Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Eureka, CA
Issued by NWS Eureka, CA
192 FXUS66 KEKA 112215 AFDEKA AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Eureka CA 315 PM PDT Thu Jul 11 2024 .SYNOPSIS...Very hot and dry weather will continue in the interior through Saturday. Interior heat is forecast to moderate Sunday and early next week. Coastal areas will remain cool with occasional fog and low clouds through the weekend. && .DISCUSSION...Interior heat will continue to build through tomorrow with an excessive heat warning remaining in effect for triple digit temperatures in the interior valleys. Ukiah Municipal Airport should tie or set a new record today and tomorrow. Records are 110F for today set in 1913 and 107F for Friday set in 1927. In general, max temperatures are forecast to diminish a few degrees by Saturday, but with triple digit heat persisting and elevated heat risk in the interior, the excessive heat warning has been extended. However, a few locations are forecast to be hotter on Saturday. The heat risk is forecast to abate by Sunday and into early next week as a trough approaches from the NW. It will still be quite hot in the interior on Sunday; 96-103F. High temperatures, according to NBM, are forecast to remain near or above normal early next week; 94-103F. So the relief from the heat is not going to be all that dramatic, though the heat risk is forecast to become moderate. By far the greatest concern heading into the weekend will be the potential for dry lightning. Mid level humidity and perhaps some alto-cumulus will spread northward over NW California during the weekend as a semi-closed upper low pin-wheels off the central California coast. The cut-off will eventually lift out to the NE. How fast that occurs is not 100% certain. The latest deterministic models indicate Sunday as the day with the highest chance. NBM indicates no more than a 10% chance both Saturday and Sunday. Greater uncertainty arises with the location and timing of dry storms. More on this in the Fire Weather section. Coastal areas will remain cool. Stratus is expected to reform over the North Coast this evening and overnight. Nearshore southerly wind reversal will probably redevelop and even the Mendocino Coast will not be stratus and fog free. Status and fog will most likely continue to be the norm for coastal areas through the weekend and early next week. && .AVIATION...Another stratus-ladened North Coast this morning...engulfing the Humboldt and Del Norte shorelines; very little along Mendocino. Although the stratus was solid, several (rare) pilot reports (pireps) announced low LIFR/IFR bases and MVFR tops 1000-1500 feet. There were some Vis impacts due LIFR/IFR conditions also... especially at CEC. Shortly before/after noonday, several breaks in the overcast (binovc) opened up around Humboldt Bay-ACV and introduced scattered conditions at ACV. The marine layer will start "filling-in" along the coast by late evening and bring conditions down to LIFR/IFR overnight according to most model guidances...and recent marine stratus behavior. VFR conditions will continue to prevail across inland areas. /TAA && .MARINE...Gale force northerlies in the outer waters will continue to increase today. Winds will peak this evening with gusts up to 45 kts in the outer waters. Nearshore waters will largely be shielded from the strong winds, seeing breezes of 15 to 20 kts. Hazardous seas will accompany the gale force winds in the outer waters, with significant wave heights to 15 ft. The inner waters will see steep wind waves around 9-12 ft at 9 s. Conditions begin to improve this weekend as gales diminish by Saturday and wave heights drop below 10 ft by Sunday. Northerlies will remain elevated in the outer waters through the weekend and will most likely drop below gale force into early next week. && .FIRE WEATHER...A building pressure gradient along shore will aid in gusty north winds each afternoon for near coastal areas. In addition such a pattern will enhance diurnal wind, especially along the rim of the Sacramento Valley. This may promote isolated critical conditions in southern Lake County into the weekend. Models continue to suggest a plume of monsoonal moisture this weekend. Elevated convection could develop as far south as Lake County by Saturday evening and as far north as northern Trinity County by Sunday, but not necessarily in between these two areas. Highest probability according to NBM is 8% over NE Trinity. Specific timing, location, and even possibility of occurring remains uncertain for the NW California forecast area. A headline remains in place in the fire weather forecast. Stay tuned for updates. && .EKA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CA... Heat Advisory until 9 PM PDT Saturday for CAZ104-106-112. Excessive Heat Warning until 9 PM PDT Saturday for CAZ105- 107-108-110-111-113>115. NORTHWEST CALIFORNIA COASTAL WATERS... Small Craft Advisory until 9 AM PDT Saturday for PZZ450. Small Craft Advisory until 3 AM PDT Friday for PZZ455. Gale Warning until 9 AM PDT Saturday for PZZ470-475. && $$ Visit us at https://www.weather.gov/eureka Follow us on Facebook and Twitter at: https://www.facebook.com/NWSEureka https://www.twitter.com/NWSEureka For forecast zone information see the forecast zone map online: https://www.weather.gov/images/eka/zonemap.png