The Abridged version:
- Foggy conditions continue to hang around Sacramento, bringing back memories of dim winters past for longtime city residents.
- Local meteorologist Mark Finan says a brew of factors led to the fog that is expected to continue through the week, at least.
- Sacramentans feeling the seasonal gloom can find sunny reprieve in the foothills or Tahoe area.
Foggy skies have reigned over Sacramento for days on end since Thanksgiving.
City residents have wondered when the dreary conditions will lift, while longtime Sacramentans recall the old days when the fog was a near constant companion.
Veteran Sacramento forecaster Mark Finan told Abridged there is no clear answer as to how long the fog is expected to stick around this winter.
“We just kind of have to take it week by week,” Finan said.
Where is the sun?
Finan, retired KCRA chief meteorologist, records and posts daily weather updates for the region to his personal YouTube channel. Lately, those 10-to-15-minute videos have consistently included mention of fog.
In his Dec. 8 video titled “Ain’t No Sunshine,” Finan holds up a pair of sunglasses. “I was in my car, and I found these,” he jokes. “I’m not quite sure what they’re used for, but I must have used them at some time for something.”
The fog that has blanketed Sacramento and blocked the California sunshine does not appear to be going away soon, Finan told Abridged. Neither wind nor storm — conditions that would help clear the skies — are expected for this week.
And looking beyond a week, Finan said the extended forecast gets murky.
What is a normal Sacramento winter?
Fog settled into the Central Valley following a wet November and cold December temperatures.
A perfect storm of factors helped bring misty cover to the city and sustain it for about two weeks, according to Finan.
“It’s been a while since we had one of these,” he said.
In the past, Sacramento and the valley have been subject to dense, low clouds, referred to as tule fog.
Finan said that while longtime Sacramentans may recall tule fog as a once annual event, conditions have always varied between years and some years in the 1990’s and 2000’s went without.
“Our memories make it seem like this was every year,” he said. “But that wasn’t the case.”
Temperatures, a week into December, are tracking similar to those from the past decade, according to National Weather Service data. Since 2015, the average low in Sacramento has been 40.7 degrees and the average high was 56.4 degrees. So far this year, the average low is 42.4 degrees and average high 51.2.
Sacramento students adapt to winter weather
Still, Sacramento State freshman and San Jose native Maureen Saint-Surin said to her, the weather is “aching cold.”
But, she told Abridged, she doesn’t mind the fog.
“I feel like it’s very mellow,” said Saint-Surin. “It’s like a rainy day … you know how everyone just stays in and then just chills and watches movies? Yeah, that’s how it feels.”
Nicholas Eovva is in his third year at Sacramento State. After two years of living in the capital city, he returned to live with his family in the Bay Area and commutes to classes.
“I like foggy weather, and I like gray skies,” Eovva said. But “the fog can be a little bit dangerous. Sometimes the fog is so bad, especially when you’re going up through like I-5, you can’t even see maybe 100 feet in front of you.”
Sunny sky just beyond Sacramento
A persistent lack of sunlight can also be a health risk. “It really can wear on people mentally,” said Finan.
For those plagued by the dim conditions, Finan said he recommends escaping to the foothills for the weekend.
Placerville, known for the tagline “above the fog, below the snow,” is one such destination.
“It’s still cold and damp,” said Laurel Brent-Bumb, CEO of the El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce. “But clear blue sky and sunny.”
“Perfect,” she added, “for Christmas shopping.”
Savannah Kuchar is a reporter covering education. She came to Sacramento to be a part of the Abridged team and contribute to a crucial local news source.