Wednesday evening forecast Aug. 12th

An extended period of hot weather is expected across much of California Friday through early next week. Some moisture streaming into the region from the south may bring a slight chance of light showers Thursday morning, with a slight chance of afternoon and evening thunderstorms for some interior areas. Night and morning low clouds and fog will be minimal, and confined to immediate coastal areas.

High pressure continues to build and the warming is well on its way toward our extended heat wave.

In addition to warming temperatures, there's the increase in moisture advecting northward into the area from Tropical Storm Elida. It will bring an increase in cloudiness starting later tonight and especially tomorrow morning when most of the area will have quite a bit of mid and high level cloud cover. This should disrupt any formation of overnight coastal stratus south of pt conception, but still expecting some development and intrusion into the Central Coast. With a continuing shrinking marine layer depth due to the increasing high pressure, would also expect some dense fog with this stratus. This increase in moisture will also bring a very slight chance of some light shower activity to much of the area tomorrow morning. Then as some sunshine peaks through in the afternoon and we get some weak instability, there will be a slight chance of some afternoon thunderstorms mainly over the mountains and inland areas.

Friday will see quite a dramatic warm up with widespread 100 plus readings quite certain over inland areas. A Excessive Heat Warning is in effect for our exterior areas Friday morning through Monday evening and a Heat Advisory is in effect for the Santa Ynez Valley Friday morning through Sunday evening. The coast will be warm as well in the 80s.

The hot weather continues for the next several days extending into the middle of next week.