The interior of the Central Coast has been warm this week, average daytime highs are in the mid-80s but this week 90s and triple digits have been more common. This is starting to change.
An upper-level ridge is sliding to the east to be replaced by a cut-off area of low pressure and a flat west-to-east jet stream. Cumulatively this will result in a cooling trend. More moderate air will reach further inland. This process is already underway and will continue thru the weekend.
Friday temps will still be above average in the 90s but by the end of the weekend the lower 80s return.
At the coast the marine layer has been a constant this week, the night and morning clouds have backed up to the beaches where the clouds have either sat offshore or only partially cleared.
This will happen again Friday but the pattern change will also weaken the temperature inversion over the cloud deck and should result in slightly better marine clearing day to day over the weekend.
There will be an afternoon breeze each day for the next several. Inland the SW winds late in the day will be locally gusty into the evening then wane. At the coast, similar winds look to continue with 15-20mph afternoon winds slowing in the evening to light winds. This will keep night and morning clouds a factor thru next week.
In terms of drought, the U.S. Drought monitor for this week showed no change with 74% of the state in exceptional or extreme drought with local conditions considered severe. Hard to know what is good news here since that sounds dire, but at least it didn't worsen over the last 7 days. It is expected to worsen in the months to come.
Local reservoirs continue to show declines.
