Cold nights, cool days and periodic light rain.

Things cleared out today, and it should be sunny on Friday.  That cloud spare sky will allow for some significant cooling tonight.  It will be cold, and freezing temperatures are expected for any where but the coastal plane.  So, if you are in the hills, or even just slightly up the hill (say around campus) expect frost to a light freeze overnight tonight.  Sure has been a cold spell.  And it is not expected to let up anytime soon.  A cut off low is moving its way down the coast, and should brush our region by Friday night.  Light rain fills in late Friday and will continue through the day on Saturday, letting up on Sunday.  This will bring up the temperature a few degrees, but expect continued cold.  33F for a low and 52F for a high.  Or there about.  Tahoe could see a few inches to a half foot through the period.

Its Beach on a clear morning in December.

Sunday morning will bring clearing, but a second, weaker system moves in, brings some periodic drizzle.  Not much, but not high pressure either.  By evening though, high pressure will begin to nose in.  Cold air remains over the region and the years will end and begin cold.  It looks like another system is not forecasted for later in the week.  Sun should shine on Monday and Tuesday.  Wednesday will start clear, but clouds could move in by afternoon, and showers by evening.  This one looks a bit wetter than the weekend, but nothing like the storms of late December.  Thursday should be wet.  And continues chilly.  Hopefully by Friday we will be in the clear, and we could see a little bit of warming.  And as of now, it looks like we should see a week or 10 days of sun.  Yeah, right.  Will watch and monitor.  At least the teleconnections agree that that makes sense.  I will probably check back in, but if not, have a great New Year.

That is about it for the weather, but how about the snow and surf.  Looks promising.  The snowfall at the resorts are about 50% of annual average, so we have a good base from top to bottom.  The 5 or so feet from the last week and the 10-15 feet of snow that has fallen this month is being kept in great condition by the cold temps.  If you have not yet schussed this season, you should get on up there and make some turns.  Stay inbounds, or use extreme caution.  The backcountry is in a bit of sketchy condition and the dragon is lurking.  As for the surf, things look fun today and through the end of the week.  A big swell approaches for Saturday, and with luck, the winds could be light.  Could be.  We could also see this storm churn up a south wind, which would be bad for the surf.  This swell is big and breakers at exposed breaks will be in excess of 15 feet.  In town, it still looks sizable with a range of 5-10 feet, depending on where you go.  Get some, but be smart.  Currents will be strong, and due to the long period, it will have a lot of energy behind it.