000
FXUS66 KSTO 132358
AFDSTO

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
400 PM PST SAT MAR 13 2010

.DISCUSSION...
DON`T FORGET TO "SPRING FORWARD" YOUR CLOCKS TONIGHT AS WE ENJOY
SPRING-LIKE WEATHER FOR THE NEXT WEEK. NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE
FORECAST THIS AFTERNOON...PLEASANT DRY AND WARM CONDITIONS WILL
PREVAIL THIS WEEK UNDER UPPER LEVEL RIDGING.

ONLY WEATHER CONCERN FOR TODAY ARE THE BREEZY NORTHERLY WINDS IN THE
VALLEY. CURRENT OBSERVATIONS SHOW SUSTAINED WINDS AROUND 10-20 MPH
WITH SOME GUSTS REACHING 25-30 MPH. STRONGEST WINDS IN OUR CWA ARE
OCCURRING FROM THE SAC METRO REGION TO MODESTO. NORTHERLY PRESSURE
GRADIENT STILL GOING STRONG...EXPECT BREEZY CONDITIONS IN THE VALLEY
TO CONTINUE THROUGH ABOUT 6 PM THIS EVENING AND THEN LESSEN
OVERNIGHT.

RIDGING WILL STRENGTHEN BY SUNDAY AS THE RIDGE AXIS CENTERS DIRECTLY
OVER NORCAL AND THE AIRMASS ALOFT WILL WARM SIGNIFICANTLY. 850 MB
TEMPERATURES WILL GO FROM 0-2 DEGREES C TODAY AND RANGE 8-10 ON
SUNDAY FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER NUDGE UPWARD ON MONDAY AT 9-12 DEGREES C.
THE WARMER AIR ALOFT WILL CAUSE A NOTABLE JUMP IN DAYTIME HIGHS AT
THE SURFACE. SUNDAY`S HIGHS SHOULD BE ABOUT 6-10 DEGREES WARMER THAN
TODAY...PUTTING MUCH OF THE VALLEY IN THE UPPER 60S WITH SITES UP IN
THE NORTHERN SAC VALLEY PEAK AROUND 70. BY MONDAY...THE SACRAMENTO
METRO REGION SHOULD FINALLY SEE IT`S FIRST THERMOMETER READING IN
THE 70S THIS YEAR.

THE REST OF THE FORECAST REMAINS FAIRLY DRY AND WARM AS UPPER
RIDGING PERSISTS OVER OUR CWA. ONLY A SLIGHT THREAT OF SHOWERS ON
TUESDAY FOR FAR NORCAL. A WEAK FRONT IS PROGGED TO GLANCE THE
NORTHERN PART OF OUR CWA. THE GFS, ECMWF, AND GEM MODELS INDICATE
SOME PRECIPITATION ENTERING OUR COASTAL AND NORTHERN MOUNTAINS ON
TUESDAY BEFORE THE FRONT AND ITS ASSOCIATED SHOWERS PULL
NORTHEASTWARD. HAVE A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN TUESDAY`S FORECAST
BUT ANY PRECIPITATION SHOULD BE MINIMAL WITH ONLY A FEW DEGREES OF
COOLING IN TEMPERATURES FROM THE INCREASED CLOUD COVER.  JBB

.EXTENDED DISCUSSION (WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY)...DRY WEATHER WITH
MILD SPRING TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE EXTENDED PERIOD AS HIGH
PRESSURE MODELED TO BE THE MAIN SYNOPTIC FEATURE OVER INTERIOR
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

&&

.AVIATION...
VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS...AS HIGH
PRESSURE CONTINUES TO BUILD OVER THE REGION.  IN THE
VALLEY...LOCALLY GUSTY NORTHWEST TO NORTHERLY WINDS WITH GUSTS UP TO
25 KTS WILL DECREASE AFTER 02Z.  HOWEVER...LOCAL NORTHEAST WIND
GUSTS UP TO 30 KTS WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE WEST SLOPES OF THE SIERRA
NEVADA AND FOOTHILL REGIONS BETWEEN 06Z-17Z.


&&

.STO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE.

&&

$$

NWS STO Office Area Forecast Discussion

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