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

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916 FXUS66 KMTR 231744 AFDMTR Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service San Francisco CA 1044 AM PDT Sun Jun 23 2024 ...New AVIATION... .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 237 AM PDT Sun Jun 23 2024 Somewhat cooler temperatures in the interior today, continuing into the beginning of the work week with a slight cooldown midweek. Very low chance of elevated convection and associated dry lightning in the southern Central Coast. && .UPDATE... Issued at 902 AM PDT Sun Jun 23 2024 Visibilities continue to improve over inland areas of the region and therefore the Dense Fog Advisory for the Monterey Bay and areas surrounding was allowed to expire at 9 AM PDT. However, if encountering dense fog on area highways; slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you. Otherwise, low clouds have retreated to the coast with clear sky conditions inland. The ongoing forecast for the short term remains on track with no updates anticipated this morning. && .SHORT TERM... (Today and tonight) Issued at 237 AM PDT Sun Jun 23 2024 Skies remain generally clear throughout the region, save for stratus that has developed around the Monterey Bay region, and stratus development for the rest of the morning is limited to the coast and potentially the North Bay valleys and northern SF Bay region. Low temperatures tonight range from the low to mid 50s in the lower elevations to the 60s to low 70s in the higher elevations. With the upper level ridge moving off to the east, highs will be somewhat cooler today, with highs in the upper 80s to mid 90s in the interior valleys, perhaps close to 100 in the warmest spots, with highs in the 70s expected across the Bayshore and the mid 50s to mid 60s across the Pacific coast. The main forecast issue continues to be the potential for elevated convection over the southern sections of Monterey and San Benito counties this afternoon and evening. A shot of mid-level moisture will come into the region from the south, ahead of a weak upper level trough. The latest 3km NAM forecast soundings for Paso Robles continue to show a moistening low to mid layer and respectable lapse rates. Below the moist layer, conditions remain dry, which will hamper any precipitation from any cells that pop up, but will also raise the risk of dry lightning, especially with MUCAPE levels above 1000 J/kg. All that said, the potential for any storms to develop continues to be low, hovering around 10-15%. One factor that limits storm potential is that the synoptic forcing remains to our north and west, requiring any storms that do develop to be topographically- driven. Confidence in any fire weather concerns remains too low to message as a fire weather headline. The day shift will take another look at the forecast as updated model output comes in. && .LONG TERM... (Monday through Saturday) Issued at 237 AM PDT Sun Jun 23 2024 The mid-layer moisture continues to push through the region and will push across the Bay Area on Tuesday. In addition to the mid- to upper level clouds that will typically accompany the moisture, the chance for elevated convection mainly across the Central Coast remains through Tuesday, although as with Sunday, the chances are very low. Interior temperatures will cool off on Wednesday and Thursday, with highs in the 80s to the mid 90s, as an upper level trough comes into the West Coast and promotes improved onshore flow. CPC outlooks continue to suggest that temperatures above seasonal averages will continue into the first week of July. && .AVIATION...
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(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1043 AM PDT Sun Jun 23 2024 VFR across the board with stratus and IFR-LIFR conditions to return overnight. Patchy fog is likely to develop across the North Bay tonight with reduced visibilities and ceiling heights expected at STS and APC. Moderate confidence that fog will impact STS, low to moderate confidence that fog will impact APC. Guidance indicates stratus may potentially reach SFO and OAK overnight but confidence is low to moderate. Marine layer depth should remain similar to last night which did not see stratus reach SFO or OAK. Current thinking is that forecast RH values will be high enough to support scattered low level clouds with stratus being confined closer to the coastline. Onshore winds last through the TAF period with winds becoming more moderate during the day before weakening and becoming light overnight. Vicinity of SFO...VFR with low confidence that MVFR-IFR CIGs will develop overnight. Guidance was split on if CIGs will reach SFO overnight with NBM and GLAMP taking the most progressive stance on widespread stratus cover. Leaning towards stratus staying confined closer to the coast due to a fairly compressed marine layer but forecast RH values support scattered low level clouds overnight. Onshore flow prevails through the TAF period with winds out of the west and northwest expected. Winds becoming more moderate during the day before weakening overnight. SFO Bridge Approach...Similar to SFO. Monterey Bay Terminals...VFR becoming IFR-LIFR overnight. Onshore flow prevails through the TAF period with moderate winds during the day becoming light overnight. Stratus is expected to return tonight by the late evening at MRY and overnight at SNS. Confidence is slightly lower on the timing of stratus arrival. Guidance indicated a wide time range between 04Z to 08Z for stratus to arrive at MRY and a slightly shorter time frame for stratus arrival at SNS between 08Z to 11Z.
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&& .MARINE... (Today through Friday) Issued at 902 AM PDT Sun Jun 23 2024 Hazardous conditions for small crafts persist across the northern coastal waters through the early work week. Strong northwest to northerly winds continue over the northern coastal outer waters. Fresh gusts remain possible over the southern outer waters and portions of the northern interior coastal waters. Winds will strengthen over the northern coastal waters today with strong to near gale force gusts possible through Monday morning. Significant wave heights over the northern waters will gradually build to 10-11 feet Sunday into Monday before beginning to diminish Tuesday. && .MTR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CA...None. PZ...Small Craft Advisory until 9 PM PDT this evening for Pt Arena to Pt Reyes 0-10 nm-SF Bay N of Bay Bridge. Small Craft Advisory until 9 AM PDT Tuesday for Pt Arena to Pt Reyes 10-60 NM. && $$ SHORT TERM...DialH LONG TERM....DialH AVIATION...Kennedy MARINE...Kennedy 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