Marine Weather and Tide Forecast for Trinidad, CA

DISCUSSION
High pressure continues to persist across northern CA today. This is bringing stubborn valley fog in some of the valleys. Today it has been especially persistent in the Trinity River valley and the Eel River valley. This is keeping high temperatures much cooler in these areas. On the ridges above the inversion temperatures are much warmer with some locations seeing lows in the low 60s with nearby valleys seeing lows in the mid 30s. Offshore flow also helped to clear out the coastal areas this morning. Friday and Saturday this pattern is expected to continue to bring very similar conditions to today. So have adjusted the forecast closer to these conditions.

Sunday is expected to start to see conditions transition to a wetter pattern. Winds start to turn southerly and increase Sunday morning. This may change where the valley fog is in some places.
This should also help clear the fog out of the valleys earlier than on previous days. High clouds are expected to start to move into the area as well. There is a slight chance for rain in Del Norte county Sunday evening, but the rain will likely stay to the north of the area.

Monday the wet pattern is expected to return. The first system is expected to move through Monday afternoon or evening with a second Tuesday afternoon or evening. The ECMWF and ensembles keep the heavier rain a bit farther north for the first one, but is in better agreement with the GEFS on the second one. Some areas may not see much of a break between the systems and it this point it is hard to time a break out. Confidence is growing that we will see 1 to 3 inches of rain over Monday and Tuesday in Humboldt and Trinity counties with more like 2 to 3 inches in Del Norte county.
In Mendocino and Lake counties rainfall amounts drop off quickly with amounts ranging from a quarter of an inch in southern Lake county to 1.5 inches in northern Mendocino county. These amounts may continue to rise, the IVT probabilities of over 500 kg/m/s are around 50 to 80 percent in the northern portions of the area.

Later in the week there is the potential for continued wet weather, but details are low at this point. There are some indications that this could be a colder storm with the NBM starting to show some snow at the higher elevations. This will need to be watched as it gets closer. MKK

AVIATION
18Z TAFs...VFR conditions have been maintained Thursday afternoon. Very shallow moisture, with haze and mist remains just offshore and along the North Coast, and may expand into KACV at times later this afternoon. High pressure will begin moving overhead through Friday. With associated light winds and a strong low level inversion, the low level moisture will evolve once again into fog for portions of the lost Coast and much of the North Coast from the Eel River Delta northward. The fog visibility will likely turn dense at times, less than 1/2 statute miles. JJW

MARINE
Moderate northerly winds around 15 kt expand into the northern waters this evening. Stronger breezes of 20 to 25 kts continue in the southern waters, particularly around Cape Mendocino where localized Gale strength gusts can be found through Thursday evening. Short period seas of 6 to 9 feet will subside through Friday while the northerly winds ease. An 8-10 ft long period northwest swell will contribute to a chaotic sea state through Thursday night. Winds and seas greatly improve Saturday with calm to light southerly winds and fading short period and long period waves.
Southerly winds are forecast to strengthen late Sunday with increasing influence from a Northeast Pacific trough. Chances for Gale strength gusts increase Monday, particularly in the northern waters. JJW

BEACH HAZARDS
A Beach Hazard Statement is in effect through 7pm this evening due to a moderate risk of sneaker waves along areas beaches. A mid-period westerly swell will build across the coastal waters tonight, with heights at 8-10 feet at 15 seconds.
These high energy waves will bring a moderate risk of sneaker waves today, resulting in the potential deadly waves that unexpectedly surge much farther up the beach than previous waves, overtaking unaware beachgoers. Remember to never turn your back to the ocean, and to avoid steep beaches, jetties, outcroppings, and rocks during these events./ZVS

EKA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
CA...
Beach Hazards Statement until 7 PM PST this evening for CAZ101-103-104-109.

NORTHWEST CALIFORNIA COASTAL WATERS...
Small Craft Advisory until 3 AM PST Friday for PZZ455.

Small Craft Advisory from 3 AM to 3 PM PST Friday for PZZ470.

Small Craft Advisory until 3 PM PST Friday for PZZ475.