Camp Howdy

A MAJOR CHANGE IN THE WEATHER PATTERN IS EXPECTED TO TAKE PLACE IN THE EASTERN PACIFIC STARTING THURSDAY. STRONG ZONAL FLOW IS EXPECTED TO BRING A SERIES OF PACIFIC STORMS INTO THE REGION...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL AND STRONG WINDS. THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF WEATHER SYSTEMS WILL BRING MODERATE TO LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL TO THE SAN FRANCISCO AND MONTEREY BAY AREAS THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY EVENING. WINDS WILL BE GUSTY WITH THIS FIRST SYSTEM...POSSIBLY GUSTING TO 45 MPH ALONG THE COAST AND IN THE MOUNTAINS. A SECOND AND VERY POWERFUL STORM SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO BRING HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS TO MUCH OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL CALIFORNIA FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT. DAMAGING WINDS GUSTING TO AS HIGH AS 60 MPH ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE COAST AND IN THE MOUNTAINS. DUE TO THE STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST LOW LEVEL FLOW WITH THIS SECOND SYSTEM...THERE WILL LIKELY BE SIGNIFICANT OROGRAPHIC ENHANCEMENT OF RAINFALL ACROSS SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST FACING MOUNTAIN AND FOOTHILL LOCATIONS. THE POTENTIAL FOR VERY HIGH RAINFALL RATES IN THE MOUNTAINS AND HILLS WILL BRING THE POSSIBILITY OF FLOODING OR FLASH FLOODING. A THIRD WEATHER SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO BRING ANOTHER THREAT OF SIGNIFICANT RAIN SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. AT THIS TIME...IT APPEARS THAT THIS SYSTEM WILL BE COLDER WITH LESS MOISTURE. SNOW LEVELS COULD LOWER TO 2000 TO 3000 FEET...WITH SNOW POSSIBLE ON THE BAY AREA HILLS. PRELIMINARY RAINFALL TOTALS LOOK TO BE QUITE IMPRESSIVE FOR THE ENTIRE EVENT FROM THURSDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. AT THIS TIME...COASTAL AND VALLEY LOCATIONS CAN EXPECT BETWEEN 2 TO 5 INCHES OF RAIN...WITH MOUNTAINS RECEIVING BETWEEN 5 TO 10 INCHES OF RAIN. THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS AND THE SANTA LUCIA MOUNTAINS COULD RECEIVE IN EXCESS OF 10 INCHES OF RAIN BY THE END OF THE WEEKEND. AGAIN...ALL THESE ARE PRELIMINARY NUMBERS AND CAN BE EXPECTED TO CHANGE AS NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. THESE STRONG PACIFIC STORMS ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO BRING A LARGE WESTERLY SWELL INTO THE COASTAL WATERS FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...BRINGING THE POTENTIAL FOR HIGH SURF CONDITIONS ACROSS ALL WEST FACING BEACHES.


This doesn't look like any fun.