Warm up slower and cooler, but still the trend.

From a few weeks ago.  Moonset over the Sierra Crest.

So, that little system that passed through Tuesday night and yesterday has had its effect.  No rain here in Santa Cruz, but is sure was breezy and cool.  The sun finally broke out downtown between 1 and 2PM< and things warmed up pretty quickly.  Before that it was chilly.  Up in the Sierra it was cold, and they got snow.  Yipeee!  Reports from a dusting to 6" in lee aspects have been reported.  Pretty much just a few inches, but enough for some zones to get a nice resurfacing.  If you head up in the next few days, look for gullies and other terrain features that can trap snow.  If you are going BC, do you best to choose aspects where there is good bonding and avoid sloughing what we have be lucky enough to get.  Should be fun up there this weekend.

And things get a little warmer today, but with the cold air in place from the past few days, it does not look to get quite as warm as previously thought.  Pretty much mid 60s or less is expected today through the weekend.  A mostly sunny sky should make it feel a bit warmers.  The light breezes should help as well.  A great weekend lay ahead, both for those down on the coast and those up in the hills.  It will be cool in the Sierra with about 40F at lake level, and similar up higher.  An inversion helps keep things warmer at elevation.  Get out there and enjoy the great weather.  You might even want plant something, considering how this winter has been so far.  Oh, and with this lack of rain, don't forget to water that garden.

Sunset at the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf.

Mid term, things are looking some what interesting.  Remember how I said this blocking high is a bit different than what we had in December?  It is a bit further north, which allows for a few thing.  Cooler air can sneak underneath, so we are not consistently as warm.  Wind patterns make their way around, so we are not seeing quite the same slack or off shore winds.  And finally, storms can sometimes slip under the high.  And that could happen as early as next week.  Nothing is set in stone, but there are some models suggesting a cut off storm coming off the ocean next Monday evening and into Tuesday.  If this does happen, it will be weakening as it approaches, so it will not be a hugh rain or snow maker.  But it is rain, none the less.  It should be noted, until we see a pattern change, these potential systems will be fairly weak and quite mild.  But when you've had a winter like this one, they will be noticeable.  Keep an eye out.

For now, mostly sunny and warm.  63F is a good guess for the next few days.  41F at 7000 feet.  Cool nights in the high 30s to low 40s.  Low to mid 20s at 7k.  A bit of cooling next Monday, with a chance for rain on Tuesday.  More sun to follow.