Cooler-than-average weather hits Merced
Merced residents woke up to cloudy skies and droplets on their windshields Friday morning – a break from warm mornings the Valley has become accustomed to this summer.
But the droplets were just a tease. According to the National Weather Service in Hanford, Merced received only a trace of rainfall early Friday; nothing significant to be measured.
Other places, such as Catheys Valley in Mariposa County, received 0.02 inches of rain. Down the Valley, places such as Hanford received some significant rainfall on Thursday thanks to a storm that moved into the region. Modesto Vasquez, a meteorologist with the weather service, said Hanford got 0.31 inches Thursday – a record for that date.
The Sierras received about 3 inches of snow at elevations as low as 9,000 feet, the weather service said.
No precipitation is expected for the weekend or next week in Merced, but cooler weather is expected to continue until the middle of next week.
Vasquez explained that an area of low pressure forming over the coast is bringing in wind flow, keeping the Valley cool. The average temperature for this time of year is about 95 degrees, but Merced was expected to reach a high of 85 on Friday and 88 on Saturday.
A slow warmup is anticipated. Merced will reach a high of 95 by Wednesday.
Weekend forecast in Merced County
- Saturday: Sunny, with a high of 88. Northwest winds of up to 10 mph
- Saturday night: Mostly clear with a low around 63
- Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 89
- Sunday night: Clear with a low around 63
- Monday: Sunny, with a high near 91
- Monday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 62
Source: National Weather Service
This story was originally published July 10, 2015 at 11:32 AM with the headline "Cooler-than-average weather hits Merced."