


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Eureka, CA
Issued by NWS Eureka, CA
330 FXUS66 KEKA 181104 AFDEKA AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Eureka CA 404 AM PDT Fri Apr 18 2025 .SYNOPSIS...A warmup to slightly above average temperatures will carry into next week. Chances for a wetting rain will remain very low through the weekend and into next week with the passing of a dry front and a week trough. Stronger northerly winds are expected over the weekend, with additional breezy northerly winds into next week. && .DISCUSSION...An upper trough will continue diving into the Great Basin region, and will then proceed into the Four Corners region through the weekend. A NE Pacific ridge is nosing in as the trough passes. This will result in a slight warning trend through the weekend, with daytime highs in the interior valleys reaching to mid to upper 70s, with some movement into the 80s likely. The coast looks to break into 60s today. The coastal stratus will be much less prevalent as northerly winds increase over the weekend, though there are indications some pesky stratus may suppress daytime highs, mainly around Humboldt Bay on Saturday. The pressure gradient will increase as a mostly dry front approaches from the NW on Saturday. A few light terrain enhanced showers or some coastal drizzle may occur Saturday as the front passes, but probabilities for a trace amount of measurable rainfall are only 30% for Trinity County. A weak shortwave trough will also clip N CA Sunday afternoon. This will bring some elevated instability to Trinity County, but available moisture for convection will be severely limited. Northerly winds will be on the increase beginning today as the pressure gradient strengthens. These winds increase Saturday with a strengthening thermal trough. Gusts up to around 20 to 30 mph for the ridges and headlands can be expected Saturday afternoon. The previously mentioned shortwave trough on Sunday will bring chances for higher gusts, with 25 to 35 mph gusts likely, and some 40 mph gusts at the standout exposed headlands. Probabilities for gusts over 25 mph do not significantly drop until after Tuesday of next week. Chances for rainfall start to slightly increase next Thursday with a clipping trough from the north. Clusters are in general agreement on a mid level trough to move in from the west and bring better chances of rainfall and possible thunderstorms late next week, but the timing, positions and depth of the low has much uncertainty. /JJW && .AVIATION...So far conditions have remained mostly VFR overnight as a marine lay has struggled to form thanks to the influence of gentle offshore flow. That said, some very shallow fog is visible on satellite in more protected locations. There is a slight chance (25%) of fog bringing inconsistent IFR conditions to coastal terminals around sunrise. Beyond that, VFR conditions are most likely through the day. There is again a moderate chance (35% chance) of a shallow and inconsistent marine layer bringing periods of IFR conditions late Friday evening into early Saturday. /JHW && .MARINE...Northerly wind has remained pushed into the far outer waters overnight with gentle winds along shore and seas continuing to decline. Calmer conditions will persist today with Fresh breezes staying isolated to the far outer waters. A passing upper level shortwave this weekend will once again push strong northerlies closer to shore. Gale force gusts up to 35 kts are most likely in the outer waters with gusts up to 25 kts pushing into the inner waters each afternoon. Winds build steep short period seas once again in excess of 12 feet. Consistent, strong north wind is most likely to continue through most of next week. /JHW && .EKA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CA... None. NORTHWEST CALIFORNIA COASTAL WATERS... Small Craft Advisory from 9 PM this evening to 9 AM PDT Monday for PZZ450. Small Craft Advisory from 3 PM Saturday to 9 AM PDT Monday for PZZ455. Small Craft Advisory until 9 AM PDT Saturday for PZZ470. Gale Warning from 9 AM Saturday to 9 AM PDT Monday for PZZ470. Small Craft Advisory from 9 AM this morning to 3 AM PDT Sunday for PZZ475. Gale Watch from late Saturday night through Monday morning for PZZ475. && $$ Visit us at https://www.weather.gov/eureka Follow us on Facebook and Twitter at: https://www.facebook.com/NWSEureka https://www.twitter.com/NWSEureka For forecast zone information see the forecast zone map online: https://www.weather.gov/images/eka/zonemap.png