Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Issued by NWS San Francisco Bay Area, CA
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486 FXUS66 KMTR 270539 AFDMTR Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service San Francisco CA 1039 PM PDT Thu Sep 26 2024 ...New AVIATION, MARINE... .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 835 PM PDT Thu Sep 26 2024 Above normal temperatures tomorrow with slightly cooler temps over the weekend. Another warmup for the beginning of next week will bring more moderate HeatRisk to many inland locations on Monday and Tuesday. && .UPDATE... Issued at 835 PM PDT Thu Sep 26 2024 No update to the forecast necessary tonight. Some low stratus is filling into coastal communities along Monterey Bay and the Salinas Valley tonight, along with a well defined eddy over the waters of Monterey Bay as of 8:45 PM PDT. The marine boundary layer has begun to compress as well per the Ft Ord profiler and may help to produce periods of drizzle and patchy fog overnight along the Central Coast. && .SHORT TERM... (This evening through Friday) Issued at 1206 PM PDT Thu Sep 26 2024 Temperatures on the rise today as high pressure builds aloft and compresses the marine layer. Current temps running around 10-15 degrees warmer than 24 hours ago for areas away from the coastline. This trend will continue on Friday as the marine layer compression continues. There is a slight chance of weak offshore winds during the early morning hours Friday that would help erode the marine layer and result in temps slightly above forecast tomorrow afternoon. This is not a widespread offshore wind event, but rather a subtle feature that affects the confidence of tomorrow`s forecast high, especially along the coast where the presence, or lack, of marine layer can result in a large difference in temperatures over short distances. The offshore gradient does not look like it will last too long, however. High confidence that onshore winds will take over during the afternoon, bringing temps back down as the marine layer returns. && .LONG TERM... (Friday night through next Wednesday) Issued at 1206 PM PDT Thu Sep 26 2024 Still on track for a flattening of the ridge via upper level trough moving into the PNW through this weekend. That will result in a deepening of the marine layer and slightly cooler temps over the weekend before the next round of warm weather. The next impactful period of weather looks to be the Tuesday/Wednesday timeframe with well above average temperatures. Confidence is high in the pattern supporting high temperatures about 15-20 degrees above normal inland and 5-10 degrees above normal along the coastline. Like the weak offshore flow Friday, a weak upper low pressure system lingering off the southern California coast will promote light offshore flow that will likely erode the marine layer along the coast. This looks like it could be among the warmest days that the immediate coastline have seen so far this summer. It doesn`t look like anything over the top based on the current forecast, but certainly warm for these areas. High temps Tuesday along the immediate coast will be in the 70s to mid-80s, and the 90s to near 100 inland. In terms of fire weather, things will be very dry with fuels forecast to near record levels, particularly in the North Bay. However, the winds don`t appear to be critical at the moment, and the current forecast appears to support decent moisture return overnight compared to a true offshore wind event. Fire danger is certainly elevated, but not critical at this time. Beyond the middle of the week, the pattern begins to break down again and become a little more uncertain. && .AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 1039 PM PDT Thu Sep 26 2024 At this hour, satellite shows stratus pushing inland through the Salinas valley and around Monterey Bay. The marine layer remains compressed from high pressure, and visibilities at several airports in the Monterey regions are reporting less than 1 SM. Throughout the night, expecting Monterey Bay terminals to continue to see IFR/LIFR conditions as a result of low stratus and fog. Elsewhere is likely to remain VFR as stratus is not thought to advect far inland tonight, remaining largely at the coastline. North Bay terminals may see slight visby reductions as mist/light fog develops thanks to radiational cooling and a moisture influx, though confidence on any fog development for the North Bay is currently low-moderate. Otherwise, winds light overnight for most terminals and variable. W/NW breezy winds return in the afternoon Friday for the majority of terminals alongside VFR conditions. Vicinity of SFO...VFR through the TAF period. Stratus is not expected to make any meaningful push into the SF Bay overnight. Breezy NW winds return in the afternoon, but ease to become light into the late night Friday. SFO Bridge Approach...Similar to SFO. Monterey Bay Terminals...LIFR CIGs and visbys persist through at least sunrise Friday. The well compressed marine layer is keeping stratus trapped close to the ground, allowing for significant reductions in visbys. It is not until closer to the 16-17Z window Friday that stratus and fog is expected to begin to mix out and erode. Beyond this timeframe, a return of VFR conditions is expected, lasting through the evening Friday. && .MARINE... (Tonight through next Wednesday) Issued at 1039 PM PDT Thu Sep 26 2024 A series of low pressure systems will begin to move into the Pacific Northwest this week and support continued moderate to fresh northwesterly breezes over the outer waters. Significant wave heights will build over the outer waters to 8 to 10 feet by this weekend. Over the northern outer waters significant waves heights between 8 to 12 feet, rough seas, and strong gusts will continue through the end of the forecast period. && .MTR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CA...None. PZ...Small Craft Advisory until 3 PM PDT Saturday for Pt Arena to Pt Reyes 10-60 NM. Small Craft Advisory until 3 AM PDT Friday for Pigeon Pt to Pt Pinos 10-60 NM. Small Craft Advisory from 3 AM to 3 PM PDT Saturday for Pigeon Pt to Pt Pinos 10-60 NM. && $$ SHORT TERM...Behringer LONG TERM....Behringer AVIATION...AC MARINE...Sarment 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