Sunrise 6:26 AM   Sunset 7:56 PM Moonrise 4:08 PM   Moonset 4:10 AM

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PZZ455 Cape Mendocino To Pt Arena Out 10 Nm- 250 Am Pdt Sat Apr 20 2024
.small craft advisory in effect from late tonight through Sunday evening - .
Today - NW winds 5 to 10 kt - .rising to 10 to 20 kt. Waves N 3 ft at 6 seconds - .and S 2 ft at 15 seconds. Patchy fog. Tonight - NW winds 15 to 25 kt. Waves nw 6 ft at 7 seconds - .and S 2 ft at 14 seconds. Sun - NW winds 15 to 25 kt. Waves nw 8 ft at 7 seconds - .and W 4 ft at 13 seconds. Sun night - N winds 10 to 20 kt. Waves N 8 ft at 8 seconds - .and nw 4 ft at 12 seconds. Mon - S winds 5 to 15 kt. Waves N 5 ft at 7 seconds - .and nw 4 ft at 12 seconds. Tue - NW winds 10 kt. Waves nw 6 ft at 7 seconds - .and S 2 ft at 15 seconds. Wed - NW winds 10 to 15 kt. Waves N 6 ft at 6 seconds - .and nw 4 ft at 14 seconds.

PZZ400 250 Am Pdt Sat Apr 20 2024
Synopsis for northern california waters - Very light winds and waves are expected through early this afternoon. Northerly winds will rapidly increase this evening in the wake of a weak cold frontal passage, beginning in the southern waters before migrating north. Winds will continue to build with gale force gusts on Sunday across the outer waters, with gales close to shore near pt. St. George and cape mendocino. Winds will produce steep and hazardous short period seas into Monday. Strong winds and seas will gradually shunt further offshore early next week.

FXUS66 KEKA 201140 AFDEKA

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Eureka CA 440 AM PDT Sat Apr 20 2024

SYNOPSIS
A weak cold front will bring few light showers and drizzle to the North Coast this afternoon, followed by breezy northerly winds on Sunday. Generally dry weather will continue through early next week.



DISCUSSION
Stratus and patchy fog has expanded and blanketed much of the coastal waters and adjacent land areas this morning, especially south of Cape Mendocino. However, stratus should clear out quickly with a weak low level inversion. Water vapor satellite shows a weak cold front approaching the West Coast. This features is spreading high clouds across the area. Models continue to show very little to no precipitation from this front.
Have slightly lowered the pops for today, but some light rain and drizzle still expected to Del Norte and northern Humboldt counties during the afternoon or early evening. Otherwise, dry weather is expected to continue with some cooling of interior high temps.
Breezy west to northwest winds will developed across the inferior after frontal passage late in the day and evening, especially in channeled terrain and ridges where gusts to 30 mph are probable (75%-90% chance per HRRR) for Lake and far southern Mendocino counties.

Surface high pressure will build in quickly over the region late tonight and into early next week. Interior temperatures are forecast to rebound Sun through Tue as a flat ridge aloft springs back up and offshore flow returns. Breezy northerly winds are forecast to redeveloped over mostly coastal areas as surface pressure gradients tighten by early Sunday. Gusts of 25 to 35 mph are likely in many exposed locations; locally higher over the coastal headland and ridgetops Sunday afternoon. HRRR has over a 80% probability for gusts > 40 mph over the King Range and 50-70% probability for coastal SW Humboldt by 5 AM Sunday, and 70% probability for Crescent City by 2PM Sunday. Interior temperatures are forecast to rebound Sun through Tue as a flat ridge aloft springs back up and offshore flow returns.

Tuesday, ensembles and deterministic models are showing a cutoff low dragging southward just off the California Coast. This will bring a onshore flow promoting a cool down across the interior to near seasonably temperatures. Isolated showers or thunderstorms are possible (20%-30% chance) over the higher terrain of Trinity County Tuesday afternoon and evening as a 500mb shortwave trough progresses eastward toward the PAC NW.

