Forecast holds tight. One more period of rain, then a fine start to the weekend.

Today was a nice one.  A little rain first thing in the morning, but you kind of needed your sunglasses around noon.  And it felt a whole bunch warmer than what I suggested yesterday.  I saw one thermometer reading 67F just before 1PM.  It sure is not going to get cold tonight.  Low to mid 50s.  Tahoe got a few sloppy inches.  A bit more at the higher peaks.  Good base building snow.  I guess we need that, but it sure would be nice to be getting some cold storms.  We can only wish.  Anyway, cooler again tomorrow, mostly due to the building cloud cover.  Rain showers begin to fill in from the north late in the afternoon or even as late as overnight in the early morning hours.  This thing is barely going to scrape by to our north.  A quarter inch here in town, maybe a half inch in the local hills.  Eight inches of snow for the Sierra Crest, but not much, if any pushing into the Tahoe Basin.  High freezing levels. Warm here in town on Thursday.  Mid 60s.

When for a mountain stroll with some friends on Sunday.  We had fun.  Check it out.

Things turn up from there.  Nights will be colder, due to the clearer sky.  But it is not going to be cold.  Mid 40s.  The nice thing will be a little pumped up high pressure for Friday and Saturday.  While this things is small and weak by January 2014 standards, but it is March.  Skiers ofter refer to the spring sun as the Death Star.  It effects the snow so strongly because it is so high up in the sky.   It also warms us up here in Santa Cruz.  Upper 60s on Friday and pushing 70F on Saturday.  Kind of nice.  Go hike to a water fall.  Bring your camera.  It should be flowing pretty nicely.  At least the best in over a year.

But then the break is over.  More showery weather for Sunday and into Monday morning.  Another swift northerly tracked storm.  The northern border will get hit fairly good with the two systems.  Nothing epic, but more than the showers we are expecting.  After Monday morning we are looking high and dry for at least a week.  And it will likely be getting pretty warm.  Like 70s warm.  More on that as we get closer.

On a more local note, the surf was pumping today.  Should still be pretty good sized north of town tomorrow and more swell is expected to arrive on Thursday.  All in all, these rain systems are bringing in fairly light winds, and being on the south side of things has aided in developing a cross off shore direction.  Water could still be pretty dirty in town.  Check the ecoli counts if you, like me, are concerned about little bugs and can;t afford to get sick.  But surf should be up through at least Saturday, and it looks like more could be on the way.  Could we get some March Madness?

In short, wet off and on the next two days, mainly over night Wednesday into Thursday morning.  Fair Friday and Saturday with more showers Sunday and possibly next Monday.  High and dry starting Tuesday.