SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - New Year’s Eve in California is forecast to be chillier than usual, with temperatures in some areas headed toward freezing, forecasters said Thursday.
A cold front coming down from the northeast is expected to move into the region on Friday and stick around for the first few days of 2017, National Weather Service forecaster Bob Benjamin said.
San Francisco itself can expect temperatures in the 40s on Saturday night, while weather in much of the Bay Area could drop into the low 30s on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Some parts of Sonoma and Marin counties in the North Bay could see temperatures drop into the 20s on Monday and Tuesday.
In the San Joaquin Valley, citrus growers might start turning on their wind machines to keep their oranges and lemons from freezing next week, Fresno County Farm Bureau Executive Director Ryan Jacobsen said. Temperatures overnight Wednesday cold dip to 25 degrees, he said.
“These could be some of the coldest temperatures we’ve seen this season,” Jacobsen said. “There is no doubt that when you see temperatures drop like this, farmers will be out taking some precautions.”
Southern California basked in balmy weather approaching 80 degrees Thursday under the warm influence of Santa Ana winds, but forecasters say the year would end wet and cold.
Two weather disturbances headed toward the region were expected to bring rain and mountain snow starting Friday, with daytime highs falling as much as 18 degrees from earlier in the week.
The second system rolling down the coast Saturday was predicted to be very cold for Southern California. Forecasters said people planning to travel to or through mountains should stay aware of road conditions.
A ridge of high pressure will keep the region dry on New Year’s Day, but it won’t warm things up much, leaving highs in the 50s, the NWS said.
People camping out Sunday night on Pasadena sidewalks for Monday’s 128th Rose Parade will have overnight lows in the lower 40s. The parade, which is normally held on New Year’s Day, is being held on Jan. 2 because of a never-on-Sunday tradition.
If the forecast holds, the parade will maintain its other tradition of rarely experiencing rain, but expected cloudy skies may mar the Chamber-of-Commerce vistas usually presented to the huge TV audience.
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Associated Press writer Scott Smith in Fresno contributed to this report.
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