Are you ready for winter?

So, I hear that some of the local news outlets, especially those nearer the ski slopes, are getting all excited about the start of winter.  Yeah, naw.  I mean, not really.  Just a small step in the right direction over the next few days.  Basically it is going to roll out like this.  Today is pretty awesome out there.  In the 80s for the most part right now, except as you get closer to the cliffs, where it is just in the 70s.  Oh well.  That offshore flow event never really took root, but this afternoon we are mostly seeing a northerly sea breeze less than ten knots.  So light by central coast standards.  Thursday will be a good five degrees (or more) cooler.  Still a nice day with plenty of sun.  Another crisp morning as well.  Thursday evening cloud cover will increase.  The 6AM and noon run of the GFS and Euro seem to have the rain filling in early morning around sunrise.  Don't be surprised if it arrives sooner.  Do expect it to be raining during your morning commute, especially for those going over Highway 17.  Be smart and leave a few minutes earlier this Friday.  Moderate rain is likely for the Monterey Bay region, with the heaviest falling early in the day Friday.  It does look like the rain will become less wide spread and more showery in nature through the afternoon hours.  There is a chance for you Trick-o-Treat fans after all.  But yeah, plan to get a little wet.  High sticking in the mid 60s, perhaps warmest in the morning ahead of the cold front.

Jack-o-Lantern.  Have fun and be careful out there this Friday.  

Up in the Sierra, the Lake Tahoe is expecting a dusting to a few inches, with more on the ridge lines.  The Sierra Crest is looking at about a foot in the best locations, with more perhaps in the south.  It will all depend on how this thing splits.  In fact, Big Sur is looking quite a bit wetter than Santa Cruz and San Francisco.  They could see well over an inch of rain in the Santa Lucia, and a good inch along the coast.  Expect a solid inch in Ben Lomond, and well over a half in here in town.  These are solid numbers for Halloween.  Nothing our of the ordinary, but certainly hefty.  Not nearly enough to dent up the drought, but enough to feel good.  And water that garden for the week.  And with the long term being consistent with another system hitting about a week later, things do look promising.  Anyway, as I was saying, Halloween night, things begin to clear out.  Expect sporadic showers through the night, and even into the early morning hours on Saturday. And a cooler day. But it will clear out quickly, perhaps offering up an epic sunset for the last day before we Fall Back.  Yup, don't forget to sleep (or party) an extra hour Saturday night and turn back those clocks one hour before you go to sleep.  Gotta save that daylight.

Sunday things move back into the 70s, with another warm up for the middle of next week.  Likely not as warm as today, but another nice period, before perhaps more rain.  Yay.