California Weather/ Climate

[Guest happ]

Surprisingly warm today [Pasadena: 100°].  It appears the PacificNW trough will push eastward into Nevada before reaching SoCal but coastal low clouds/ cooling at least into the weekend.

 

97 / 66  

[Dan the Weatherman]

Surprisingly warm today [Pasadena: 100°].  It appears the PacificNW trough will push eastward into Nevada before reaching SoCal but coastal low clouds/ cooling at least into the weekend.

 

97 / 66  

It was hot today and felt as if we went right back into summer. However, it won't last long and it will cool down nicely for the weekend.

[Guest happ]

Hopefully this will be the last day of 90° heat this month but, of-course, October will have also hot days.

 

Some impressive rain totals in far northern California today:

 

MT SHASTA CITY  2.28 
REDDING AP   2.04 R

RED BLUFF AP  2.30
PARADISE  1.07
WILLOW CREEK   1.01
FORTUNA  1.50
EEL RIVER  1.40
BIG BAR RAWS  1.04

BIG FLAT RAWS  1.56
BONANZA KING  1.76
COFFEE CK RGR STN  2.08
COFFEE RIDGE RAWS   2.16
TAYLOR RIDGE RAWS    1.88
ZENIA  1.33
 

 

SOUTH LK TAHOE  [6314]:  69 /  46

DEATH VALLEY [-194] :  110 /  74

 

93 / 72

[richard mann]

Nice to see some wet weather down south.

 

.. Just more btw here Fred.

 

You have to be extremely careful were using terms like "wet" and "south" together .. at this point more specific, here more within the main CA Weather / Climate sub-forum. 

 

— Most, if not all of the locations that "happ" has listed totals for above, are fairly far up into "Northern" CA. ... With the main trough having delivered the rains connected to them having of course only brought cooler "temps" to much of more "Southern" CA.

 

140925 rainfall strom-totals, graphics:

 

Medford

Eureka

Beal AFB

Sacramento

S.OR-CA-NV

National_ @ @

[Dan the Weatherman]

I am surprised how hot it still is here in Socal considering that Norcal has been getting their first fall storm of the season. Tonight is still warm with a temperature of 71.9 here in Orange as of midnight and resembles a calm summer night, which means that the onshore push has not arrived yet for some reason. This 70+ degree night business is getting ridiculous and it should only be in the low-mid 60's at this time of night for this time of year. Hopefully this is the last night in the 70's until a warm Santa Ana wind blows.

 

I hope that this cooling trend has some staying power this time around and that we don't have any more major heatwaves this season that aren't Santa Ana wind-related. I am sick and tired of the summer-like humid 90 degree plus weather!!

[richard mann]

... surprised how hot it still is here in Socal considering that Norcal has been getting their first fall storm of the season.

 

.. To some extent—i.e. where considering points much south of Point Conception—the cold having moved and spread south, appears to have served to box in still remaining summer-like heat there.

 

http://www.atmos.washington.edu/weather/sat.shtml

http://www.fvalk.com/images/Day_image/GOES-10-0000.jpg -   @

[Dan the Weatherman]

 

.. To some extent—i.e. where considering points much south of Point Conception—the cold having moved and spread south, appears to have served to box in still remaining summer-like heat there.

 

http://www.atmos.washington.edu/weather/sat.shtml

http://www.fvalk.com/images/Day_image/GOES-10-0000.jpg -   @

From looking at the IR satellite loop from your first link, it does appear that the cooler air stopped at Point Conception and stalled out for the time being. The colors of the ground were lighter north of Pt. Conception (indicative of cooler air) and they were darker in Socal (warmer air).

[Guest happ]

 

I am surprised how hot it still is here in Socal considering that Norcal has been getting their first fall storm of the season. Tonight is still warm with a temperature of 71.9 here in Orange as of midnight and resembles a calm summer night, which means that the onshore push has not arrived yet for some reason. This 70+ degree night business is getting ridiculous and it should only be in the low-mid 60's at this time of night for this time of year. Hopefully this is the last night in the 70's until a warm Santa Ana wind blows.

