Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS San Francisco Bay Area, CA

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414 FXUS66 KMTR 011835 AAB AFDMTR Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service San Francisco CA 1135 AM PDT Wed May 1 2024 ...New AVIATION... .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 125 AM PDT Wed May 1 2024 High pressure brings quiet weather and slowly warming temperatures this week. Breezy onshore winds will keep temperatures along the coast cooler however. Wet, unsettled conditions returning Friday night and Saturday, much cooler inland Saturday. Unseasonably cool daytime highs continuing into early next week then gradually warming by the middle of the week. && .UPDATE... Issued at 938 AM PDT Wed May 1 2024 The short term forecast is in good shape with just a couple of minor tweaks the the wind grids. Northerly breezes between 15 and 20 mph with gusts to 30 to 35 mph are forecast (higher over the marine zones) with our local WRF appearing to handle some of the subtleties associated with the complex terrain/shorelines. Otherwise, it should be a pleasant day with mostly sunny skies (a few high clouds may stream in later in the day). We`ll continue to warm through the week, with a pattern change (cooler and windier) shaping up for the weekend. More details later this afternoon. && .SHORT TERM... (Today and tonight) Issued at 133 AM PDT Wed May 1 2024 Today`s weather will be similar to Tuesday`s weather, dry conditions prevailing with high pressure over the offshore waters to far northern California. Gusty northwest winds continuing over the coastal waters. Forecast highs today 60s near the coast and bays to the 70s-80 inland. && .LONG TERM... (Thursday through Tuesday) Issued at 133 AM PDT Wed May 1 2024 Dry Thursday and Friday, increasing clouds Friday night with rain developing over the North Bay, rain spreading southeastward across much of the rest of the forecast area Saturday. It`ll turn noticeably cooler especially inland Saturday with daytime highs Saturday 10F to 18F cooler inland compared to Friday`s forecast highs. In the last 12-24 hours global and mesoscale models are more in line focusing on the arrival of a cold core low pressure system from the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands arriving in northern California Friday night and Saturday. The southeastward trajectory takes it across cooler than normal sea surface temperatures (negative phase PDO) at least somewhat minimizing maritime thermal modification along the way and for maintenance/development it`ll travel through a long wave trough on the West Coast. The low will brush by and tap higher levels of water vapor extending far north of Hawaii, however the low is forecast to move through our forecast area retaining a strong mid-latitude influence. Recent precipitable water values on the GFS have been 1.00" to 1.10" for Saturday, not far from the max moving average on Oakland upper air sounding climatology in early May. Model forecast rainfall amounts vary from 0.25" to 0.70" North Bay, 0.15"-0.25" low elevations to 0.40" hills/mountains elsewhere across the Bay Area to around 0.10" interior north Central Coast to 0.33" Big Sur Coast. Wet and cooler weather Saturday, gusty northwest winds over the coast temporarily subsiding with the passage of a surface cold front/trough. Dry weather returns Sunday. The surface pressure pattern looks favorable for gusty northwest winds redeveloping over the coastal waters beginning next Tuesday. Daytime highs gradually warming by the middle of next week. && .AVIATION...
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(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1056 AM PDT Wed May 1 2024 VFR will prevail with the main aviation weather concern revolving around wind (gusts and non-convective LLWS). This afternoon, wind gusts will range between 20 and 25 knots. Tonight, winds will subside down below 5 knots at the surface, with increased flow between 30 and 40 knots just above the surface at a couple of sites. At this time, the most likely terminals to be impacted by LLWS will be APC and LVK. Winds at STS are forecast to remain above 15 knots which should keep the LLWS potential low, however, turbulence is probable to transpire. The LLWS potential diminishes by mid-morning Thursday. Vicinity of SFO...Slightly variable wind flow (E to WNW) will continue over the next few hours. By 21Z, WNW winds will funnel in from the San Bruno Gap and increase to near 15 knots with gusts to near 25 knots. Crosswind calculations suggest around a 20-25 knot wind crosswind on SW to NE oriented runways which may result in some tricky approaches. Runways should reamin usable. Winds abate after nightfall. VFR is forecast to prevail with some high cirrus around FL250. Thursday afternoon will feature additional NW winds, though confidence low in model guidance thanks to conflicting messages. Overall, the background pattern suggest a gradual easing of the winds, but crosswind magnitudes near 25 knots may still still result in some tricky approaches. There`s a slim chance (<10%) that MVFR stratus may attempt to creep in on Friday morning, but that`s just beyond the current TAF cycle. SFO Bridge Approach...Similar to SFO. Monterey Bay Terminals...VFR is also forecast to prevail here, though there`s a very slim (5%) chance of MVFR cigs at MRY. Diurnal breezes are forecast through the period with gusts as great as 20 knots. Surface winds subside below 10 knots tonight. The greater wind magnitudes aloft (FL020) don`t appear to warrant inclusion of LLWS in the TAFs at this time, but trends will be monitored.
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&& .MARINE... (Today through Sunday) Issued at 938 AM PDT Wed May 1 2024 Breezy and gusty winds continue throughout Friday, with gale force gusts of 40 to 45 knots possible in the outer waters. Strong winds will result in hazardous seas and steep wind waves with significant wave heights reaching 10 to 14 feet in the outer waters. Conditions gradually improve over the weekend and into next week as winds begin to ease. Rain chances begin early Saturday as a trough descends over the region. && .MTR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CA...None. PZ...Small Craft Advisory from 9 AM to 9 PM PDT Thursday for SF Bay N of Bay Bridge. Small Craft Advisory until 9 PM PDT this evening for Mry Bay. Small Craft Advisory from 9 AM Thursday to 3 AM PDT Friday for Mry Bay. Gale Warning until 3 PM PDT this afternoon for Pt Arena to Pt Reyes 0-10 nm. Small Craft Advisory until 3 AM PDT Friday for Pigeon Pt to Pt Pinos 0-10 nm-Pt Reyes to Pigeon Pt 0-10 nm. Gale Warning until 3 AM PDT Thursday for Pt Arena to Pt Reyes 10- 60 NM-Pt Pinos to Pt Piedras Blancas 0-10 nm. Gale Warning until 9 AM PDT Thursday for Pigeon Pt to Pt Pinos 10-60 NM. && $$ UPDATE...Bain SHORT TERM...Canepa LONG TERM....Canepa AVIATION...Bain MARINE...RGass Visit us at www.weather.gov/sanfrancisco Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube at: www.facebook.com/nwsbayarea www.twitter.com/nwsbayarea www.youtube.com/nwsbayarea