Thread: Western US will most likely see record-setting warm temperatures

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Western US will most likely see record-setting warm temperatures

Mar 24th 2015 10:55AM
By Linda Lam

Familiar words will return to the forecast in the West later this week: record warm temperatures. So far this year, above-average temperatures have dominated weather conditions in the western United States and this trend appears very likely to continue.

(MORE: Warm Winter in the West)

A ridge of high pressure will bring record warm temperatures to much of the West later this week, while a dip in the jet stream will allow below-average temperatures to return to the Northeast, as well as parts of the Midwest and South. This is the pattern that has been in place for most of this year so far, with the jet stream far to the north over western North America and then the jet stream takes a dip in the East allowing cold air to plunge into areas east of the Mississippi River.

(MORE: Temperature Roller Coaster for the East)

Check out how the world is enjoying spring

Record Warm Temperatures to End the Week
The warmth expands out of the Desert Southwest into the Pacific Northwest and Rockies Thursday into Friday as the ridge of high pressure slides into the West. Above-average temperatures will then spread across the West and into parts of the Plains this weekend.
Here's a look at the potential for record-breaking temperatures day-by-day:

Thursday: High temperatures will be 10 to 20 degrees above average from southern Arizona through Nevada, California and into Oregon and Washington.

Record highs are possible in (current record high is in parentheses): Portland, Oregon (73),Fresno, California (87) and Reno, Nevada (77).

Friday: Above-average temperatures expand to envelop the entire Rockies from Montana to New Mexico, while temperatures will remain warm through the Southwest and along the West Coast. Highs will reach the 70s for much of the northern tier, with 80s and 90s in parts of California, Nevada and Arizona.

Record highs are possible in San Diego (82), Downtown Los Angeles (91), and Seattle (71).

Saturday: Mild conditions will start the day in the West, with low temperatures up to 30 degrees above average. Highs will once again soar well above average, except along the immediate West Coast.

Record highs are likely once again including in Las Vegas (89), Sacramento, California (81),Boise, Idaho (76) and Flagstaff, Arizona (68).

Sunday: Temperatures will once again be 10 to 20 degrees above average throughout much of the West. That warmth will spread farther east in the Plains and Upper Midwest.

Record highs are possible in Phoenix (95), Albuquerque (81) and Salt Lake City (75).

(MAPS: 10-day Forecast)

Above-average temperatures will likely persist in the West heading into at least the first week of April. The Climate Prediction Center has given most of the West a greater than 70 percent chance of seeing above-average temperatures in their 6 to 10 day outlook.

Warmest March So Far
Many cities are currently experiencing their warmest March on record and this comes after many locations in the West experienced their warmest winter on record.

(MORE: Warmest Winter for These Cities)

As of March 21 the following cities have seen their warmest March on record (their average temperature, the average between the low and high temperature, for the month of March is in parentheses): Los Angeles Downtown (67.7), San Diego (66.3), Santa Barbara, California (63.6), Long Beach, California (66.6), Boise, Idaho (48.8), Portland, Oregon (51.7), Wenatchee, Washington (49.4) and Yakima, Washington (48.8).

Salinas California is also experiencing their warmest March on record, with an average temperature of 61.53 degrees. Salinas has also seen the warmest start to the year with an average temperature of 59.27 degrees from January 1 to March 21 (80 days), which is more than 2 degrees higher than the previous warmest January 1 through March 21 period (56.95) which was in 2014.

In addition, Salinas also recorded their warmest February, January and December this past winter and has had a top-10 warmest month since July.

Downtown Los Angeles has also tied the record for most 80 degree days year-to-date. Through March 22, Los Angeles has reported 21 days with high temperatures at or above 80 degrees.

The forecast through the end of March calls for the above-average temperature trend to continue, so many more cities will likely be added to the list of record warmest March.

(MORE: Earth's Warmest Winter on Record)

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Warmest Winter on Record 2014-15 (Photos)

http://www.aol.com/article/2015/03/2...ures/21156961/

Heat wave brings sweltering temperatures to L.A. area

Heat waveMark Boster / Los Angeles Times
A surfer stays cool at the Wedge in Newport Beach. The surf on south facing beaches is expected to get larger late Friday through the weekend.


By VERONICA ROCHA contact the reporter

Hot temperatures expected to set records in Southern California

Temperatures will reach 91 degrees in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday and Friday

Temperatures soared into the 90s Thursday as another heat wave hit Southern California.

As of 3 p.m., Long Beach hit 93 degrees, downtown L.A. hit 90, Woodland Hills hit 91 and Fullerton recorded 95. It was slightly cooler at the beaches, with temperatures in the high 70s and low 80s.

A half-acre brush fire was reported in La Habra but quickly put out by firefighters.

As high pressure builds over the region and offshore winds develop, a hot air mass will push temperatures up in Southern California.




The record-breaking heat signals a three-month trend of above-normal temperatures for the next three months, forecasters say.

According to the latest U.S. drought report, dry weather worsened or maintained the drought in California, and reduced mountain snowpacks over much of the West.

While mountain ranges in Northern California received more than an inch of rain this week, the rainfall fell short of supplying any significant moisture to relieve the drought, according to meteorologist Eric Luebehusen of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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In California's San Joaquin Valley and the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest, water-year precipitation averaged 30% to 50% of normal.

The warmer temperatures will bring strong surf and dangerous rip currents this week to beaches in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, NWS meteorologist Stuart Seto said.

“Right when it’s getting hot, we tell you that you can’t go to the beach,” he said.

Strong swells are expected to thrash south-facing beaches, bringing 3- to 6-foot surf south of Point Conception and 4- to 8-foot surf along the Central Coast.

CAPTIONCattle ranchAl Seib / Los Angeles Times
In January 2014, cattle rancher Rob Frost surveys the remains of an animal that died due to drought conditions on grazing land near Santa Paula, where the grass is normally 6 to 10 inches high this time of year. Frost says in an ordinary year he will lose 1% of his cattle to natural causes but...


The potential for rip currents, beach erosion and sneaker waves is high, Seto said.

But the heat wave should be temporary. Cooler temperatures are expected Saturday and Sunday with highs in the 80s, which Seto said is still 10 degrees above normal for this time of year.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/l...326-story.html

Yeah, and we're running out of water, too. And all the while Governor Jerry Brown is touting his high speed choo-choo train, when we should be building desalination plants.

Yo, Jerry, we can't drink choo-choo trains.
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