Potential for wider coverage and more frequent precipitation will increase mid to late next week, though probabilities for > 0.50 inch of rain in 24-hours for the western slopes of Del Norte and northern Humboldt Counties are about 20% or less. Afternoon high temperatures are forecast to cool down with probabilities for 75F or more no more than 30% for the warmest interior valleys of Mendocino and Lake. NBM means are close to normal (high in the 60's). Thus, it is shaping up to be cooler compared to the recent interior warmth. How fast it cools down and to what degree are still uncertain. Precipitation may occur and based on the ensemble guidance, amounts are most likely going to be light. Even light amounts may have minor impacts on outdoor plans, but timing and duration of rain or showers remain elusive and uncertain at this time. Stay tuned.



AVIATION
(12z TAFS) A very thin layer of coastal stratus is visible on satellite this morning lurking along the coast, but it has so far only inconsistently been able to move on shore due to disruptions from passing high level clouds. Conditions for coastal terminals will continue to oscillate between VFR and LIFR conditions early this morning as the line of stratus dances along shore. Though models suggest good chances of quick clearing skies later this morning (NBM shows only a 10% chance of IFR conditions past 8 AM), gentle wind turning onshore suggest this probability is a little underdone. Still, northwest wind will continue to build through the evening along the passage of a weak cold front. This cold front itself will likely bring some very weak showers and brief MVFR conditions, but it will also more widely mix out any low stratus headed through Saturday night, greatly reducing the chances of any IFR conditions. Otherwise, VFR conditions are expected across the interior. /JHW



MARINE
Currently weak southerly wind and an unusually calm sea state will quickly shift this afternoon behind a weak surface cold front. Northwesterly wind will build through the waters from north to south with gusts over 21 kts in the outer waters later this evening. Wind will continue to increase with gale force gusts throughout the outer waters during the day on Sunday. Winds will remains lightly calmer closer to shore, though gale force gusts should still be expected right along shore around Cape Mendocino and Pt. St. George. Strong winds will build steep short period seas in excess of 10 feet by Sunday afternoon.

Weak high pressure building over California will help gradually shunt the strongest wind offshore starting Monday, which will allow at least nearshore conditions to gradually calm early this week.
Wind waves will dominate the sea state through early week with a mid period swell up to 5 feet building Sunday being to only other notable feature. /JHW



EKA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
CA...
None.
NORTHWEST CALIFORNIA COASTAL WATERS...
Small Craft Advisory from midnight tonight to 9 PM PDT Sunday for PZZ450.

Small Craft Advisory from 3 AM to 9 PM PDT Sunday for PZZ455.

Small Craft Advisory from 9 PM this evening to 3 PM PDT Sunday for PZZ470.

Gale Warning from 3 PM Sunday to 3 AM PDT Monday for PZZ470.

Small Craft Advisory from 6 PM this evening to 3 AM PDT Sunday for PZZ475.

Gale Warning from 3 AM to 9 PM PDT Sunday for PZZ475.

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Albion
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Sat -- 04:04 AM PDT     1.30 feet Low Tide
Sat -- 05:10 AM PDT     Moonset
Sat -- 06:30 AM PDT     Sunrise
Sat -- 09:54 AM PDT     4.44 feet High Tide
Sat -- 03:58 PM PDT     0.92 feet Low Tide
Sat -- 05:07 PM PDT     Moonrise
Sat -- 07:58 PM PDT     Sunset
Sat -- 10:26 PM PDT     5.14 feet High Tide
Tide / Current data from XTide NOT FOR NAVIGATION

Albion, California, Tide feet

Point Cabrillo
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Sat -- 01:28 AM PDT     -0.90 knots Max Ebb
Sat -- 04:51 AM PDT     0.00 knots Slack
Sat -- 05:10 AM PDT     Moonset
Sat -- 06:30 AM PDT     Sunrise
Sat -- 07:48 AM PDT     0.85 knots Max Flood
Sat -- 10:34 AM PDT     -0.00 knots Slack
Sat -- 01:30 PM PDT     -0.98 knots Max Ebb
Sat -- 05:03 PM PDT     0.00 knots Slack
Sat -- 05:07 PM PDT     Moonrise
Sat -- 07:58 PM PDT     Sunset
Sat -- 08:02 PM PDT     0.94 knots Max Flood
Sat -- 10:55 PM PDT     -0.00 knots Slack
Tide / Current data from XTide NOT FOR NAVIGATION

Point Cabrillo, California Current, knots

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