Why is it so warm in Northern California? How long this streak of above-average temperatures could last
REALLY COMFORTABLE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW. LET’S GET OVER TO METEOROLOGIST DIRK VERDOORN. SO NICE. YESTERDAY WHEN THE WINDS DIED DOWN WE HAD A NICE DAY OUT THERE. IT WAS JUST PERFECT TEMPERATURE WISE. THE SKIES WERE BEAUTIFUL AND CLEAR, LOTS OF SUNSHINE. AND TODAY, AGAIN, A FEW HIGH THIN CLOUDS. AS YOU CAN SEE HERE. SATELLITE VIEW SHOWING US THE LOW CLOUD COVER ALONG THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA. BUT THAT’S REALLY NOT IMPACTING OUR FORECAST HERE IN THE VALLEY. TOO MUCH FOOTHILLS, THE SIERRA ALL LOOKING PRETTY GOOD WITH JUST SOME HIGH THIN CLOUDS MOVING ON THROUGH. LIVE LOOK FROM WEST SACRAMENTO, OUR SUTTER HEALTH PARK SKY CAMERA SHOWING US AGAIN ALL THE GREEN, ALL THE TREES ARE OUT AND IN BLOSSOM. THOSE TREES THAT HAVE THE FLOWERS MOSTLY SUNNY WITH LIGHT WINDS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE DAY. TODAY WE ARE LOOKING AT ABOVE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES. EVEN THOUGH WE ARE GOING TO SEE A LITTLE DIP IN TEMPERATURES THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, WE’RE STILL GOING TO BE STAYING IN THE 70S. SO RIGHT NOW, THIS TIME OF YEAR, WE TYPICALLY SEE TEMPERATURES RANGING IN THE MID 60S. WE ARE LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME RECORD WARMTH, ESPECIALLY AS WE GET INTO THE WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK. SO RIGHT NOW TEMPERATURES UPPER 60S FROM YUBA CITY THROUGH SACRAMENTO, STOCKTON AND MODESTO, 64 DEGREES IN FAIRFIELD, 70 IN AUBURN AND CURRENTLY 58 DEGREES LAKE TAHOE 54, IN TRUCKEE, WHICH IS FOUR DEGREES WARMER THAN WE WERE YESTERDAY. WE’RE A COUPLE OF DEGREES WARMER IN AUBURN AND PLACERVILLE, THREE DEGREES WARMER IN YUBA CITY AND FAIRFIELD, AND THE DEGREE WARMER IN MODESTO, WHILE STOCKTON, YOU’RE ACTUALLY A DEGREE COOLER RIGHT NOW. WINDS WINDS BLOWING ANYWHERE FROM 5 TO 8MPH UP AND DOWN THE VALLEY, MAINLY COMING FROM THE WEST. WE’RE SEEING THAT FLOW A LITTLE BIT OF A BREEZE IN THROUGH THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY AND AN OFFSHORE BREEZE CURRENTLY IN SAN FRANCISCO. SO WINDS, WHAT’S GOING ON WITH OUR STEERING CURRENTS. SO THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE THE FLOW THAT PUSHES ALL THE WEATHER SYSTEMS ALONG. AND IT’S REMAINING FAIRLY FLAT. YOU HAVE THE COLDER AIR TO THE NORTH. AND THAT’S WHERE YOU HAVE THESE COLD AIR CUMULUS CLOUDS THAT ARE UP INTO THE GULF OF ALASKA AND ALONG THE COAST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA AND THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. WHILE THE WARMER AIR, IT’S OVER ALONG THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA. NOW, THE WATER IS COLD, BUT THE AIR TEMPERATURES ARE RUNNING A LITTLE BIT WARMER. AND THAT’S WHY OUR TEMPERATURES ARE ABOVE AVERAGE FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. THIS TREND IS GOING TO CONTINUE NOT ONLY FOR THE NEXT FIVE DAYS, BUT THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND BEYOND. WE’RE LOOKING AT WELL ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES IN THROUGH MUCH OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND INTO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, ESPECIALLY THE FARTHER SOUTH YOU GO, THE WARMER THINGS ARE GOING TO GET. WE’RE SEEING THAT EXTENDING INTO ARIZONA AND PORTIONS OF UTAH AS WELL. BUT THIS SLIGHTLY ABOVE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES THROUGH OREGON AND EVEN ON INTO WASHINGTON, THIS TREND IS GOING TO CONTINUE WITH TEMPERATURES THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN THE 80S. SO WE COULD SEE SOME NEAR RECORD WARMTH COMING OUR WAY. AS WE GET INTO NEXT WEEK, WE ARE LOOKING AT CONDITIONS TODAY, THOUGH, WARMING INTO THE MID TO UPPER 50S FOR TRUCKEE AND LAKE TAHOE, 70 IN AUBURN AND PLACERVILLE ALREADY THERE IN THE 70S IN JACKSON AND ANGELS CAMP BAY AREA. TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 60S. WE HAVE MID 70S IN NAPA AND 75 DEGREES. THE FORECAST HIGH IN FAIRFIELD AND MID 70S THROUGH MANTECA AND TRACY, 75 IN STOCKTON, AS WELL AS LODI AND THROUGH THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY. TEMPERATURES IN THE MID 70S THROUGH DAVIS AND WOODLAND, YUBA CITY 75 DEGREES AND 76. IN ROSEVILLE SEVEN DAY FORECAST SHOWS A LITTLE DIP, JUST A SLIGHT DIP IN TEMPERATURES TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. AND THEN WE SEE THOSE TEMPERATURES BACK IN THE UPPER 70S CLOSE TO 80 DEGREES. AND AGAIN THE WEEKEND. THAT’S WHEN WE’LL SEE MORE WIDESPREAD 80S AND INTO NEXT WEEK WHERE IT COULD GET EVEN WARMER. WE COULD SEE TEMPERATURES IN THE MID TO LOW 80S NEXT WEEK.
Why is it so warm in Northern California? How long this streak of above-average temperatures could last
Updated: 3:00 PM PDT Mar 9, 2026
Temperatures have been running above normal so far for the month of March in Northern California. This trend will continue with temperatures expected to climb into the 80s by the end of this week and possibly reach record levels by next week. Record temperatures for the next few weeks run in the mid to low 80s, while forecast highs will be right in that range as well. The reason for this climb in temperatures will be due to a ridge of high pressure building over the West Coast. This mound of air will create sinking air, mostly sunny skies and temperatures 15 to 20 degrees above what we typically see at this time of year. This coming stretch of very warm weather looks like it could last until March 20. This is a long-range outlook, so remember, whenever you look at things that far out, they are often subject to change, and this is no exception. Make sure you stay tuned for more updates in the days to come.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Temperatures have been running above normal so far for the month of March in Northern California.
This trend will continue with temperatures expected to climb into the 80s by the end of this week and possibly reach record levels by next week. Record temperatures for the next few weeks run in the mid to low 80s, while forecast highs will be right in that range as well.
The reason for this climb in temperatures will be due to a ridge of high pressure building over the West Coast. This mound of air will create sinking air, mostly sunny skies and temperatures 15 to 20 degrees above what we typically see at this time of year.
This coming stretch of very warm weather looks like it could last until March 20. This is a long-range outlook, so remember, whenever you look at things that far out, they are often subject to change, and this is no exception. Make sure you stay tuned for more updates in the days to come.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel