North Ops Weather - 2026

I saw what you did :joy:.

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Certainly some welcome changes in the temps on order for much of the state. The incoming low pressure will allow for an expansion of thunderstorm coverage. Really does not look at this time like a widespread event.. and on an interesting note.. anecdotally not a very prolific lightning year.. that could obviously all change. As has been noted these types of broad pattern changes to weaker high pressure or even a trough pattern can increase the onshore flow and heighten fire risk especially for existing fires.
There will be a noticeable increase in the normal diurnal wind patterns.
I would like to bring some attention to a few different metrics. We often focus on day time max temps as that is when we are all most active and it is during that time that we can draw a sense of what is and is not comfortable.
From a fire and fuels behavior perspective I would watch your over night temps. That period for our Mediterranean climate when our vegetation can recover and we can take advantage of cooler temps and higher humidities from a firefighting perspective.
This year has featured higher overnight minimums…those can have dramatic effects on fire behavior and fuel drying cycle.

This is a “cherry picked” model.. but not a “cherry picked” finding. We see, in this graphic,the departure from climatology of the overnight minimum temperatures. This has been consistent and is remaining consistent over the next 10-12 day period.
The areas specifically around NW and NE CA have been showing some of the greatest increases in these temperatures.

Commensurate.. dew points.

Why does this matter.. if you go back to S-290 and dry adiabatic lapse rate we know that lower dew points mean dryer air which can hold onto less moisture in the form of humidity.
The phenomenon of warmer over night temps and lower RH has caused many fires to burn much more aggressively once that dryer and warmer air settles in during the overnight period. This phenomena is not just restricted to coastal areas but can also occur inland from the coast.
This departure in overnight temps has a negative effect on the time lag for dead fuels to react to temp changes and can accelerate the drying cycles of both live and dead fuels.
Get beyond the basics…

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NorCal latest Wx forecast:

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Can’t wait :sign_of_the_horns::sign_of_the_horns::sign_of_the_horns:

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Spicy before a cooldown perhaps?! :face_with_monocle:

“FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH
THURSDAY EVENING FOR THUNDERSTORMS AND STRONG OUTFLOW WINDS FOR
FIRE ZONES 130,132,133,135,136,138 AND 139”

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Expanded to Northern Sierra and Northeast high deserts:

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And this RFW…

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RFW has either expired or been canceled for most of NOPS

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Hearing rumors from camp of a potential lightning event in NorCal next week? Any modeling support the rumor?

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Shaking my magic weather 8 ball several times im coming up no answers for lightning next week. Seeing/hearing that perhaps a return to warm ridging again and then something of a tropical mater might be worth watching way out in fantasy land. Thats the best i can come up with. :thinking:

Sure am enjoying a cool down right now tho!!! :nerd_face:

Michael’s video from today hints at possibilities in the far out days to come - beyond a week from now - but take all that w/ a grain (or several) of salt..

Side note: The Wx action that started the Siege of 1987 didn’t kick off till Aug 30th so..

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Same with the Butte Lightning bust of 1999, last week of August, I believe…

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I believe I read someplace that a good indicator of cloud to ground lightning involved a kite, some cotton string and a key placed toward the ground end. If it was raining an umbrella could be useful also. :face_with_bags_under_eyes:

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As seen on the IMET’s desk.

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Not a huge signal for any moisture next week for NOPS. From what I see.. a flat ridge( not strong) remains in place through the weekend. A slight warm up followed by what could be a sharp trough passage to the PNW mid week. This could usher in another round of comfortable weather, but with some wind ( onshore). This could certainly bring some FWW for dry winds and low RH on the Eastside and Plateau areas.
After that it looks like the ridge builds back with pressure gradients increasing from the NW and then North. Not really a wind event.. just pressure differential around the High building in.
With that… lowering humidity as well.
I would say right on par with what we would expect for Mid-August.
Still a week out.. so I would not put all your chips in..

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Seasoned IMETs use chicken bones. I was told by a IMET that only rookies use the magic 8 ball

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It was 8/30 - I’ll never forget. I was at 7000’ in the Yolla Bolly’s, so got a bird’s eye view. Came out of the backcountry and started off with a 60 hour shift; that was just plain dumb, in retrospect.

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Every once in a while mother nature just shows you something different.

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Looking at a few predictive radar forecasts for Monday morning. Two show thunderstorms in the North Bay tomorrow morning. I don’t see any narratives in any of the forecasts reflecting this. Any weather folks out there see something in your crystal balls that others are missing?

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