Hollister
– While much of the Bay Area has been experiencing
record-breaking high temperatures this week, Hollister has been
just a flirt.
Hollister – While much of the Bay Area has been experiencing record-breaking high temperatures this week, Hollister has been just a flirt.
On both Thursday and Friday, it reached 81 degrees here – falling just one degree short of the record for both days, set in 2004, according to the National Weather Service. But those high temperatures were still 16 degrees above the norm.
Wednesday’s high of 74 degrees was the fifth warmest temperature on record for March 14.
Hollister’s one record-breaking day during the recent spell of warm weather came Tuesday, with a high of 82 degrees. That broke the 1994 record for March 13 by two degrees.
Monday’s high of 84 degrees just missed the record for March 12, which was 85 degrees, set in 2005. Sunday’s high of 82 degrees matched the record for March 11, set in 2004.
The highs forecast for today and Sunday are expected to be about 75 degrees, still 10 degrees above average, but not likely to threaten any records.
A cooling trend on Monday and Tuesday is expected to bring temperatures back near seasonal norms, said Brian Tentinger, a NWS forecaster.
Forecasters are also predicting a 30 percent chance of rain on Tuesday. If it does rain that day, it would be the first precipitation of the month.
But the wet weather and cooler temperatures shouldn’t last long.
“It looks like toward the end of next week a ridge is building up and will bump the highs back into the 70s,” Tentinger said.
Although the unusually warm temperatures have given Hollister residents an opportunity to bask in the sun, March hasn’t brought farmers and ranchers any of the rain they have been hoping for. The historical average for March rainfall in Hollister is 2.19 inches.
In a typical year, Hollister receives 84 percent of its annual rainfall between November and March. With 4.21 inches since the beginning of November, Hollister is at just 36 percent of normal for its rainy season.
And forecasters don’t expect much more rain that what’s predicted Tuesday, said Steve Anderson, a meteorologist with the NWS.
“We’re pretty much done for the rainy season,” Anderson said. “We don’t expect any heavy months of rain in the near future.”
Michael Van Cassell covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or mv*********@fr***********.com.
