Winter returns

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WINTER WILL RETURN TO SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA LATE THURSDAY

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
548 AM PST WED JAN 10 2007

CAZ042-043-048-050-055>058-060>062-110100-
ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL AREAS-SAN DIEGO COUNTY COASTAL AREAS-
SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY VALLEYS-THE INLAND EMPIRE-
SAN DIEGO COUNTY VALLEYS-SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-SANTA ANA MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS-
SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-APPLE AND LUCERNE VALLEYS-
COACHELLA VALLEY-SAN DIEGO COUNTY DESERTS-
548 AM PST WED JAN 10 2007

...WINTER WILL RETURN TO SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA LATE THURSDAY...

AFTER TWO DAYS OF RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES A SIGNIFICANT COOL DOWN WILL
OCCUR TODAY AS MARINE AIR RETURNS AND CLOUDS FROM THE SOUTH
INCREASE. BUT EVEN COLDER TEMPERATURES ARE IN STORE FOR THURSDAY
AND FRIDAY.

A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WITH ARCTIC AIR OVER BRITISH COLUMBIA WILL
DIVE SOUTH TODAY AND PUSH A STRONG COLD FRONT SOUTH THROUGH
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TONIGHT...AND CENTRAL CALIFORNIA ON THURSDAY.
THIS COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
THURSDAY NIGHT.

BEFORE IT ARRIVES...WINDS WILL BE INCREASING FROM THE SOUTHWEST
AND TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO COOL. A HIGH WIND WATCH IS IN
EFFECT FOR THE DESERT AND MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA LATE
TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. TEMPERATURES TODAY WILL BE DOWN 10 TO
20 DEGREES FROM WEDNESDAY. THURSDAY IS EXPECTED TO BE 5 TO 10
DEGREES COOLER THAN WEDNESDAY DUE TO EXTENSIVE CLOUDS AND LIGHT
RAIN SHOWERS.

WHEN THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT...SNOW LEVELS ARE
EXPECTED TO LOWER TO 3000 FEET AND PRECIPITATION INCREASE. INITIAL
ESTIMATES OF RAINFALL ARE AROUND A HALF INCH WITH SNOWFALL AMOUNTS
OF ONE TO THREE INCHES. HOWEVER THESE MAY BE REVISED UPWARD IF THE
CORE OF THE ATTIC AIR HAS A MORE OVER WATER TRAJECTORY BEFORE IT
REACHES SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

ON FRIDAY TEMPERATURES WILL DROP ANOTHER 20 TO 25 DEGREES AND THE
AIR MASS WILL BE UNSTABLE. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TO
ADD ANOTHER QUARTER OF AN INCH OF RAIN. SNOW MAY FALL AS LOW AS
900 FEET...BUT ANY ACCUMULATION IN THE FOOTHILLS AND VALLEYS IS
EXPECTED TO BE SHORT LIVED AND LESS THAN AN INCH. ELEVATIONS
ABOVE 3000 FEET COULD PICK UP ANOTHER COUPLE OF INCHES OF SNOW ON
FRIDAY. SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE FRIDAY NIGHT AND END SATURDAY
MORNING.

VERY COLD TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY.
DESERTS...VALLEYS...AND EVEN SOME COASTAL LOCATIONS WILL LIKELY BE
BELOW FREEZING EACH NIGHT. DAYTIME TEMPERATURES WILL BE CONTINUE
BELOW NORMAL.

STRONG NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS ARE EXPECTED SUNDAY THROUGH
TUESDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER NEVADA. THIS COULD BRING A
RETURN OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS BY MONDAY.

STAY TUNED TO YOUR LATEST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTS AND
STATEMENTS ON THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.


$$

BALFOUR




EDIS-01-10-07 0549 PST