The gray blanket of dense morning fog will stay with us for a few more days, but a warm-up is on the way — as is more much-needed rain for the Valley.

Santa Claus may need to wear his waterproof suit and have a tarp over his sleigh to keep presents from getting damp. The Christmas Eve forecast calls for a return of rainy weather, National Weather Service meteorologist David Spector told GV Wire on Tuesday.

The next week will be a combo platter of weather and temperatures, starting with dense fog that rolls in overnight in the Fresno area and is thickest in the early morning hours. The fog typically begins to form in the center of the Valley in Kingsburg, Selma, Visalia, and Hanford, and then spreads overnight into the rest of the Valley, including Fresno, he said.

A high-pressure ridge moving onshore will raise temperatures later this week but also heighten the potential for stagnant air, Spector said.

Last week, particulate levels soared when a high-pressure system parked over the Valley, worsening air quality and causing the San Joaquin Air Pollution Control District to issue a health alert.

Higher particulate levels could happen again since winds are forecast to be light, Spector said.

Warm-Up on the Way

The ridge moving over the Valley will raise temperatures to above normal, with Friday’s high forecast at 67 degrees — about 12 to 13 degrees above normal, he said. Nighttime lows also will be about 8 to 10 degrees above normal.

There’s a slight chance of some rain in Fresno on Saturday, although the most significant impact of the incoming storm is forecast to be north of Interstate 80 in Northern California, Spector said.

As of Monday, the rainfall totals for Fresno are right about average.

But get ready for a return of wet weather: “It looks like the 24th will be the next legitimate shot of precipitation for our area,” he said.

Rain-soaked ground will create the moisture tule fog needs to develop.

The forecast highs and lows for Fresno for the next eight days: Tuesday, high of 58, overnight low of 43; Wednesday, high of 57, overnight low of 43; Thursday, high of 61, overnight low of 45; Friday, high of 67, overnight low of 49; Saturday, high of 66, overnight low of 48; Sunday, high of 61, overnight low of 48; Monday, high of 63, overnight low of 50; and Tuesday, high of 63.