Cooler Temperatures and Wet Conditions Moving Into West

Posted: May 1, 2023 12:00 pm

The last week of April brought record-breaking temperatures for much of the West Coast. However, that is all changing as the calendar flips to May. Here is what you can expect this week in this part of the country.

Looking Back at Record-Breaking Temperatures to End April

A new weather pattern is moving in from the Pacific Ocean, bringing rain and cooler air to an area that has been enjoying unseasonably warm temperatures the past several days.

It had been particularly nice for the Pacific Northwest, an area known for its long and dark winters.

Many communities in the Northwest saw daily high records fall on Friday and Saturday under brilliantly sunny skies. Portland shattered the previous record of 82 degrees for April 28 when the mercury soared to 88 degrees. The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport also saw a record fall when it hit 80 degrees on Friday.

Records were also falling farther to the south. Lancaster, California reached 95 degrees on Saturday, good for a new daily high record.

Change is on the Way for the West

A broad area of low pressure has stalled across the coastal areas of California to start the month of May, creating what is expected to be days of cool and wet weather for a large portion of the Golden State.

The clouds will make it as far north as Washington to start the week, bringing an end to the dry stretch.

It will be a drastic change in the weather for both Seattle and Portland. Temperatures are forecast to fall into the low 60s for daily highs, a bit below normal for the beginning of May.

After hitting the 90s for four consecutive days, the temperature in Redding, California may not even see the 70-degree territory through Thursday.

What About the Moisture Chances?

The storm system will also bring a good shot of moisture along with it. You can expect thunderstorms to pop up in the central portions of California as a result of this weather maker.

San Francisco, San Jose, and Fresno will all be under the threat of storms on Tuesday.

The rain will become more widespread throughout California as the week continues. The forecast is calling for rain showers in cities such as San Diego and Los Angeles. Even if Southern California escapes the worst of the rain, you can expect low clouds and light drizzle hanging around for a few days.

It has already been a record-setting start to 2023 for California as it relates to moisture. The constant parade of storms has filled up the state’s major reservoirs and erased the drought in many areas.

This week’s storm will bring up to a half of an inch of rain to places such as Sacramento and Los Angeles. Should this transpire as forecast, the amount of rain could translate to what some cities see over the entire month of May.

The upcoming weather maker will also bring snow to some of the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada.

Warmer in the Intermountain West

Temperatures will remain high in the interior portions of the West, trending well above average for the first week of May. After a brief dip in the mercury to start the work week, the temperatures will start another upward trajectory by the middle of the week.

For example, the high temperature in Spokane, Washington will inch up into the mid 80s by Tuesday.

Boise, Idaho will start the week in the 80s with the trend expected to continue through the week until a new round of moisture arrives on Saturday.

It will also be unseasonably warm in Salt Lake City with readings hitting the upper 70s through the middle of the week. These temperatures will hover about 10 degrees above normal for this time of the year.

The warming temperatures are triggering a rapid snowmelt across the region. Some river gauges in Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and Oregon were already at minor flood stage by Sunday morning. This movement will continue this week as the mercury climbs even more.

The warm and dry conditions will remain in place for the Intermountain West for the balance of the week. Meanwhile, it will remain cool and wet in California.

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