Bay Area residents can look forward to a break from the rains that have dampened the region, as forecasters predict a dry spell leading up to Thursday, followed by showers returning to the forecast heading into the weekend. According to the National Weather Service in San Francisco, coastal stratus clouds are expected to stick around, but won't bring in any precipitation until a cold front ushers in light to moderate showers Friday through the weekend, making way for cooler temperatures; a stark contrast to the warm, sunny afternoons earlier in the week.
In the meantime, daily life in San Francisco and its neighboring valleys will mildly be disrupted by patchy fog and mist, a common harbinger of the changing seasons "The current low-cloud enhanced IR satellite image looks a lot like early summer," noted the forecast discussion by the NWS, which could indicate a transition in the weather patterns typical of the Bay Area. Moving into the weekend, folks should be prepared to trade their sunglasses for umbrellas as the "unsettled weather" is foretold to persist Saturday, though showers will be hit-or-miss, diminishing into light showers by Sunday.
Aviators will need to navigate through less-than-ideal conditions with "IFR to LIFR conditions across the board," as stated by the NWS, and visibility is forecasted to improve late in the morning as the fog clears. Commuters and travelers through the Bay Area via air can expect the patterns of nature's whims to affect them, but only briefly before the return of clearer skies.
For those looking forward to enjoying the great outdoors, the forecast might dampen plans with "temperatures in the 50s, while some inland valleys break into the low 60s," as indicated by the NWS, this will see a noticeable drop from recent highs recorded at 79F like in Pinnacles National Park to an expected 59F on Sunday. Boating enthusiasts will have their last bit of reprieve with "gentle NW winds" before the "incoming low pressure system" alters the tides, and mariners are advised on an incoming Small Craft Advisory beginning from Wednesday morning, alerting to tougher maritime conditions through the weekend.
For up to the minute updates, the public can check the NWS' forecast and follow their Twitter feed. The National Weather Service and @NWSBayArea have you covered for all the latest developments as the weather continues its mercurial dance.
Look for gradually cooling temperatures for mid to late week with more cloud cover. Rain chances return for Friday into the weekend, and may linger into early next week. #cawx pic.twitter.com/lssyCUCwur
— NWS Bay Area 🌉 (@NWSBayArea) March 19, 2024
