San Francisco Hit by Cold Snap and Gale Warnings; Mariners Advised to Heed NWS Alerts

San Fran braced for a cold snap today, as temperatures dove around the region, the National Weather Services Bay Area reported early this morning. The city's mariners are also facing turbulent times; a gale warning was in effect until 9 AM PST due to northwest winds hitting up 35 knots and tumultuous seas reaching as high as 16 feet, warns the NWS, with the advisory emphasizing, "Mariners should alter plans to avoid these hazardous conditions."

The biting chill, which has had San Franciscans reaching for their thickest coats, won't be letting up anytime soon, per the NWS Bay Area forecast. The frosty forecast prompted a flurry of weather warnings, including a small craft advisory stretching until 9 PM PST due to expected high seas and gusty northwest winds, and mariners with less experience were told they should avoid navigating the hazardous conditions, the warnings were expansive, reaching from the coastal waters at Point Arena to the shores beyond Point Reyes.

The mighty Pacific has been unforgiving to sailors of late, with the tail end of a rain system bringing gusts between 20 to 30 knots and seas roaring at up to 14 feet high, the Marine forecast calling for a wet and wild return this Saturday, especially across the North Bay. According to the NWS, the area could see "rainfall poised to pick up about 1.0-1.5", locally up to 2.5" in the high coastal terrain of Sonoma county."

Amidst the nautical nuisances and the cold, there's a silver lining with clearer skies predicted to make an appearance, bringing a reprieve on Friday before the rain makes its encore, as outlined in the NWS Area Forecast Discussion. High tides, known as King Tides, continue to pose a minor flooding threat along bayside locales, and with the towering northwest swell, officials caution that minor floods could touch the oceanside too, these weather patterns are not expected to be as severe as those experienced last December, but the advisory remains firm in urging the public to exercise caution.