Sonoma County about to bask in summer-like weather

It’s finally time to haul the swimsuits, summer hats and sandals out of storage, Sonoma County.

With temperatures forecast to rise well into the 80s through next weekend, it appears the North Coast’s unusually long winter may finally be coming to a close.

Forecast models at the National Weather Service are predicting highs in the 80s for Santa Rosa all week long, with the warm weather peaking at a high of 85 on Wednesday. In the inland valleys, highs could rise into the 90s.

“That’s at least 20 degrees above normal if not more so,” said Brian Mejia, a forecaster with the weather service. “It’s almost like a summer pattern, the way it’s positioned.”

The high-pressure ridge pushing away the gray weather the North Coast has become accustomed to will include offshore winds and coastal high temperatures into the 70s as well, Mejia said.

“It’s very unexpected,” he said.

The warm weather is coming about a week too early, though, for resorts and beaches along the Russian River in Guerneville, with the first weekend of May typically considered the start of the summer tourist season.

“It’s ironic,” said Rodger Jensen, manager and event coordinator for Guerneville’s popular R3 Hotel. “There’s really not much going on in town, even though the town is packed. It’s hot, temperatures in the 80s are expected, so I know our pool is going to be just jam-packed.”

The weather is a welcome respite for what was a record-shattering rainy winter across Sonoma County, with more than 5 feet of rain falling in Santa Rosa and almost 13 feet falling in notoriously rainy Venado, situated in the hills west of Healdsburg.

Mejia said that could be the end for Santa Rosa’s rainy season, though; there is no precipitation on the horizon.

The record rainfall will make for a bumper crop of allergy-inducing grass and weeds, though. And now that the days are warming and dry, grass pollen numbers will soon explode. Allergy forecasts for Santa Rosa show pollen counts nearing the high zone by the middle of the week.

You can reach Staff Writer Christi Warren at 707-521-5205 or christi.warren@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter ?@SeaWarren.