Record Temperatures in Redding Make for a Beautiful Long Weekend

Record high temperatures and sunny skies make for another beautiful day in the NorthState.

Temperatures have continued to fall very quickly right as the sun set.  Temps will continue to fall as calm winds and clear skies will allow the earth to radiate out most of the heat accumulated during the day.  This will allow for the temperature inversions we've seen over the past few nights to continue and temperatures to dip below freezing up and down the valley.

Today’s high temperature of 70 in Redding came close to tying a high temperature record for today.  The previous high was 73 set only 2 years ago.  In addition to that, Redding broke a low temperature record on the 18^th at 25 degrees which was two degrees lower than the 27 set back in 2001.  In addition, we were only two degrees away from setting or tying another low temperature record this morning.  Needless to say, we’ve been both very warm and very cold every day this week.  The process which is allowing us to be so warm and so cold is the very strong high pressure system overhead.  This high is very dry, and has kept our rainfall 5.83 inches below average for the month of January.  The last time we had measurable rain was on January 9^th and the pattern doesn’t look like it will be shifting any time soon.  The good news is that we had so much rain and snow in November and December that we’re actually currently still two inches above normal.

Tomorrow we’ll see another beautiful sunny day with highs in the mid to upper 60s in the valley with some areas – like Redding – peaking right at 70.  The mountains will be correspondingly cooler at the higher elevations, but will continue the melting process they’ve seen over the past several days.  As we move into next week the high pressure ridge will slowly degrade, and will allow for a weak disturbance to move through.  This system won’t bring much more than showers to the mountains and clouds and sprinkles to the valley.  After that weak front moves through another high builds in and brings the sunshine back.

For up to the minute weather information follow me on Twitter @ColdFrontCarlo, and to get in on the conversation Like me on Facebook at Meteorologist Carlo Falco.

And be sure to tune in for your latest forecast tomorrow night on the KRCR News Channel 7 News at 5:30, 6:30 and 11.