Smoky and Foggy Start

AIR QUALITY (PM2.5 AQI as of 8:00AM)
Carmel Valley (168) Unhealthy
Monterey (174) Unhealthy
Soledad (155) Unhealthy
Gonzales (159) Unhealthy
Greenfield (151) Unhealthy
King City (152) Unhealthy
Big Sur (127) Moderate
Salinas (155) Unhealthy
Santa Cruz (85) Moderate
Watsonville (91) Moderate
Hollister (83) Moderate
San Lorenzo Valley --

Cooler weather will continue over the next couple days as the region remains shrouded in smoke. The weather is under a blocking pattern right now, but will slowly budge as we head into the weekend. This should help clear out the smoke by the weekend. As the smoke clears out, temperatures will warm up back to normal readings. Then, a fall-like trough of low pressure will approach from the west early next week. It will bring fire-dampening rains as far south as Northern California as well as cooler weather. Its effects locally should be minimal, but we might be able to squeeze some drizzle out of it mid-week next week.




Friday: Patchy low clouds near the coast, otherwise widespread smoke though it should be slightly thinner. Cool, with coastal highs in the 60s with 70s to 80s inland. Breezy for inlan

Overnight: Smoke with low clouds near the coast. Patchy fog and drizzle possible. Expect lows in the 50s valleys during the afternoon.

Saturday: Patchy low clouds near the coast and widespread smoke. The thinning trend should continue, however. Slightly warmer, with coastal highs in the 60s to around 70ºF and mostly 70s-80s inland. Breezy for inland valleys in the afternoon.

Extended: We’ll continue to see a few low clouds near the coast Sunday and Monday with smoke thinning further. Temperatures will warm up closer to normal by early next week. A weather system will then increase low clouds by Wednesday morning with drizzle possible. Cooler weather expected for the end of the week.

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This week's normal temperatures:
--COASTAL CITIES--
LOW: 54ºF
HIGH: 72ºF

--INLAND CITIES--
LOW: 50ºF
HIGH: 86ºF

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-The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for September 18^th – 24^th calls for the likelihood of ABOVE normal temperatures and near normal precipitation. Note: Little to no precipitation typically falls this time of year.

-El Niño/La Niña STATUS: Neutral
-Forecast into Winter: La Niña Watch

-Area drought status: Moderate drought for much of Santa Cruz & Santa Clara Counties, Abnormally dry on the east shore of the bay into San Benito County. No drought classification for much of Monterey County outside of the Gabilan Range.