It’s a good idea to briefly open up your windows, dress in light and loose fitting clothing, grab your sunglasses and pack extra water as you get ready to head out the door Thursday. A strong ridge of high pressure off the coast will drive hot and dry conditions across northern California today into this weekend. A cooler system tracking into the Pacific Northwest will keep our high temperatures somewhat in check and leave us with limited cloud cover brushing over our region early today. The potential for dangerous heat will arrive on Friday and persist into Saturday. A Heat Advisory is set to be in effect from 11am Friday through 11pm Saturday in the valley, surrounding foothills, Trinity County and coastal areas. That advisory has been issued as we have the potential for temperatures up into the 99 to 109 degree range in the afternoons, and overnight low temperatures only cooling into the 60’s to lower 70’s in the mornings. Heat related illness will be a concern, and you’re advised to plan on avoiding outdoor activities in the afternoons over the next few days.
Skies have been mostly clear overnight, but will become partly cloudy through the middle of the day today. We’ll then have sunny to mostly sunny skies over the majority of our region this afternoon, but partly cloudy skies could linger in the Sierra into this evening. Temperatures are starting out in the upper 50’s to mid 60’s in the valley, upper 40’s to upper 50’s in the foothills, and 40’s in most mountain zones this morning. North winds to 10mph are expected through the day. High temperatures are projected to climb into the mid 90’s to around 100 degrees in the valley, and we’ll range from the upper 70’s to around 90 degrees in our foothill and mountain zones this afternoon. It’s going to be hot if you’re heading out to the Thursday Night Market in Chico this evening so make sure you’re dressed for the heat and staying hydrated if you’re planning to attend.
Sunny to mostly sunny skies and a sharp rise in temperatures is on tap for your Friday, and we’ll have the potential for dangerous heat both Friday and Saturday. As mentioned above, a Heat Advisory will be in effect in the valley and surrounding foothills, Trinity County and areas closer to the coast from 11am Friday through 11pm Saturday. Temperatures will start out in the 60’s to low 70’s in the valley and foothills, and 40’s to mid 50’s in our mountain zones in the mornings from Friday through Sunday. We’ll stay sunny to mostly sunny, and mostly have south winds to 10mph. High temperatures are projected to climb into the 103 to 109 degree range in the valley, and temperatures will range from the upper 80’s to lower triple digits in our foothill and mountain zones Friday afternoon. We’ll have similar to slightly warmer temperatures in the morning, but high temperatures are projected to end up 1 to 3 degrees lower in the afternoon on Saturday…