 

I hope that this cooling trend has some staying power this time around and that we don't have any more major heatwaves this season that aren't Santa Ana wind-related. I am sick and tired of the summer-like humid 90 degree plus weather!!

 

 

The front washed out before reaching SoCal but at our latitude it is understandable.  At this time of the year Texas/ Southern States probably don't see fronts.  The trough will usher in cooler air and maybe stratus this weekend.  October ridging can produce dangerous "santa ana" conditions [fires/ dust storms]; hopefully offshore winds will be on the weak side this Fall like the last few years.

[Guest happ]

 

.. Just more btw here Fred.

 

You have to be extremely careful were using terms like "wet" and "south" together .. at this point more specific, here more within the main CA Weather / Climate sub-forum. 

 

— Most, if not all of the locations that "happ" has listed totals for above, are fairly far up into "Northern" CA. ... With the main trough having delivered the rains connected to them having of course only brought cooler "temps" to much of more "Southern" CA.

 

140925 rainfall strom-totals, graphics:

 

Medford

Eureka

Beal AFB

Sacramento

S.OR-CA-NV

National_ @ @

 

Thanks for the graphics, Richard.  Imagine your garden got a good soaking; still harvesting tomatoes, I suppose. 

[Guest happ]

Dew points are fairly high, esp in the desert as the trough pulls up tropical air out of Mexico; maybe some showers this afternoon from Palm Springs to Phoenix

 

12NOON

PALM SPRINGS   MOSUNNY   92  72  51 E7        29.81F HX  99          
THOUSAND PALMS   N/A     91  73  55 SE3       29.76F HX  99          
PALM DESERT      N/A     94  76  56 SE7       31.36  HX 106          
THERMAL        SUNNY     93  75  55 SE12G18   29.75F HX 104          
BLYTHE         SUNNY     95  72  47 S17       29.80F HX 103          
IMPERIAL AP    SUNNY     95  71  45 E6        29.77F HX 102          
EL CENTRO NAS  MOSUNNY   96  66  37 CALM      29.77F HX  99          
YUMA AZ        MOSUNNY   97  71  42 S13       29.80F HX 104          
MEXICALI       PTSUNNY   95  73  49 S9        29.79  HX 105          
 

[Dan the Weatherman]

The front washed out before reaching SoCal but at our latitude it is understandable.  At this time of the year Texas/ Southern States probably don't see fronts.  The trough will usher in cooler air and maybe stratus this weekend.  October ridging can produce dangerous "santa ana" conditions [fires/ dust storms]; hopefully offshore winds will be on the weak side this Fall like the last few years.

I wasn't expecting any rain from the front down here since it is still too early in the season. I just thought that it would have cooled down with increasing onshore flow a bit more late in the day yesterday and into the evening as opposed to being nearly 70 degrees at midnight last night.

 

I am not looking forward to the Santa Ana season and I really hope we get some wetting rains before the first significant wind of the season hits later in October or early November. If we are lucky, maybe we won't have any really strong events. At least the heat associated with Santa Anas is more bearable due to the low humidity and the nights cool down nicely where the winds aren't blowing. Even the warm nights are bearable with the wind because there is air movement as opposed to muggy summer nights with absolutely no breeze whatsoever.

[Alan]

Another out of place 'dew morning' with water drips from the roof. I'm showing a 50/37 day tomorrow and am looking forward to it! A slow warm up and topping out in low 60's with mid 40's all week - fall has arrived in the mountains!

 

My guess is it actually hits the mid 50's tomorrow but colder than 37 overnight. Tonight a low of 39 forecast and that would be the coldest since May when we had snow.

[richard mann]

Thanks for the graphics, Richard.  Imagine your garden got a good soaking ....

 

.. Main precip. wise I got pretty close to what you'd posted above. Of course the main plus with this rain was its significant help to fire-fighters where considering the different larger fires from Interstate 80 or so (Sacramento.) north. A few that had been at containment stages fairly precarious before it moved through.

