San Franciscans should brace themselves for a swift shift in weather, as forecasters are predicting a mix of record warmth followed by rainfall and strong winds as the week progresses. According to the National Weather Service in San Francisco, the city can expect a warming trend over the weekend, with temperatures predicted to soar 10 to 15 degrees above the seasonal average.
City dwellers could experience near record heat on Sunday, with some areas like Santa Rosa and San Jose forecast to hit 74 degrees, flirting with the highs set decades ago. Coastal regions should be milder albeit still in the 60s. Residents of the southern Salinas valley might even catch a glimpse of an 80-degree mark, a rarity for this time of year.
However, the warm interlude is set to be interrupted by a storm system mid next week. "Big changes expected as we get into Tuesday/Wednesday," the weather service warned, forecasting a weather system that could bring substantial moisture and a reactivation of the region's rivers and streams. The National Weather Service stresses that while the soils are at "critical levels," and heavy rainfall could lead to rapid runoff, there is currently no indication that the upcoming system will cause "major or devastating flooding." They do anticipate "rapid rises in feeder creeks and streams, minor urban flooding, shallow landslides along unstable and steep slopes, and roadway flooding."
Via a tweet from NWS Bay Area, forecasters advised that "Rain and wind impacts remain possible for mid-to-late next week," but the exact severity will hinge on the trajectory of the storm and how rapidly it moves through the area. They urge locals to "Keep up with forecast updates from a trusted weather source as we navigate this tricky forecast!"
Rain and wind impacts remain possible for mid-to-late next week, but the extent of impacts will depend upon where the weather system tracks and how quick it moves through. Keep up with forecast updates from a trusted weather source as we navigate this tricky forecast! #cawx pic.twitter.com/hEfCI5JDt2
— NWS Bay Area 🌉 (@NWSBayArea) January 26, 2024
Marine conditions are likely to remain relatively tame today, with the main weather action brewing for next week. Coast goers should expect light northwest winds today, with slightly stronger gusts confined to coastal jet regions. As the city's residents enjoy the abnormal heat this weekend, they should also prepare for the likelihood of a return to the more familiar wet and windy weather typical of the Bay Area in winter.
