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

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312 FXUS66 KMTR 140404 AFDMTR Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service San Francisco CA 904 PM PDT Mon May 13 2024 ...New UPDATE, MARINE... .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 1217 PM PDT Mon May 13 2024 Relatively quiet pattern persists through the forecast period with morning marine stratus and clear skies elsewhere. Inland temperatures warm into the 70s and 80s each afternoon with a persistent marine layer keeping coastal highs in the 60s. && .UPDATE...
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Issued at 903 PM PDT Mon May 13 2024 Did a few minor tweaks to the forecast this evening to cool temperatures by a few degrees across the interior for tomorrow. This is as the past couple of days did not reach our actual forecast temperatures for inland areas. Low clouds will penetrate well inland into the valleys overnight and begin to mix out by mid-to-late morning. With the marine layer sitting at around 1,600-1,800 feet per the Fort Ord Profiler, temperatures tomorrow afternoon will likely reach the mid 70`s to mid 80`s in far inland areas with 60`s near the coast.
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&& .SHORT TERM... (This evening through Tuesday) Issued at 1217 PM PDT Mon May 13 2024 A weak upper low continues to slowly traverse into the southwest US while gradually deepening our marine layer. The main result of this will be a slightly greater extent of marine stratus inland. However, the overall pattern continues to be dominated by a stout longwave ridge over the Eastern Pacific, so afternoons will be clear across the area with stratus lingering along coastal areas. Afternoon highs in the 70s for most and 60s along the coast. Farther inland locations such as southern Monterey county eastern Contra Costa county, and northern Napa counties will see highs in the mid-to-upper 80s. && .LONG TERM... (Tuesday night through next Sunday) Issued at 1217 PM PDT Mon May 13 2024 Through midweek, the ridge pattern strengthens slightly as the weak upper low pulls away. Though the ridge influence will be dominant, we remain on the periphery, so there is no strong signal for a pronounced warming trend through the week. Instead, afternoon highs will increase just by a few degrees from midweek into the weekend. Most areas will see the mid-70s with inland locations in the lower 80s. A few of the aforementioned warmest locations have a shot at hitting the 90 degree mark. Lows will generally be in the lower to mid 50s. Coastal clouds are likely during the overnight and AM hours with a gradual clearing towards the coast each afternoon. && .AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 459 PM PDT Mon May 13 2024 VFR to MVFR-LIFR overnight. Similar to yesterday, widespread stratus coverage is starting to move into coastal region and the Fort Ord wind profiler shows the top of the marine layer to be around 1500- 1600 feet. This increases confidence that stratus will again be widespread inland and will likely reach all stations. Guidance is split on if stratus will reach LVK with the GFS showing an increase in RH and weaker winds 10-16Z which may help lower CIGs develop. Given forecast guidance and persistence, leaning towards stratus reaching LVK for a short period from the early to mid morning hours. Elsewhere, high end IFR to low end MVFR CIGs will initially develop during the late evening before CIGs lower and VIS drops overnight. Increased fog potential at STS, MRY, and SNS with guidance indicating significant visibility overnight/during the early morning hours. Across the north bay winds will stay out of the south to southwest, elsewhere winds are largely west to northwest. Vicinity of SFO...Currently VFR transitioning to MVFR-IFR overnight. ECMWF ensemble guidance indicates higher gusts close to 25 knots will continue through ~03-04Z with winds expected to drop off after that time. Low to moderate confidence on exact timing of stratus arrival to SFO. Earlier guidance suggested an arrival between 03-05Z but newer guidance has pushed stratus arrival back closer to 08-10Z. Looking at both persistence and GFS guidance - leaning towards stratus arrival around 08Z but some uncertainty remains. Will continue to monitor stratus progression and revise as needed. SFO Bridge Approach...Similar to SFO. Monterey Bay Terminals...VFR transitioning to LIFR overnight. Initial stratus push is expected to have MVFR-IFR CIGs with CIGs lowering moving into the late evening/overnight. Increased fog potential for MRY and SNS heading into the early morning hours. Guidance indicates visibilities may drop to 1/2SM but confidence was on the lower end. For the next TAF issuance, will continue to assess trends and fog potential. Winds will stay out of the west to northwest wind. Winds will weaken overnight before moderate winds return by late tomorrow morning. && .MARINE...
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(Tonight through next Sunday) Issued at 903 PM PDT Mon May 13 2024 Moderate to fresh northwesterly winds continue through the middle of the work week before diminishing to gentle to moderate beginning Wednesday. Occasional near gale force to gale force gusts are possible across portions of the northern outer waters overnight Monday into Tuesday morning. Winds will become more west to southwesterly and gusts are expected to strengthen across the northern outer waters heading into the late week and weekend. Overcast conditions and widespread stratus continue across the coastal waters as surface high pressure builds. Significant wave heights across the central and northern outer waters will build to 10-14 feet by mid- week before seas diminish by late week.
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&& .MTR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
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CA...None. PZ...Small Craft Advisory until 9 PM PDT Tuesday for Pt Arena to Pt Reyes 10-60 NM.
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&& $$ UPDATE...RGass SHORT TERM...Behringer LONG TERM....Behringer 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