 

http://www.kcra.com/news/local-news/news-sierra/muchneeded-rain-heads-toward-king-fire/28241586

[Dan the Weatherman]

Another out of place 'dew morning' with water drips from the roof. I'm showing a 50/37 day tomorrow and am looking forward to it! A slow warm up and topping out in low 60's with mid 40's all week - fall has arrived in the mountains!

 

My guess is it actually hits the mid 50's tomorrow but colder than 37 overnight. Tonight a low of 39 forecast and that would be the coldest since May when we had snow.

It sounds as if fall has just about arrived in the mountains! Hopefully it begins to feel more like fall here in Orange in the coming days. It was rather warm last night and was still 70 at midnight, but did cool down into the low 60's in the early morning hours. It is still somewhat warm today, but cooler than yesterday, and tonight will probably be much more comfortable as the onshore flow increases.

[richard mann]

(.. may as well cross-reference this here.)

 

http://theweatherforums.com/index.php?/topic/622-september-2014-in-the-pacnw-observations-and-more/?p=33634

[Guest happ]

How often do monsoonal storms reach Vegas/ Utah in late September?

 

FLASH FLOOD WARNING

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
815 PM PDT FRI SEP 26 2014

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAS VEGAS HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  LINCOLN COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL NEVADA...

* UNTIL 1115 PM PDT

* AT 806 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  VERY HEAVY RAIN ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL LINCOLN
  COUNTY. THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF FLOODING ALONG HIGHWAY 93 AND
  ITS LIKELY THAT MANY OF THE SMALLER SIDE ROADS WILL SEE FLOODING
  THROUGH 11 PM THIS EVENING. THESE STORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTH
  AROUND 25 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  PIOCHE...URSINE...CATHEDRAL GORGE STATE PARK...PANACA...ECHO CANYON
  STATE PARK...MEADOW VALLEY CAMPGROUND...HORSETHIEF GULCH
  CAMPGROUND...EAGLE VALLEY AND RANCH CAMPGROUND.
 

 

85 / 66
 

[Dan the Weatherman]

How often do monsoonal storms reach Vegas/ Utah in late September?

 

FLASH FLOOD WARNING

 

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV

815 PM PDT FRI SEP 26 2014

 

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAS VEGAS HAS ISSUED A

 

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...

  LINCOLN COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL NEVADA...

 

* UNTIL 1115 PM PDT

 

* AT 806 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED

  VERY HEAVY RAIN ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL LINCOLN

  COUNTY. THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF FLOODING ALONG HIGHWAY 93 AND

  ITS LIKELY THAT MANY OF THE SMALLER SIDE ROADS WILL SEE FLOODING

  THROUGH 11 PM THIS EVENING. THESE STORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTH

  AROUND 25 MPH.

 

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...

  PIOCHE...URSINE...CATHEDRAL GORGE STATE PARK...PANACA...ECHO CANYON

  STATE PARK...MEADOW VALLEY CAMPGROUND...HORSETHIEF GULCH

  CAMPGROUND...EAGLE VALLEY AND RANCH CAMPGROUND.

 

 

85 / 66

 

I don't know how often it happens, but I would think at this point in the year that storms would be associated with tropical storm remnants from the eastern Pacific interacting with a trough as opposed to just having monsoonal moisture in a S, SE, or ESE flow.

[Guest happ]

I don't know how often it happens, but I would think at this point in the year that storms would be associated with tropical storm remnants from the eastern Pacific interacting with a trough as opposed to just having monsoonal moisture in a S, SE, or ESE flow.

 

All the ingredients we never seem to experience!

[Guest happ]

Beautiful temperatures across California today; some low deserts areas were below 90°.  If it stays clear overnight, minimums will easily drop into the 50's.

