Heatwave on the horizon for Bay Area inland residents: Brace yourselves for a scorcher as a major warming trend is about to hit the San Francisco Bay area, says the National Weather Service. While the coastal regions will get a brief reprieve thanks to a strengthening onshore flow and a deepening marine layer over the weekend, inland dwellers should prepare for temperatures that could skyrocket to 10 to 20 degrees above the seasonal norm by Wednesday.
The National Weather Service in San Francisco predicts a sunny expedition for most places today, with coastal areas basking in the relatively cooler 60s and 70s. In comparison, inland temperatures are set to scorch into the 80s and 90s. Still, with clear skies for now, the sun's heat will have a clear path to the ground, making for an unforgiving rise in daytime highs, especially as we sit just three weeks shy of the summer solstice when solar heating is at its peak.
However, drivers taking trips along Monterey Bay and the northern Salinas Valley will have to navigate through patches of dense morning fog that could throttle visibility down to a mere quarter mile, warns NWS Bay Area. The temporary veil of mist won't last long, though, with the National Weather Service forecasting the fog to clear later in the day, giving way to VFR conditions at area airports, including Monterey's KMRY, which has seen oscillating visibility levels in the early hours.
Good driving conditions this morning weather-wise except if you're planning to travel along the Monterey Bay and northern Salinas Valley, please watch out for morning fog reducing the visibility to 1/2-1/4 mile. #CAwx
— NWS Bay Area 🌉 (@NWSBayArea) May 31, 2024
But don't let the serene blue skyscapes fool you. The respite is set to be transient as a high-pressure system slowly builds back up, poised to usher in a much more pronounced heatwave come mid-next week—this is where the inland areas will feel the mercury rise considerably, "with a moderate heat risk by Wednesday," according to the Area Forecast Discussion by NWS San Francisco CA. Meanwhile, mariners are advised to exercise extreme caution with gale warnings flagged for certain spots where northwesterly winds will ruffle up the waters for any small craft venturing out.
