Friday September 23

Another week has past, with added heat on the way for a few days.  Here’s the latest long-range outlook.

Watch your barometer this weekend to witness the next high pressure ridge over the Valley.  Net result: a summer-like pattern arrives, with temps popping back into the upper 80s north end to upper 90s in the southern most section of raisin country.  The warmest days will be early next week.

By mid-week, Sep 28th, another trough of cooler air will begin descending into the north portion of California to impact Raisin Land by tapping down the temperatures once again.  Not a rain threat, but definitely a round of fall-like weather moving in by late week.  Expect the wind to increase from the north-to-northwest as the week ends.   While the weekend (Oct 1,2) will remain dry, an additional drop in temps does appear likely by Monday/Tuesday because of a wet pattern over Oregon.  That cool pool of air will combine with what the models predict will be a ‘closed low’ west of Eureka Mondayafternoon.  This may add the chance for a stray shower north of the Delta on Tue.  Clouds may increase in the Delta area.

For a return to warmth, we all have to wait until Wednesday, Oct 5.  A ridge will re-build over the Valley for a run of pleasant rather warm days all the way until at least Sunday Oct 9.

As a note of interest:  the models have been consistent the past 5 days in showing the movement of a powerful hurricane into the Gulf of Mexico during the week of Oct 3-7.  Yes, an awful long way out, but a true test of the modern computer forecasting systems.  Will this storm verify?  If so, the hurricane could become the strongest since 2005.  Media frenzy will be LOUD.  And, honestly, if the system does develop, their vocal call outs will have merit in the alert-the-folks-ahead-of-time department.  Sure, not raisin country, but we all have friends or associates that live in the Gulf State region.

Summary:  Warm cycle ahead, then cooler before another round of warm, pleasant fall afternoons in the San Joaquin.  Dry ’em all!

“The guy who invented the boomerang was probably the same guy who invented the credit card.”

Back next Friday,

-Rufus