Cool, breezy weather gives Sonoma County an early taste of autumn

Sonoma County got an early taste of autumn Saturday as a low pressure system from the Gulf of Alaska brought cooler, more humid conditions along with a moderate breeze and no wildfire alerts.

Temperatures throughout the North Bay will remain slightly below normal until Wednesday, when the system moves off to the east and the mercury rises to the upper 80s and low 90s Thursday and Friday.

There was drizzle along the coast and in the hills Saturday morning, with gusting winds in the 30 to 40 mph range along the region’s coasts and mountains expected in the afternoon, with 50 mph gusts possible at higher elevations, the National Weather Service said.

Winds were expected to subside Saturday night and with continued low temperatures and high humidity no critical fire conditions are expected. No rain is forecast.

“It’s closer to autumn than anything we’ve seen for a while,” said Spencer Tangen, a weather service meteorologist.

Santa Rosa’s forecast high of 80 Saturday is four degrees below average, and Sunday’s 82 is two degrees below average for the date, he said.

“This is cold weather,” a police dispatcher whose shift was ending said Saturday morning. “The plans for today are not working.”

But the cool, damp weather was great news for firefighters, as Sonoma County agencies have dispatched three strike teams totaling 15 engines to help fight fires in other parts of the state, including the Henthorne fire, a 290-acre blaze in the Yolla Bolly Middle Eel Wilderness north of Covelo only 10 percent contained Saturday morning.

Cal Fire rescinded a hold on personnel early Saturday due to the lower fire risk in the North Bay, said Bruce Lang, an agency spokesman. Firefighters had been held on duty during the lightning threat earlier in the week, he said.

No red flag fire warnings were in effect in or near the Bay Area, Lang said.

Another shot of cool air is expected Tuesday, with the transition to warmer weather starting Wednesday.

You can reach Staff Writer Guy Kovner at 707-521-5457 or guy.kovner@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @guykovner.