SACRAMENTO, Calif.— The ABC10 Weather Impact team is requesting Alert Days for the middle of the week due to significantly higher temperatures than the average.
The holiday weekend will conclude with a decrease in temperature and an increase in wind speed. The valley and foothills will experience gusty winds with gusts of 15-25 mph from late Sunday through early Monday as a small weather system moves inland.
Later in the day, the Sierra will experience a surge in wind speed, which will result in increased fire hazards.
The Sierra and Northeast California are currently under a Red Flag Warning, which will be in effect at 11 a.m. on Monday. The likelihood of a rapid fire spread will be increased by low humidity and gusty winds. The relative humidity will be as low as 9%-15%, and wind gusts will be 30-40 mph.The fire danger will decrease overnight Monday as the winds decrease; however, there is a possibility that winds may persist until midday Tuesday.
The valley will experience a significant warm-up for the remainder of the week, following slightly cooler-than-average temperatures on Labor Day. Initially, a ridge of high pressure develops, bringing dry, warm north breezes, resulting in a rapid shift in the weather pattern.
The middle and end of the week are anticipated to experience even greater warming. The temperature will be 10-15° above the average, with highs ranging from 100-105°.The ridge will advance eastward, resulting in slightly milder weather over the upcoming weekend. This will alleviate the tension of extreme heat, while temperatures remain above the average.
The mountains may experience erratic weather as the high pressure ridge loses its control over the state. The probability of Sierra showers and thunderstorms will be monitored by the ABC10 Weather Impact team.
This weather transition is occurring in conjunction with the expansion of drought conditions across the state. Dryness has increased from 33.41% last week to 41.89% according to the most recent Drought Monitor reports.
