Funnel Cloud in California, April 17, 2023

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
National Weather Service Eureka CA
257 PM PDT Mon Apr 17 2023

.SYNOPSIS...A well defined front is currently crossing the area with
moderate rain and wind. This front has brought snow above 2000 feet.
Showers will tapper off this evening with cold air building into the
area. Dry and warm weather will return headed into this evening.

&&

.DISCUSSION...A weak but narrow negatively tilted trough has
continued to dip over the area today, helping to force a well
defined front on shore. This front has brought a narrow band of
moderate rain showers this afternoon along with modest gusty winds.
Winds gusting 20 to 30 mph will continue through the early evening
with the strongest gusts on the upper elevations of Del Norte
County. Up to 0.5 inches of rain has already fallen along the coast
with an additional 0.5 to 1.0 inch along the North Coast this
evening. The heaviest rain will fall along upper elevation ridges.
Some accumulating snow has been observed as low as Collier Tunnel.
Isolated lightning has also been observed off shore, but non has yet
been seen on land.

Heading later in the evening, models consistently show very cold air
over the area. Model soundings from the NAM also show up to 300 J/Kg
of CAPE. Though any showers behind the current front will be
scattered at best, mixing will likely be strong enough to lower snow
levels near 2000 feet, especially as solar heating decreases. An
additional 2 to 4 inches of snow could fall this evening, including
snow yet to fall with he current line of showers. HREF shows the
highest confidence around Collier Tunnel where there is at least a
50% chance of 2 to 4 inches over the next few hours. Any snowfall
will be wet and inconsistent mixed with rain. With such cold air and
CAPE, a few booms of thunder can not be ruled out along the coast.

Wind and showers will gradually tapper off late this evening into
Tuesday morning. Light rain showers will continue along the coast
through Wednesday with an additional 0.5 inches of rain, mostly
right along the coast. Should skies clear, widespread frost is likely
in Mendocino COunty mid week. Temperatures are very likely to be
near freezing regardless thank to cold air advection, but frost
formation will be difficult if clouds remain.Otherwise warm and dry
weather will return this weekend with another weak trough possible
early next week. /JHW

&&

.AVIATION...A brief period of IFR to MVFR conditions have been
achieved this afternoon as a cold front sweeps across the coast.
KBHX radar would suggest that the clouds and precip should last at
least another couple of hours until this front exits east of the
coastal terminals.  Conditions will improve later this evening, but
still likely hover around the mvfr range while ACV looks like it
will hold on to MVFR conditions longer than CEC as another weak
system moves into the coast early tomorrow. Interior areas should
remain vfr.

&&

.MARINE...A cold front is currently approaching the coast and
with it are some gusty southerly winds...but over the next few hours
the winds will switch to a more westerly direction and diminish in
speed.  Winds will begin to switch back to southerly after midnight
ahead of another weak front but should remain below sca scale.
Nonetheless a SCA is in effect for all waters due to an increasing
NW swell that will persist through the next 24-36 hours.

&&

.EKA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...
     Winter Weather Advisory until 3 AM PDT Tuesday for CAZ102-
     105>108.

NORTHWEST CALIFORNIA COASTAL WATERS...
     Small Craft Advisory until 11 PM PDT Tuesday for PZZ450-470.

     Small Craft Advisory from 11 PM this evening to 11 PM PDT
     Tuesday for PZZ455-475.

&&

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Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Eureka CA
309 AM PDT Mon Apr 17 2023

CAZ101>115-181015-
Coastal Del Norte-Del Norte Interior-Northern Humboldt Coast-
Southwestern Humboldt-Northern Humboldt Interior-
Southern Humboldt Interior-Northern Trinity-Southern Trinity-
Mendocino Coast-Northwestern Mendocino Interior-
Northeastern Mendocino Interior-Southwestern Mendocino Interior-
Southeastern Mendocino Interior-Northern Lake-Southern Lake-
309 AM PDT Mon Apr 17 2023

This hazardous weather outlook is for northwest California.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EUREKA CA
722 PM PDT MON APR 17 2023

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0716 PM     HAIL             2 SSW ARCATA ARPT       40.96N 124.11W
04/17/2023  E0.25 INCH       HUMBOLDT           CA   NWS EMPLOYEE

            VERY SMALL HAIL BRIEFLY ACCUMULATED ON THE
            GROUND.

&&

MKK

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EUREKA CA
741 PM PDT MON APR 17 2023

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0715 PM     HAIL             1 WSW ARCATA ARPT       40.98N 124.12W
04/17/2023  E0.25 INCH       HUMBOLDT           CA   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

            VEHICLE SLID OFF THE ROAD AND OVERTURNED.
            HAIL SIZE ESTIMATED. ADDITIONAL REPORTS OF
            VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD BETWEEN MCKINLEYVILLE
            AND TRINIDAD.

&&

MKK

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EUREKA CA
744 PM PDT MON APR 17 2023

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0736 PM     HAIL             1 NW ARCATA             40.88N 124.09W
04/17/2023  E0.25 INCH       HUMBOLDT           CA   NWS EMPLOYEE

            PEA SIZED HAIL BRIEFLY, BUT NOT ACCUMULATING
            ON THE GROUND.

&&

MKK