A long-anticipated shift in the weather pattern from dry weather to much more active weather is still in our forecast. We still have a few days of mild conditions before the forecast takes this more active turn.
Friday many of the temperatures for the Central Coast and interior valleys should push daytime highs into the 70s with beaches in the 60s and some scattered 70s. Saturday could even be slightly warmer with some daytime highs in coastal valleys reaching into the middle 70s.
The forecast shift really begins on Sunday with the approach of a large storm system both at the surface and in the upper atmosphere. The current Ridge of high pressure over California will likely provide some easterly winds before the storm system arrives. Initially, this could mute the beginning of the rainfall temporarily. The timing according to most models today is for the rainfall to begin either later Sunday or Monday. Due to the storm system's distance from us currently, this timing could either speed up or slow down a little bit so people should stay tuned to the latest.
That said, the rain icon on Sunday might give the impression that it rains much of the day but the rainfall may only begin later so the weekend isn't exactly a washout, in fact, most of it may be dry.
The storm system Monday looks to put rainfall not only on the Central Coast but elsewhere throughout the Golden State. After that, a series of impulses look to roll through California with on-and-off rain events through the rest of the month.
This first system on late Sunday through Monday could produce up to an inch of rain but I think it's the March of system after system that will really add up. Models indicate we could see anywhere between two to seven inches of rain by the end of the month.
At this point timing any system after the first system is a little premature because track and intensity could change this far out. I think the best course of action is just to anticipate an active weather pattern and check for the latest forecasts should you be making travel plans.
One day I think people should pay attention to at this point is Wednesday of next week. That would be system #2 if you were counting them. Most models like this to be significant and wet.
We could use some rain, as long as it doesn't come too quickly or all at once:
Here is a look at resort snow potential thru next week:
