Dramatic pattern shift: dry weather on the horizon for the West Coast
Numerous storms will drench the West into early week; however, AccuWeather forecasters say that there is a break on the horizon. A pattern change will usher in drier, warmer weather by midweek.
This drone video shows a spectacular rainbow arching over San Mateo County, California, on March 3. The rainbow formed after rain showers swept through the area.
Multiple waves of storms will dampen the West Coast into the start of the week, AccuWeather forecasters say. Through Tuesday, the wet stretch will continue for cities such as Portland, Oregon; Eureka, California, and Seattle, as rounds of rain saturate areas of Washington, Oregon and California.
Into early this week, storms will douse areas along the southwest coast of British Columbia, Canada, to Northwest California with several inches of rain.
Rainfall totals can rise to as much as 2-4 inches from Olympic National Park in northwest Washington to Six Rivers National Forest in northwest California through Tuesday. Localized coastal flooding can occur as repeat downpours and ample Pacific moisture surges inland.
Chances for additional mountain snowfall will remain high over the upcoming days across the Cascade Range, Klamath Mountains and northern and central Sierra. Snow is expected to fall across locations above 2,500 feet in the Washington Cascades and above 3,000-3,500 feet in the Oregon Cascades.
Late week surge of warmth, dry weather
By midweek, a dramatic shift in the pattern will take place and result in drier and warmer conditions. Forecasters say that a northward bulge in the jet stream will become amplified along the West Coast, ushering in warmth from the south.
"From Wednesday to late week, high pressure will build along the Pacific Northwest as an upper-level low develops over Southeastern California and the Desert Southwest," explained AccuWeather Meteorologist Elizabeth Danco.
Danco added that this pattern will promote dry conditions, plenty of sunshine and a warming trend for the Bay Area. Places like San Francisco and Sacramento, California, will have daytime temperatures rise from the lower 60s early week to the 70s by Thursday and Friday.
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Similarly, locations in California such as Fresno and Bakersfield will have highs climb into the middle to upper 70s by this weekend as warmer air pushes northward.
Uptick in offshore winds, Santa Ana wind risk
In conjunction with the building warmth, the midweek setup across the West will also be conducive for gusty offshore winds in California. Even those traveling or residing in wind-prone areas across the northern Sierra Nevada and Sacramento Valley could experience strong northerly to easterly winds from Wednesday afternoon to Thursday. Gusts in Northern California could exceed 40 mph.
High population centers across Southern California are not expected to experience strong winds; however, gusty northeast winds can develop by late Wednesday night across the ridgetops and through the canyons surrounding the Los Angeles Basin into Thursday.
Wind speeds across the San Bernardino and San Gabriel Mountains later next week could be locally damaging. Depending on how the pattern evolves in the coming days, a Santa Ana event could develop across the region.
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