Wednesday January 25, 2023
San Francisco Chronicle —
The warm, dry winds over the foothills and mountains across California will continue to ferry above-average temperatures to the Bay Area. This warming trend started earlier in the week as a ridge of high pressure over the Pacific Ocean began marching toward the West Coast.
That same ridge is forecast to expand today, and will quickly block any moisture and low-pressure systems that are trying to move into California. Over the next couple of days this “omega block” will become the dominant weather pattern, bringing rounds of offshore winds to areas of the state that were dealing with extreme flooding just weeks ago.
The return of the Pacific High
The Bay Area and much of California is experiencing a well-deserved intermission from one of the wettest weeks in recent memory. This break in the wet pattern is thanks to a ridge of high pressure off the coast that’s largely been absent this winter season.