By admin 
Temperatures last week were well above average, with high temps for Sacramento and much of the Central Valley reaching into the triple digits Wednesday and Thursday.
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Now, as cooler temps in the 80s and even 70s rushes in out of the north, the threat for quickly spreading fire continues Monday before we can really enjoy the autumnal weather on our doorstep.
Red flag warning Monday for Sacramento Valley
Winds gusting between 15-35 mph will be widespread across the Sacramento Valley on Monday from Redding down to Sacramento. The combination of low humidity, low soil humidity and strong winds, will mean that any fire that does spark could spread quickly.
Relative humidity values are between 10-20% Monday, with the strongest wind gusts occurring north of Sacramento this morning and midday.
While not in the red flag warning area or the Sacramento Valley, the Lucas Fire continues to burn in Lake County north of Clear Lake near Hog Point. At 4,109 acres and 25% contained, some growth is possible today as these northerly winds will be present.
The red flag warning is set to expire at 5 p.m. Monday. However, the fire risk will continue with low humidity levels lingering through the week.
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Cooler temps arrive this week
Winds out of the north are not the only thing diving in from the Pacific Northwest. In the upper atmosphere, a cut-off low is developing that will cool down temperatures substantially by Wednesday and Thursday.
A cut-off low is a region where the jet-stream — the current of fast moving air at about the level where plans fly that divides the warm air to the south from the cold air to the north — pinches off in an eddy and begins to flow around itself. This vortex comes with lower air pressure and atmospheric heights around its center, cooling down temperatures nearly evenly and producing extra cloud cover in its wake.
For the Sacramento Valley, this will mean several partly cloudy mornings in the 50s followed by afternoon high temps in the upper 80s and low 90s Monday and Tuesday, followed by highs quickly dipping into the 70s and low 80s Wednesday and Thursday as the cut-off vortex arrives. This will be true for nearly the entirety of the Sacramento Valley.
Further south, even parts of the San Joaquin Valley will benefit, with highs only in the 80s for places such as Fresno and Merced nearly all week long.
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This story was originally published September 14, 2026 at 7:08 AM.