Santa Cruz weekend weather watch: Rain, temps in low 50s headed our way
Quick Take
A late-season cold front is headed to the Bay Area and Central Coast this weekend, bringing “beneficial rain,” according to the National Weather Service. The rain may help delay fire season in the short term, but the lack of seasonal rainfall will keep longer-term fire concerns elevated.
A cold front is headed to the Bay Area and Central Coast this weekend, bringing “beneficial rain,” according to the National Weather Service.
Forecasters say clouds will move inland overnight Friday, resulting in a chilly, overcast Saturday — the forecast high temperature in Santa Cruz will be 57 degrees — with onshore winds ahead of an incoming cold front Sunday.
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“An upper-level shortwave trough off the Oregon coast is on track to move over the region on Saturday,” National Weather Service meteorologists wrote in a forecast discussion Friday afternoon. “The passing shortwave will bring the first push of colder air.”
While the weather service says there may be some light rain in the North Bay area Saturday — calling it the “appetizer before the main event” — the rain won’t arrive on the Central Coast until Sunday.
“Once the cold front moves in early Sunday, rainfall will increase in coverage and intensity from north to south,” forecasters wrote. “The front will sweep through the Bay Area early Sunday with steadier rainfall transitioning to showers behind the front in the afternoon.”
The Santa Cruz Mountains could see up to an inch of rain while the interior Central Coast could see up to a quarter inch.
“All in all, decent rainfall for April. The rain will temper fire weather concerns in the short term, but lack of seasonal rainfall will keep longer-term fire weather concerns elevated,” according to the weather service.
With a few showers lingering into Sunday evening and overnight, Monday morning will be chilly with temperatures in the upper 30s and low 40s. However, widespread frost is not likely, forecasters said.