Sunny skies and below-normal temperatures will continue this weekend. Some inland wind-sheltered valleys will experience areas of morning patchy fog and frost. Another cold low pressure system will arrive Sunday night and Monday morning, bringing another round of precipitation and mountain snow.
The low pressure system that brought the Christmas weather is now over Arizona. A ridge has developed over the area and will continue to drive our quiet and cool weather into Sunday. Overnight temperatures will remain cold, and Frost Advisories will be posted for the colder coasts and valleys. Salinas Valley may be dealing with freezing fog again early Saturday.
A low pressure system, currently just south of the Aleutian Islands, drops south Sunday and Monday. Rainfall amounts now look to be in that 0.25 to 0.50 inch range in general, with amounts to around 1.00 inch in some spots. Also thunderstorms are possible, mainly toward the coast as the core of the low (which has to be unstable) marches right through the area. That thunderstorm chance does add a small threat to isolated flooding issues, but the main concern is with snow.
Snow levels could fall into that 2000 to 3000 foot range. The current track is prime for gusty northeast flow with the storm, which only adds to the snow concerns.
Expecting many mountain passes and roads to be covered in snow and closed. As a result, a Winter Storm Watch has been issued for the Los Angeles and Ventura County Mountains. The MAIN MESSAGE is if folks need to travel into or through the mountains, travel this weekend and do not wait for Monday or Tuesday (New Year`s Eve).
Temperatures will be well below normal and similar to what occurred around Christmas.
New Years activities should prepare for windy conditions.
An upper level ridge of high pressure will nose into the West Coast late Wednesday and continue through the end of the week.
This means that conditions should be mild with rain highly likely.