 

SOUTH LK TAHOE [6314] :  47 /  37 / 1.14

DEATH VALLEY  [-194] :   95 /  68

 

77 / 62 [coolest max since May 24th]

 

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
846 AM PDT SAT SEP 27 2014

...EARLY SEASON SNOW FOR PARTS OF THE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA...

.LOW PRESSURE OVER CENTRAL CALIFORNIA WILL BE MOVING SLOWLY EAST
INTO WESTERN NEVADA TODAY BRINGING EARLY SEASON SNOWFALL TO THE
HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SIERRA. SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW ARE
FORECAST TO ACCUMULATE ON THE HIGHER PASSES MAINLY SOUTH OF
HIGHWAY 50 WHICH MAY RESULT IN ROAD CLOSURES OR CHAIN CONTROLS.

MOTORISTS AND HIKERS OVER THE HIGH MOUNTAINS SHOULD BE PREPARED
FOR WINTRY WEATHER CONDITIONS.


...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT THIS EVENING
ABOVE 8000 FEET...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY ABOVE 8000 FEET FOR SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 11 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR THE WEST SLOPE OF THE NORTHERN
SIERRA NEVADA.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: UP TO 5 INCHES.

* ELEVATION: ABOVE 8000 FEET.

* TIMING: PERIODS OF SNOW TODAY...TAPERING LATER THIS EVENING.

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: HIGHWAY 88 AND CARSON PASS...HIGHWAY 4
  EBBETTS PASS...HIGHWAY 108 SONORA PASS.

* WINDS: WEST 5 TO 10 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 20 MPH.

* IMPACTS: WINTRY WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR MOTORISTS AND HIKERS.

* FOR A DETAILED VIEW OF THE HAZARD AREA...VISIT
  HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SACRAMENTO/HAZARDS.

 

[Dan the Weatherman]

It was definitely a nice day today and is finally beginning to feel like we are entering a more classic fall pattern. It is forecast to get hot again later next week unfortunately, but it may be of the Santa Ana wind variety this time around, which would be further evidence that we are entering fall.

[richard mann]

-
http://theweatherforums.com/index.php?/topic/622-september-2014-in-the-pacnw-observations-and-more/?p=33697
 
.. Initial fall cold having moved south, still dominating. 
 
— At this point more, having generated (contributed to.) a massive low sitting over most of California and Nevada. 
 
http://www.atmos.washington.edu/weather/sat.shtml
 
.. Single image, current at time of post. - 140929 0000z 4km wc

[Guest happ]

NWS_Phoenix is saying goodbye to the monsoon season.

 

VISIBLE SATELLITE AND REGIONAL RADAR REVEALS SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS 
  OVER NORTHERN ARIZONA CLOSE TO THE UTAH BORDER...AND VERY LITTLE 
  ACTIVITY OTHER THAN A FEW BUILDING CUMULUS FIELDS ACROSS EASTERN 
  ARIZONA THIS AFTERNOON. DRIER AIR CONTINUES TO FILTER INTO THE 
  REGION...REFLECTED AT THE SURFACE IN THE DEW POINT TEMPERATURES 
  ACROSS SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA THAT HAVE 
  DROPPED INTO THE 40S AND 50S...A GOOD 15-20 DEGREE CHANGE FROM THIS 
  TIME YESTERDAY. THE LOW WILL BEGIN TO MOVE OFF TO THE NORTHEAST OVER 
  THE NEXT 24 HOURS...WITH DRIER AIR CONTINUING TO GAIN A HOLD ACROSS 
  THE REGION IN ITS EXODUS. AS SUCH...OUR FORECAST FOR THE NEXT WEEK 
  WILL BE BASED OFF THIS DRIER PATTERN...WITH NO PRECIPITATION CHANCES 

  IN STORE. MONSOON 2014 IS NOW A THING OF THE PAST...WITH PREVAILING 
  WESTERLY FLOW SETTING UP FOR THE FALL AND WINTER SEASONS. 

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/psr/

 

78 / 62

0.03 [heavy drizzle this morning; Pasadena recorded 0.29 but I don't know if that measurement verifies]

[richard mann]

.. an harbinger perhaps "happ"; .. where looking more positively, more cyclically, forward to next month and those following, during the main colder seasons ahead. 

