High pressure is building into Northern California from the Pacific and from the Desert Southwest today and that is resulting in hot temperatures and very dry conditions across our region. A Heat Advisory is now in effect for the valley and foothills and is set to stay in place through 8pm Thursday evening. Skies were sunny today and temperatures were 10 to 15 degrees above average. Valley areas topped out in the mid to high 90's, while foothill and mountain areas ended up in the 80's this afternoon. Winds have been out of the West to around 10mph.

High pressure will continue to dominate our forecast over the next 2 days and that will restult in hot and dry conditions persisting across Northern California. Valley areas can expect temperatures to start out in the 60's to low 70's on Wednesday morning and high temperatures to end up in the 100 to 104 degree range. Foothill areas will also dip into the 60's to low 70's and will top out in the mid 90's, while mountain areas start out in the 40's to 50's, and end up in the high 80's to mid 90's on Wednesday afternoon. Winds will be out of the North to around 10mph, but will shift to become out of the South to 10mph in the afternoon.

Thursday will be very similar to Wednesday, but temperatures will end up a degree or two cooler for your afternoon. That puts high temperatures in valley areas in the high 90's to low triple digits. Foothill areas in the high 80's to mid 90's. Models are hinting at a slight chance for some showers and a chance for thunderstorms creeping North into the Sierra but that is expected to stay to our South. The Heat Advisory is expected to expire on Thursday evening.

Low pressure will be tracking towards Northern California from the Gulf of Alaska on Friday and that will usher in a decent drop in temperatures for the end of your work week. Valley areas will end up in the low 90's, while mountain and foothill areas end up in the low to mid 80's. The potential for showers will be returning overnight Friday into Saturday, and temperatures will become much cooler this weekend. Showers and the chance for thunderstorms will be widespread through your Saturday forecast. Showers are expected to be light. Valley temperatures will start out in the 50's to low 60's on Saturday morning and will end up in the mid to high 70's on Saturday afternoon. Gusty South winds will also be possible on Saturday. Foothill areas will start out in the 50's on Saturday and will end up in the mid to high 60's on Saturday afternoon. Mountain areas can expect low temperatures in the 40's and high temperatures in the low to mid 60's on Saturday. We'll be a couple of degrees cooler on Sunday and there will be a lingering chance for showers, with the best chance resting in higher elevations. We'll then dry out and start to warm back up for the start of next week. High temperatures are projected to end up back in the low 80's in the valley on Monday and in the mid 80's on Tuesday.