As the Bay Area braces for a spell of warmer weather in the first week of August, the National Weather Service (NWS) San Francisco forecast office indicates that while the region may not be facing an extreme heatwave, there's still a moderate HeatRisk in inland areas and at higher elevations. According to the National Weather Service, temperatures during this period are expected to be above normal for early August, particularly across the inland valleys and the higher terrain. Residents, especially those who are heat-sensitive, are advised to stay vigilant.
In addition to the heat, there is a low chance of dry lightning between Friday and Saturday. The NWS notes that the incoming elevated moisture could bring thunderstorms, but due to the high evaporation rates, most rain will evaporate before reaching the surface. This situation is precarious because, as the NWS explains, Wildfires often start when lightning strikes without rain—and although the probability is low, the implications of such an event could be significant.
The Area Forecast Discussion from the NWS elaborates further on the weather conditions, highlighting that warm temperatures are set to continue throughout the extended forecast period, with monsoonal moisture anticipated by the end of the week, which carries the risk of dry lightning, especially for the interior East Bay and South Bay as well as the interior Central Coast, where residents should be wary, despite the heat-related impacts remaining limited. As a result of this consistent spell of warmth, certain areas are expected to experience moderate HeatRisk by the end of the weekend—not so much from the heat intensity but from the prolonged nature of the temperature elevation, which could affect those with heightened sensitivity to heat.
For aviation and marine interests, the NWS issued a small craft advisory starting from Friday afternoon through to early Saturday, with an expectation of strengthening gusts due to a tightening pressure gradient. Flight operations might also be disrupted due to a mix of IFR-LIFR conditions caused by a band of high clouds and some low-level mixing; the South Bay is particularly noted for having lower confidence for ceiling predictions, and the stratus is expected to recede to the coast later in the morning and return in the evening while the breezy onshore winds develop in the afternoon before weakening in the evening.