[Guest happ]

.. an harbinger perhaps "happ"; .. where looking more positively, more cyclically, forward to next month and those following, during the main colder seasons ahead. 

 

". . . the main colder seasons . . " can't come fast enough, Richard; heat looks oppressive later this week

[richard mann]

.. where looking ahead more immediately perhaps. 

 

What I'm looking at, if again, is the over-all and more extended, pattern potential. And with this, if more of course, and if again, the more positive possibilities connected to this idea and potential. 

 

http://theweatherforums.com/index.php?/topic/177-california-weather-climate/?p=33635

[Guest happ]

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-snow-california-mountains-drought-20140929-story.html

 

Early snow blankets Sierra Nevada, delighting drought-weary California

  

An unusual early snowstorm blanketed the Sierra Nevada over the weekend, but the welcome sight isn't expected to last long as a warming trend spreads across California.

 

The first snow of the season dumped up to 3 inches along the Lake Tahoe Basin, forcing authorities to shut down California 108 at Sonora Pass, which remained closed Monday, said Tom Dang, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Sacramento.

It was the first time in several years that a storm had dropped so much snow on the Sierra this early in the year, he added.

"We are not complaining," Dang said. "Any and all rain is very much appreciated."

Photographs showed a thick blanket of snow over a picturesque Lake Tahoe community.

 

Heavenly Mountain Ski Resort welcomed the first snow on its Facebook page while exhorting fans of winter to "keep up the snow dances."

 

Mt. Whitney showed a dusting of snow. Two inches of snow were reported at Mt. Tom Fire Lookout, the National Weather Service reported.

But it will all be but a memory come this weekend, when a warming trend is expected to melt most of white stuff, Dang said.

[Guest happ]

Very pleasant day.

 

84 / 61

[Alan]

59/41 didn't warm up as much as I thought, low clouds developed and obscured the sun most of the afternoon.

[Guest happ]

59/41 didn't warm up as much as I thought, low clouds developed and obscured the sun most of the afternoon.

 

Alan, are some ski areas creating snow at night?  I have relatives from the East Coast visiting this weekend/ next week.  Besides crowded beaches, the mountains will have the best temperatures.

[Alan]

No snow making yet happ - snow valley hasn't even had a 32F reading yet maybe bear or snow summit has but they wait until there's going to be at least a few days of good snowmaking. Usually sometime in early November.

[Guest happ]

September turned out the warmest month of the year which isn't too rare considering that there were 5 days 100° or higher.  Rainfall was scant but dying Pacific cyclones/ monsoon moisture dropped enough rain during the month to reverse the drought conditions to only severe in SoCal. 

 

Generally October is also warm and the last month w/ average mean above 70° until May.  Also north Pacific systems can reach this latitude during October especially the latter half of the month.

 

September Data 2014

 

Average Max: 91.5  [Norm: 87

Average Min: 68.6   [Norm: 65

Mean: 80°

 

Highest Max: 107

Lowest Max: 77

 

Highest Min: 81

Lowest Min: 61

 

Rain: 0.06

Rain Year [jul-lun]: 0.13

Rain days: 2

[Dan the Weatherman]

No snow making yet happ - snow valley hasn't even had a 32F reading yet maybe bear or snow summit has but they wait until there's going to be at least a few days of good snowmaking. Usually sometime in early November.

I didn't think it was quite time for snow making just yet as it is still too warm. Like you said, it seems that the resorts begin to do it in November and if things go really well with a good snowstorm or two then some of them can open by Thanksgiving.

[Alan]

Their claim to fame is often being the first resort to open in the country - even if it's just for a day LOL - the caveat being that no other resort has as extensive a snow making setup as the SoCal resorts do if any at all!

 

I don't recall which year, either 2007 or one of the years prior. An old neighbor when I lived in Arrowbear showed me pictures from before I moved there of an early season storm in October that dropped 2 feet of snow here followed quickly by 10" rain causing obvious flood issues.

