trails.  It looks like the rangers have already been out to work things over a bit.  And it is drying out, so some of those bumps might just get worked out by bike tires and mother nature.  Regardless, it is beautiful up there right now, and the locals are loving the spring.

Good times ahead.  Mid week to be stellar, if not a bit hot.  Some cooling Friday through Sunday, but not cold.  More warming next week, followed by a chance for a cold blast and even some rain by mid month.  The real good news, is we still don't see any signs of a significant marine layer building in the area.  Enjoy that while it lasts.  June Gloom got its name from some where.