Merced enjoys fleeting cool weather

Don’t break out those scarves and boots just yet. The cool weather is not here to stay.

Though Merced’s high of 74 degrees on Tuesday was a record low, a warming trend is moving into the Valley, meteorologists at the National Weather Service reported.

“A low-pressure system from the Northwest brought cooler temperatures,” said Jim Andersen, a meteorologist with the weather service in Hanford. “We are going to see some warming and will probably be above normal by the beginning of next week, maybe even late Sunday.”

The system from the Northwest trapped cool air in the Valley, and it will take about a day for temperatures to warm up to what Valley residents are used to feeling this time of year, Andersen said.

The system also dusted the high country of Yosemite National Park with snow flurries. Some flurries were reported along Tioga Pass, which is in the northeast part of the park at an elevation near 10,000 feet.

Autumn does not officially start until the equinox on Sept. 22. But Mariposa temperatures didn’t even reach 60 degrees Tuesday.

Wednesday already was warmer, with Merced’s temperatures inching up past 80 degrees. Thursday is expected to be 87, and Friday is forecast to be back in the 90s.

This story was originally published September 14, 2016 at 4:39 PM with the headline "Merced enjoys fleeting cool weather."