SLO County weather forecast for the week of March 26

Here is this week’s weather forecast by PG&E meteorologist John Lindsey.

A strong 1,036-millibar Eastern Pacific High will park itself off the California coast and will close the storm door to the Central Coast as the upper-level winds (jet stream/storm track) will be pushed far to the north. This condition will create a prolonged dry spell through the first week of April.

Gusty Santa Lucia (northeasterly) winds during the night and morning hours will keep the marine layer out to sea through Thursday. Temperatures will warm under strengthening high pressure, returning to near normal by Tuesday with highs in the 60s and 70s and then above-normal Wednesday as temperatures will range from the upper 60s along the coast to 70s across inland valleys and possibly near 80 in the North County.

Warm conditions will persist through the remainder of the week, with temperatures expected to peak Thursday and Friday as most locations will be around 10 to possibly 15 degrees above normal or 70s at the coast and mid-70s to low 80s in the coastal valleys and North County.

Weakening high pressure will allow for persistent onshore flow to develop by the end of the week. This condition will let the marine layer develop along the coastline, with fog and mist and cooler weather expected for the weekend. The next chance for rain appears to be in the second week of April.

Note: Last week’s rain increased lake and reservoir levels. Salinas Reservoir increased to 94 percent of capacity as of Sunday from 81 percent March 19. Lopez Lake improved to 52 percent of capacity. Lake Nacimiento went from 46 percent of capacity March 19 to 55 percent as of Sunday. Lake San Antonio remained at 32 percent. Whale rock reservoir was at 73 percent of capacity as of March 21.

Surf report

Fresh to strong (19 to 31 mph) northwesterly winds along the California coastline will generate a 7- to 9-foot northwesterly (310-degree, deep-water) sea and swell (with a 5- to 12-second period) through Monday. A 4- to 6-foot northwesterly (310-degree, deep-water) sea and swell (with a 5- to 11-second period) is expected Tuesday into Thursday, decreasing to 3 to 5 feet with same period Friday into Sunday. A high-energy westerly swell could arrive along our coastline on April 5 and 6.

Seawater temperatures will range between 53 and 56 degrees through Sunday.

▪  ▪  ▪ 

This story was originally published March 25, 2018 at 2:16 PM with the headline "SLO County weather forecast for the week of March 26."