Chilly

It felt like an autumn morning out there early.  I was actually shocked when I felt warm around noon.  In the yard this afternoon, it felt cool again.  Across the bay, clouds pile up like cotton on the headlands.  Crisp and clear here in Santa Cruz.  Still looks like mostly a chance for drizzle here in town.  Just maybe a little very light rain for the hilly zones.  Along the coast will likely be damp in the morning.  Reports from the Sierra is that this system is already over delivering.  So that would mean a few inches.  I-80 is closed eastbound for what that is worth.  Lassen might get a foot plus.  Every last inch of snow counts, although it is all well north of where it is most needed. The drought condition has improved slightly since I lasted posted with 42% of the state still in D3-D4 conditions.  Not cool, but better than a few weeks ago.  These small rain systems are doing their part.

March was a good month.

Cool tomorrow, in the low 60s.  Cloudy, with a chance for showers, increased through mid day.  Things look to be dry on Sunday, and warmer up a bit for next week.  And a return to that foggy morning, breezy sunny afternoon thing.

It is not over yet.

Been suuuper busy, so not really posting up.  As we see another chance of rain approaching, in late May, I thought I'd make sure it is on the radar.  In case you have plans this weekend.  I do.  Anyway, the weather has been fairly nice.  Good spring growing weather, with fog sticking around through the morning, allowing seedlings some minor warmth, then clearing, with nice warm afternoons in wind protected areas.  The winds sure look like they have been ripping on the ocean come afternoon.  Anyway, it is a good start to the growing season, and with sun popping out every day, we are not in the gloom.  The goal is to avoid the gloom while your tomatoes are fruiting.  Babble, babble.  Weather is looking to remain the same through Thursday, although there may be gustier northwest breeze come afternoon.  Friday will be a bit cooler, and cloudier.

Grommithog Day 3/29:  A Grom emerges from his hole and sees bluebird fresh pow.  There will be 8 more weeks of winter.

And seems like the best chance for rain in Santa Cruz will be very early Saturday morning.  QPF is low, so don't expect a down pour.  There is currently one one-hundredth of an inch forecast near Monterey.  More is expect along the Sierra crest, and they may see snow flakes falling at lake level Saturday.  Accumulating snow in the high country.  Could be a powder day Saturday morning.  Squaw is open if you need lift served.  Carson Pass is fat, and I believe Tioga and Sonora will be open from the west this weekend, if you climb.  Just a little jealous I'll miss out on Sonora.

Showery weather may return Saturday afternoon.  Even a slight chance for some thunder, with a greater chance on the west slope.  Could be a fun day.  Weather system mostly east of us by Sunday, but still in the Sierra through Monday perhaps.  A return to the spring like weather is likely for Santa Cruz to start next work week.

Cooler, with increasing chance of rain.

This one may get us.  Recently, there has been a good amount of rain around us, but basically missing Santa Cruz.  A weak circulation of moist air is developing over the ocean to our west, and that system will slowly push south and east.  It will bring with it rain for most parts of the state over the second half of the work week.  That is good news.  We have a cooler day today, with the marine layer pulling out around noon to reveal a partly cloudy sky as moisture streams overhead.  Wednesday still looks similiar.  We could see showers in the hills as early as Wednesday night, with an increasing chance of showers into Thursday morning and through the day.  The Sierra is looking at getting a good  inch plus of precip.  There could be a few feet of snow on the peaks by Saturday.

Showery weather through the day Thursday is looking likely, with chances for light showers on Friday.  We could even hear some thunder late in the day Thursday.  Barely 60F both days.  Not much sun.  As it is now, this system should be east of us by midnight on Friday.  We could be in for some nice sunshine on Saturday.  The rainy season is not over quite yet.

Turning cool and cloudy.

It as if winter does not want to quite quit on us this year.  We are not feeling much of it down here in Santa Cruz, but the Sierra is looking a bit more like March than May, as moisture continues to stream in.  Only a few inches of snow at any one time, but perhaps over an inch of liquid through the coming week.  Today, Sunday, in Santa Cruz is lovely.  It will not be as warm as Saturday, which topped 80F in the parking lots I spent a good part of my day in running errands.  Perhaps it would have been more pleasant at the beach.  Today should top out at about 70F.

The Cirque at Kirkwood looking full.  March 30, 2016.

Overnight, the first in a series of waves pushes through, driving in cooler and moister air.  Monday will start out with a good dose of marine layer, clearing to mostly sun.  Highs linger in the low to mid 60s.  They will stay there through the work week, getting even cooler by Friday.  Back to the start of the week, more clouds fill in Monday night.  It will be hard to distinguish marine layer from clouds on Tuesday morning.  As that marine layer peels out, we will be left with a good amount of cloudiness.  Wednesday looks similiar.  By Thursday, we begin to see a chance for showers here in Santa Cruz, which threaten through the weekend.

Been busy at the household as of recent.  I will try to post up again this week, as more details come into focus.  But will lots of party prep going on this week, I may not get another chance to type this week.  On another note, all these spring showers have been very good for our drought.  Nearly 5% of the state is back to normal, with another 5% just Abnormally Dry, and the portion of the state in Exceptional Drought (the highest degree) has dropped below 22%.  We still have about 50% of the state in the highest two degree of drought currently, so we are far from clear.  Regardless, we continue to move in the right direction.