Sacramento got ‘unusually cold.’ Here’s how far temperatures dropped — and when it’ll warm up

Nearly a week into April, Sacramento has felt anything but spring-like.

The capital city has seen gloomy skies and periods of pounding rain, as well as unseasonable cool temperatures.

On Thursday, high tempeatures in the capital city were 15 to 20 degrees below normal, according to meteorologist Idamis Shoemaker with the National Weather Service.

This time of year, highs should range between the upper 60s and low 70s, she said.

Instead, highs in downtown Sacramento and Sacramento Executive Airport barely broke into the 50s on Thursday

“(Sacramento) had an unusually cold system that moved through the area and brought much cooler temperatures,” Shoemaker told The Sacramento Bee on Friday morning via phone.

On Thursday, Sacramento Executive Airport reached a high of 51 degrees, beating a nearly 50-year temperature record by two degrees. The airport recorded a high of 53 degrees in 1975.

Downtown Sacramento matched its 1938 temperature record with a high of 52 degrees.

Did Sacramento just see its coldest day of the year?

Thursday was chilly for early April but it wasn’t the coldest day of the year for Sacramento, Shoemaker said.

On Jan. 9, the weather service observed a high of 51 degrees in the city.

Similar temperatures were recorded throughout February.

When will the weather in Sacramento warm up?

The wait is almost over, according to the weather service.

However, the Sacramento region will first see a couple more days of below-normal temperatures.

There will be a 20% chance of rain showers before noon on Friday in Sacramento with wind as high as 6 mph, according to the weather service’s seven-day forecast. The high temperature will be near 57 degrees.

By Friday night, conditions are set to dry up completely with mostly clear skies and a low of 39 degrees.

Saturday will see a high near 62 and a low around 41, the weather service said.

Similar temperatures are forecast for Sunday before a gradual warming trend brings 80-degree temperatures to the area.

Wednesday will see a high near 80 and a low around 52 degrees, while Thursday will see a high near 82.