Northern California Weather Update: Cool Start, Hot Days Ahead for Sacramento Valley

This morning, an upper-level trough brought strong winds to the Delta region, with gusts reaching 33 mph at Fairfield around 3 a.m.Photo byDawid ZawiłaonUnsplash

Sacramento, CA – Today kicks off with a cool morning, but afternoon temperatures will reach near normal for late September. However, a big warm-up is on the way starting Friday, with well above-average temperatures expected to persist into next week. The National Weather Service warns of elevated fire risks early next week due to dry conditions and northerly winds.

This morning, an upper-level trough brought strong winds to the Delta region, with gusts reaching 33 mph at Fairfield around 3 a.m. Low clouds have spread across the area, but are expected to clear by mid-morning. Temperatures today will be cooler than yesterday, by about 5-10 degrees, thanks to the onshore flow.

By Friday, temperatures will rise significantly as high-pressure ridging moves in, pushing Valley highs into the mid-90s, with parts of the northern Sacramento Valley possibly hitting 100 degrees. Humidity levels will drop, increasing fire danger.

The weekend will see slightly cooler temperatures, but highs will still be 5-10 degrees above normal for this time of year.