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

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429 FXUS66 KMTR 181003 AFDMTR Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service San Francisco CA 303 AM PDT Sat May 18 2024 ...New SYNOPSIS, SHORT TERM, LONG TERM, MARINE... .SYNOPSIS...
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Issued at 300 AM PDT Sat May 18 2024 Quiet weather persists. Stratus coverage expected to dissipate by mid-to-late morning with clearer, sunnier conditions expected during the afternoon. Temperatures cool down slightly Saturday before a weak warming trend begins Sunday. For coastal areas, stratus will return during the evening hours but shouldn`t extend too far inland.
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&& .SHORT TERM...
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(Today and tonight) Issued at 300 AM PDT Sat May 18 2024 Stratus coverage is increasing over the Central Coast, North Bay, and portions of the rest of the Bay Area. Inland stratus coverage is a little patchier tonight than last night with the lowest clouds staying closer to the coast. Friday`s high temperatures were limited in areas where widespread stratus lingered through the late morning hours and prevented increased surface warming from occurring. In the case of Monterey, airport observations showed unbroken stratus coverage throughout the entirety of Friday with the recorded high 6 degrees cooler than average. A similar scenario may occur along the coast again today and help keep coastal temperatures slightly cooler than originally forecast. Stratus coverage is expected to dissipate for along the coast and inland by mid to late morning with sunny skies returning during the afternoon. Chances for coastal drizzle are lower than yesterday but cannot rule out the possibility of a trace to a few hundredths of an inch accumulating. An additional influence on today`s high temperatures is a weak surface cold front that will move through the Bay Area today. This will bring slightly cooler (3-4 degrees) temperatures inland where stratus coverage is less widespread and has a less dominant influence. Precipitation is not expected to occur with this system. Despite temperatures being slightly cooler, highs should still be in the mid to upper 70`s inland and upper 50`s to low 60`s along the coast. All together, should be a pleasant day with seasonally warm temperatures and sunny skies in the afternoon. Take some time to get outside today and enjoy it!
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&& .LONG TERM...
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(Sunday through Friday) Issued at 300 AM PDT Sat May 18 2024 Upper level zonal flow will gradually deepen as a longwave upper level trough moves into the Western United States over the weekend. A weak warming trend will take place Sunday through the middle of the work week with inland highs in the mid 70`s to low 80`s. Minor heat risk is expected for individuals who are extremely sensitive to heat Monday and Tuesday. Ensemble consensus largely shows inland highs in the mid 70`s to low 80`s through mid-week with higher end scenarios showing highs up to 85-87 degrees. Tuesday looks to be the warmest day with probabilistic guidance showing a 50-60% chance of portions of the North Bay and South Bay breaching the low to mid 80`s. Highs become more uncertain Thursday and Friday with ensembles agreeing that temperatures will cool down but they did not reach an agreement as to how significant this cool down will be. Upper level troughing looks to persist through the week with shortwave ridging building Friday into next weekend. Persistence is key for this stratus forecast wherein stratus will continue to develop along the coast overnight, clear out by mid to late morning, and return during the early evening hours. A deeper marine layer is expected to persist which will help keep stratus more confined to coastal areas and not move as far inland.
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&& .AVIATION...
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(06Z TAFS) Issued at 1041 PM PDT Fri May 17 2024 IFR and MVFR CIGs last into the mid morning to late for most TAF sites, but last longer for coastal areas and around the Monterey Bay. Winds stay light to moderate through the morning. Cloud cover thins in the mid morning to early afternoon Saturday, leading to widespread for the TAF sites, but status lingers on the immediate coast. Expect moderate winds Saturday afternoon that last into the night. Coastal cloud cover moves slightly inland Friday evening, affecting SNS and MRY. Vicinity of SFO...Moments of MVFR CIGs arrive in the early morning and through the mid morning before clearing. Expect light winds overnight with moderate westerly winds building into the afternoon, but reduce into the late night. SFO Bridge Approach...Similar to SFO. Monterey Bay Terminals...MVFR/IFR CIGs last through early Saturday afternoon with some moments of drizzle. CIGS recede back to the immediate coast into the afternoon, leading to VFR at the TAF sites. Winds stay light to moderate through the TAF Period. MVFR CIGs return early Friday evening.
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&& .MARINE...
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(Today through Thursday) Issued at 300 AM PDT Sat May 18 2024 Strong northerly winds increase over the weekend. Gale force gusts build in the northern waters through the day. Expect hazardous conditions and steeper wind waves from these building winds. The current wind pattern looks to last well into the next work week before finally weakening.
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&& .MTR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
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CA...None. PZ...Small Craft Advisory from 3 PM this afternoon to 3 AM PDT Sunday for Pt Arena to Pt Reyes 0-10 nm. Gale Warning from 3 AM Sunday to 3 AM PDT Monday for Pt Arena to Pt Reyes 0-10 nm. Small Craft Advisory from 9 AM Sunday to 3 AM PDT Monday for Pt Reyes to Pigeon Pt 0-10 nm. Small Craft Advisory from 2 PM Sunday to 3 AM PDT Monday for Pigeon Pt to Pt Pinos 0-10 nm-Pt Pinos to Pt Piedras Blancas 0-10 nm. Gale Warning until 3 AM PDT Monday for Pt Arena to Pt Reyes 10- 60 NM. Small Craft Advisory from 9 PM this evening to 3 AM PDT Monday for Pigeon Pt to Pt Pinos 10-60 NM.
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&& $$ SHORT TERM...Kennedy LONG TERM....Kennedy AVIATION...Murdock MARINE...Murdock 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