326
FXUS66 KEKA 081220
AFDEKA

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
National Weather Service Eureka CA
420 AM PST Wed Jan 8 2025

.SYNOPSIS...Dry weather is expected this week as high pressure
continues to build in. Gusty winds continue to diminish into the
morning. Chilly morning conditions are forecast this morning and
tomorrow morning throughout the region.


&&

.DISCUSSION...High pressure continues in the region. In general,
high clouds will continue to dissipate into this morning. If
clouds remain over a certain area, this could keep temperatures
from falling significantly, though 30s are still possible across
the lower elevations. Low level cloudiness and fog is expected
into the morning for the interior valleys, as moisture remains
available despite the drying trend. Gusty northeast winds continue
to diminish.

The drying trend continues into Thursday. Thursday morning has
the potential to be chillier in the lower elevations, including
the coast, as it is expected for most areas to be cloud free.
There is some uncertainty on how warm the interior valleys will
get, as strong inversions and a low sun angle could keep
temperatures from rising significantly. Larger valleys like Ukiah
and Clearlake could see high 60s to 70s as the inversion is not as
strong.

A weak system moves into the Pacific Northwest on Friday, but
most impacts remain well to our north, and likely will only bring
cloud cover or a light sprinkle in Del Norte. Some breezy
northerlies at the coast are possible behind this system Friday
and into the weekend. Typical areas, likes coastal headlands and
higher elevation areas of the interior, will see the highest gusts
with NBM showing the highest chance for gusts over 30 mph around
Cape Mendocino. The airmass behind this system is likely to be
cooler, possibly bringing near or below freezing minimum
temperatures in the lower elevations, including the coast, this
weekend. Ensembles show continue to show high pressure dominating
through early next week. JB


&&

.AVIATION...Continued gentle offshore flow combined with generally
much drier conditions has allowed for VFR conditions to persist
throughout the night with only the most sheltered inland valleys
seeing shallow fog overnight. There remains a very slight chance
(less than 15%) of shallow IFR fog around sunrise, but any fog that
does form will be very isolated and short lived. Calm and mostly
clear conditions will continue through the day with a high chance
(80%) of VFR conditions continue for all terminals through Thursday
morning. /JHW


&&

.MARINE...Currently gentle north winds will increase this afternoon
and evening with gusts up to 25 kts in the outer waters. A series of
of long period westerly swells currently around 9 feet will continue
to gradually decay through the day. As the swells falls, short
period seas will steepen along the winds.

Moderate conditions will continue through the Thursday with very
briefly calmer conditions for the northern waters around early
Friday. That said, a rebuilding westerly swell will still maintain
unsettled seas. Much stronger northerly winds will build Friday
night into the weekend and pull closer to shore. Gusts over 25 kts
are nearly certain for all waters with increasing confidence (now
around 75%) for gale force gusts in the outer waters. Strong winds
and steeps seas will continue through Sunday. /JHW


&&

.BEACH HAZARDS...Long period west swell will continue to decay
through today with moderate risk of sneaker waves per local
sneaker wave index. The parade of westerly swell trains is
forecast to continue for the remainder of the week per the GFS-
Waves; one arriving on Thu, closely followed by a longer period
group on Fri. Shorter period waves may mitigate the threat as
northerly winds ramp up late week into the weekend. DB


&&

.EKA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...
None.
NORTHWEST CALIFORNIA COASTAL WATERS...
     Small Craft Advisory from 2 PM this afternoon to 3 AM PST
     Friday for PZZ470.

     Small Craft Advisory until 3 AM PST Friday for PZZ475.

&&

$$

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For forecast zone information
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https://www.weather.gov/images/eka/zonemap.png