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

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026 FXUS66 KMTR 231604 AFDMTR Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service San Francisco CA 904 AM PDT Sun Jun 23 2024 ...New UPDATE, MARINE... .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...
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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.
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&& .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... (12Z TAFS) Issued at 512 AM PDT Sun Jun 23 2024 Update: Confidence in stratus impacts away from the immediate coast, barring the Monterey Bay region, has decreased further. Have removed mention of stratus ceilings this morning from all TAFs save MRY, where the TEMPO group remains for LIFR ceilings. Monitoring the bank of stratus just off the coast of Monterey for potential impacts to the terminal. Previous discussion is reproduced below. Generally clear skies across the region with the exception of a patch of IFR/LIFR stratus and fog in the Monterey Bay region. Satellite imagery is showing a bank of stratus offshore which could impact the coastal region before sunrise. Elsewhere, confidence in stratus impacts has decreased and have turned the prevailing ceilings tonight into TEMPO groups to reflect this. Wherever stratus does emerge, expect it to clear around 16-17Z. Breezy onshore winds will set up in the afternoon and evening. Some model output suggests that stratus will return to the coast, the North Bay valleys, the northern SF Bay, and the Monterey Bay region this evening. Of these, the highest confidence for impacts is at the coast and around Monterey Bay. Vicinity of SFO...Confidence in stratus impacts this morning has decreased at the terminal; therefore, the prevailing ceiling has been modified to a TEMPO group. If stratus does form or move over the terminal, expect it to clear out around 16Z. Breezy west- northwest winds with gusts up to 20 knots will develop in the afternoon and persist into the evening. Low confidence for any stratus impacts this evening into Monday morning. SFO Bridge Approach... Similar to SFO. Monterey Bay Terminals... MRY and SNS had cleared out earlier tonight after getting ceilings, but the bank of stratus remains over the rest of Monterey Bay, and dense fog has subsequently been reported over SNS. Have kept ceilings at both terminals with the difficult forecast situation limiting confidence for the rest of the morning. Current expectation is for the ceilings to scatter out around 16-17Z, with breezy onshore winds up to 10-15 knots expected this afternoon and evening. Stratus is expected to redevelop this evening, with model output suggesting the possibility of dense fog at MRY towards the end of the TAF period. && .MARINE...
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(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.
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&& .MTR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
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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.
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&& $$ UPDATE...RGass SHORT TERM...DialH LONG TERM....DialH AVIATION...DialH 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