Saturday, January 12, 2019

Slow and Light.

So that system last night shifted south quickly, cuttings off from additional accumulation soon after midnight.  We saw a short drizzle this afternoon in the Pogonip, but doubt it measured.  Total rainfall was about 3/4 of an inch on the westside.  De Leverage only recorded about a 1/3 inch.  What was looking like a heavy coastal rainfall a few days ago, came in a lot lighter.  Sunday's system is looking light as well.  The storm is only a few hundred miles from here, but going slowly, and staying well west until it is well south of us.  We will see plenty of east and south winds, but the rain might not come in until Monday.  We do have a chance of rain tomorrow afternoon and evening, and like the drizzle today, one could occur at anytime, but it looks like we should have a fair morning.  Looks like we got lucky this weekend.  All in all, we are only expecting some light rain Sunday night and into Monday.  We will need to wait until Tuesday for something a little heavier.

As for air temps we are expecting lows in the low 40s and highs in the upper 50s.  Those overnight lows will creep up through the week into the upper 40s.  Daytime highs won't change much through the week.  Monday we some steady rain move in, netting us a half inch or more in a 24 hour period.  Tuesday will remain rainy, but perhaps a little less rain.  The heaviest systems come in Wednesday and into Thursday, with over an inch of rain falling each day.  The heaviest precipitation is expected mid day Wednesday through mid day Thursday.  I'd plan for a long commute on Thursday morning, with slow roads through most of the work week.  The good news is Friday is looking decent. Might even get a shot of sunshine.

The QPF is calling for 3 to 4 inches of rain this coming week in Santa Cruz.  Some models have more.  The local mountains are expecting 4 to 6 inches depending on locale.  That is a lot of water to handle in essentially four days.  Especially considering we just had about three inches of rain in the last week.  The ground is wet.  The creeks are flowing.  Look for flooding in the usual areas.  Slow down on those turns on 17.  Consider the time saved not waiting for emergency crews while waiting upside down in your car when you are considering that dicey pass just to save a few seconds on your drive.  Oh, and look out for oozing mudslides if you live on a local mountain road.

While we are expecting some decent rainfall, also remember how this past week under performed.  The models have been bullish.  We might not get hit as directly as expected.  As for next weekend, that Saturday storm is trending further north. I'll keep an eye on that. Either way, this rain train is coming to an end soon and high pressure is planning on setting up shop. A return to fine weather and some decent surf conditions.  As much as I love getting snow, and knowing how we need the rain, I sure do like that dry weather.

Speaking of snow, things are looking real good in Tahoe.  The last week of storms has laid down a nice base building reset.  The final few storms were a bit warm, but most resorts received snow all the way to the base. That wet heavy snow is perfect for caking rocks and covering up the snow snakes.  Skiing is great above 8000 feet right now, and these next series of storms are coming in decently cold.  We are only expecting a few inches early in the week, with bigger snowfall mid week.  Just like the storms here on the coast.  By Friday morning, we could be looking at total in the 3-4 foot range.  Things are setting up nicely for the holiday weekend.  If you are not heading out of town for MLK, consider volunteering at a local charity.  The Homeless Garden Project has a volunteer day set up.  Check it out and give back to those in your community who could use a hand.

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