Now that we reached record highs on Thursday, it will all be downhill temperature-wise as we head into the weekend. An offshore trough of low pressure will begin moving onshore Friday. Initially, the only effect will be to cool us off a bit and kick up some afternoon winds. But by Saturday, the low settles in nearly on top of us, which will drop our high temperatures to the “barely 60 degree range,” and will make Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning rain pretty likely. Mountain snow levels could lower to below 8,000’ by early Sunday, but significant accumulations at or below the major mountain passes are unlikely.

While the weather we get in one season usually has no bearing on the weather we can expect the next, a very wet winter and spring can have longer lasting effects. The extra moisture in the ground evaporates readily when the temperature rises, raising the humidity of the lower atmosphere. Moist air is inherently more unstable than dry air, which increases the chances that small tickles in the atmosphere amplify into afternoon thunderstorms. So don’t be surprised if the warmer weather we’ve had lately might be accompanied by a more active thunderstorm season.