The San Francisco Bay Area is waking up to another day of cool and cloudy conditions this Friday, with the National Weather Service (NWS) forecasting seasonal to slightly below-normal temperatures continuing into the next week. Commuters near the coast should be aware of increased early morning fog and drizzle this weekend, advised the NWS San Francisco Bay Area in their latest release.
Those driving should note that a lingering marine layer is expected to cause reduced road visibility during morning hours. Given the influx of classic cars visiting the area this week, the NWS Bay Area has shared important safety tips via social media for those who may find themselves navigating foggy conditions with potentially less reliable vehicles.
"Increased coverage of early morning marine layer stratus, fog and drizzle is likely this weekend," stated the National Weather Service update. The office also mentioned an upper-level low-pressure system ushering in a cooler airmass, which will lead to a deepened marine layer and a dip in temperatures aloft, thereby contributing to the spread of marine stratus and possibly affecting travel conditions.
Marine interests should also take heed: the marine forecast indicates that a high-pressure system over offshore waters is weakening, allowing for generally northwesterly winds to ease through the weekend and into next week. However, as noted in the NWS advisory, boaters should still expect to adapt to changing conditions.
At local airports, flight traffic may experience delays due to the patchy IFR-LIFR stratus, particularly in coastal regions, including Monterey Bay and the western San Mateo peninsula. For airport operations, the morning fog is expected to dissipate rapidly, paving the way for clearer afternoon skies before the cycle likely repeats with the return of stratus the following day.
