Good morning, Central Coast!
The dramatic cool down and thick smoke from NorCal wildfires made for a particularly gray Wednesday across the region. Unfortunately more of the same is expected today, but by the weekend conditions are set to improve as we head into the weekend.
Let's dive in!
This morning there is more cloud cover across the region, mostly staying high enough off the surface as to not hinder the morning commute but for some interior valleys that may not be the case.
We typically are most concerned with cloud cover and marine influence but today heavy smoke is of concern. Wednesday as winds shifted to have that strong northerly component that is bringing wildfire smoke from NorCal all the way to us. This may be of concern for sensitive groups as the air quality will become dangerous. Check out the latest air quality index here.
Thanks to the winds moving in from the north daytime highs will stay on the low side. Beaches will be in the low 60s, coastal valleys in the upper 60s and low 70s while the interior valleys will struggle to reach 70. Now this is something out of the ordinary as Paso Robles typically reaches the low 90s for this time of the year, that makes today 20 degrees below normal.
The northerly winds that have been pumping the cooler and smoke filled air into the region will stop Friday morning as winds will being to move in from the southeast. That will cut off the cool air that has made this week so far below normal. That being said by tonight the worst of the smoke will be sitting just offshore.
For us that means that it is going to get worse before it gets better. The warmer air will be pushed in alongside the worst of the smoke by Friday morning.
Through the day Friday air quality will become dangerous for for sensitive groups, take caution as the smoke moves through the region all through the day Friday.
There looks to be some warming setting up Friday through the weekend, but it will be most significant in the interior when the daytime highs return into the 80s. Closer to the coast temperatures also increase but only by a few degrees into the weekend. Those temps will rise to a couple degrees below normal for this time of year with continued sunshine and stick around through next week.
One quick note in the forecast, as those winds turn to the south there is the chance that a bit of tropical moisture could head towards us. We should see some high clouds entering the area associated with this Friday. A few raindrops are possible with this surge of some tropical moisture. The better chance would be in Southern California, but I can't rule it out for the South Coast.
Computer models are showing a series of systems plowing into the Pacific Northwest over the 8-to-14-day time frame. It doesn't appear that any of these systems are capable of producing rainfall this far South however the proximity of the Central Coast to the storm path we'll keep temperatures down in the extended forecast likely below average.
Have a wonderful Thursday Central Coast!
