Alert archive / California / Frost Advisories in 2026

Frost Advisory 9, NWS Eureka, CA

April 3, 2026Lake County, Mendocino County, California

NWS Eureka, CA issued this frost advisory at Apr 3, 2026, 11:50 AM PDT for Lake County, Mendocino County, California. It took effect at Apr 4, 2026, 1:00 AM PDT. It was in force for 8 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 3, 2026, 11:50 AM PDT (18:50 UTC)
In effect from
Apr 4, 2026, 1:00 AM PDT
Expired
Apr 4, 2026, 9:00 AM PDT
In force
8 hr
Issued by
NWS Eureka, CA

Counties Lake County, CA, Mendocino County, CA

The radar

The Beale AFB radar (KBBX), 128 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:52 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Oakland, CA (KOAK), launched 12:00Z, 6.8 hours before the alert went out and 188 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Oakland, CA at 12:00Z on 2026-04-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Oakland, CA at 12:00Z on 2026-04-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -48 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
2038 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
25 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-48 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-46 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

398 
WWUS76 KEKA 031850
NPWEKA

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Eureka CA
1150 AM PDT Fri Apr 3 2026

CAZ110-111-114-041600-
/O.NEW.KEKA.FR.Y.0009.260404T0800Z-260404T1600Z/
Northwestern Mendocino Interior-Northeastern Mendocino Interior-
Northern Lake-
Including Gravelly Valley Airport, Potter Valley, and Covelo
1150 AM PDT Fri Apr 3 2026

...FROST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 9 AM PDT SATURDAY...

* WHAT...Temperatures as low as 33 will result in frost formation.

* WHERE...Northern Mendocino Interior, and Northern Lake.

* WHEN...From 1 AM to 9 AM PDT Saturday.

* IMPACTS...Frost could harm sensitive outdoor vegetation. Sensitive
  outdoor plants may be killed if left uncovered.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.

&&

$$

For hazard areas see https://www.wrh.noaa.gov/map/?wfo=eka

JB
1 follow-up statement
189 
WWUS76 KEKA 041600
NPWEKA

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Eureka CA
900 AM PDT Sat Apr 4 2026

CAZ110-111-114-041700-
/O.EXP.KEKA.FR.Y.0009.000000T0000Z-260404T1600Z/
Northwestern Mendocino Interior-Northeastern Mendocino Interior-
Northern Lake-
Including Covelo, Potter Valley, and Gravelly Valley Airport
900 AM PDT Sat Apr 4 2026

...FROST ADVISORY HAS EXPIRED...

The threat has ended.

$$

For hazard areas see https://www.wrh.noaa.gov/map/?wfo=eka

DB

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this frost advisory went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Eureka, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this frost advisory went out at Apr 3, 1:51 AM PDT, 9 hours 59 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • -Frost potential through early Friday morning. -Interior highs int he low 80s this weekend -Slight chance of wetting rain mid next week.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 3, 1:51 AM PDT, 9 hours 59 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
National Weather Service Eureka CA
151 AM PDT Fri Apr 3 2026

.SYNOPSIS...Much warmer and drier than normal conditions will build
today and through the weekend. Cooler conditions return next week
with chance for wetting rain mid week.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...

-Frost potential through early Friday morning.

-Interior highs int he low 80s this weekend

-Slight chance of wetting rain mid next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...A ridge of high pressure has rapidly begun to build.
Clear skies and much drier air settling over the areas has allowed
for relatively cold temperatures overnight with many interior valleys
in the upper 30s by midnight. Patchy frost formation is likely by
sunrise, though sporadic valley fog will limit overall coverage.

Solidly warmer than normal conditions will arrive Friday. Warming
will peak this weekend with interior high temperatures in the low to
mid 80s. Potential for highs over 85, however, is generally low
(around 15% chance for the hottest valleys). Marine air will be
restricted to a shallow marine layer at the coast, especially after
moderate north winds along shore on Friday give way to nearly calm
winds this weekend.

There is high confidence that high pressure will gradually weaken by
early next week with a low pressure system moving in along shore.
The path, strength, and moisture associated with this low remains
highly variable, though chances have slightly improved compared to
yesterday. About 40% of model ensemble members suggest wetting rain
across the northern half of the area, though still less than 10%
show potential for any amount over 1.0 inch.
/JHW

&&

.AVIATION...Prevailing VFR conditions is expected
for all TAF sites through the period. Surface winds from N-NE up to
5 kts, becoming to the NW at 10-15kts with occasional higher gusts
Friday afternoon. /ZVS

&&

.MARINE...A very steep and hazardous westerly swell will start build
in overnight, reaching 10-15 feet at 12 seconds early Thursday. A
Hazardous Seas Warning remain in effect through Thursday afternoon
for the northern waters, while small crafts advisory for the
southern waters. Large westerly swells will gradually subside
Thursday night through Friday night, with hazardous conditions for
small crafts across all waters. Winds and seas will ease over the
weekend, and persist through early next week. /ZVS

&&

.EKA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...
     Frost Advisory until 9 AM PDT this morning for CAZ102>106-
     109>115.

NORTHWEST CALIFORNIA COASTAL WATERS...
     Small Craft Advisory until 6 AM PDT Saturday for PZZ450-455.

     Small Craft Advisory until 11 AM PDT Saturday for PZZ470-
     475.

&&

NOTE: The full forecast discussion is now regularly issued between
10 am/pm and 1 pm/am. Additional updates will be issued as needed.

Visit us at https://www.weather.gov/eureka

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For forecast zone information
see the forecast zone map online:
https://www.weather.gov/images/eka/zonemap.png

Nearby

Frost Advisories in California, 2026Every frost advisory in 2026

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.