 

Can anyone recall what October that may have been, featuring a strong October storm in SoCal and what conditions lead to the early storm.

 

It sounds like a strong GOA cold storm that brought the lower snow levels on the front end and then had a strong subtropical moisture tap that raised the snow levels bringing the heavy rain.

[Guest happ]

Steve Johnson - Fresno

 

End of the month of September CA Climate Data;

Shows most of CA had above average temps, although the exceptions were at the coastal regions which had lots of stratus with the lowest average max temp anomaly of -1.9° at San Jose. On the opposite spectrum was the warm spot with an anomaly of +5.1° at San Diego. The SJV showed extremely warm temps for September with Bakersfield showing a max anomaly of +3.7°, while Fresno showing a max anomaly of +3.9°. The largest anomalies however were observed in the overnight minimum temps in the SJV with Bakersfield showing a +4.7° anomaly and Fresno the hot spot with +5.5°! The +5.5° Fresno Min Anomaly for Sept was the highest in the State.

 

In the rainfall department the unseasonable late month September storm period 25^th – 28^th produced record-setting precip accumulations. For example the 3.23 inches in Redding produced a monthly anomaly of 505%, while the 3.07 inches recorded in Eureka produced a whopping 520% anomaly. Unfortunately September ends the 2014-15 Water Year tally, which is measured from October thru September. The Rainfall Year is measured from July 1 thru June 30, so these rainfall figures will count for the Rainfall Year, but not for the new 2015-16 Water Year total. They are separate calendars.

 

86 / 63

[Dan the Weatherman]

Their claim to fame is often being the first resort to open in the country - even if it's just for a day LOL - the caveat being that no other resort has as extensive a snow making setup as the SoCal resorts do if any at all!

 

I don't recall which year, either 2007 or one of the years prior. An old neighbor when I lived in Arrowbear showed me pictures from before I moved there of an early season storm in October that dropped 2 feet of snow here followed quickly by 10" rain causing obvious flood issues.

 

Can anyone recall what October that may have been, featuring a strong October storm in SoCal and what conditions lead to the early storm.

 

It sounds like a strong GOA cold storm that brought the lower snow levels on the front end and then had a strong subtropical moisture tap that raised the snow levels bringing the heavy rain.

My guess is that it may have been October 2004, which was a really wet month for Socal, which ultimately led to the very wet winter of 2004-05. It is one of the only recent Octobers that I can think of that featured a significant storm.

[Alan]

That was probably it, thank you Dan!

[richard mann]

http://www.whr.noaa.gov/sto/

[Guest happ]

Richard, summer heat in the Central Valley   Even w/ the recent rains, fires could break out all over again.  Winds look reasonable but heat alerts from the Bay Area down to San Diego.

[richard mann]

.. I think, we'll be ok.

 

As you've suggested, with the rain we got. Significant, my sense is leastwise, enough for some at least, basic fire suppression.

[Guest happ]

Their claim to fame is often being the first resort to open in the country - even if it's just for a day LOL - the caveat being that no other resort has as extensive a snow making setup as the SoCal resorts do if any at all!

 

I don't recall which year, either 2007 or one of the years prior. An old neighbor when I lived in Arrowbear showed me pictures from before I moved there of an early season storm in October that dropped 2 feet of snow here followed quickly by 10" rain causing obvious flood issues.

 

Can anyone recall what October that may have been, featuring a strong October storm in SoCal and what conditions lead to the early storm.

 

It sounds like a strong GOA cold storm that brought the lower snow levels on the front end and then had a strong subtropical moisture tap that raised the snow levels bringing the heavy rain.

 

 

Ski resorts exceed 9000' [11,000' Mammoth] . 

 

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE AIRPORT [6314] :  63 /  30

LODGEPOLE [6690] :   64 /  31

SQUAW VALLEY 8K FT / NO DATA

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pqo9qMxkT0#t=20

 

THINK SNOW