The Bay Area is set to experience a noticeable increase in temperature today, with the mercury expected to rise even further as the weekend approaches, according to the National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area. A high-pressure system brewing over the Desert Southwest is responsible for the warmer climes. It is predicted to cause temperatures to hover around the seasonal average this weekend before another warm surge early next week.
As the fog and low clouds that have lingered near coastal areas begin to disperse by late morning or early afternoon, residents can anticipate highs in inner regions in the mid-80s to low 90s. In comparison, the coast may experience upper 50s to mid-70s. A slight discrepancy in the nocturnal forecast arises as high elevations could see temperatures range from the 60s to mid-70s, indicative of the subtropical air mass's response to the advancing high pressure despite a marine layer that's pushing its fortunes to compress itself beneath the very same atmospheric swell.
An update from the National Weather Service, highlighted by an X post, indicates that Thursday afternoon's warmth will be the precursor to an even toastier Friday. The shift is attributed to the westward expansion of the high-pressure system, casting its influence over a wider swath of the southwestern United States.
Warmer temperatures are expected this afternoon (Thursday) with further warming into Friday as high pressure over the Desert Southwest builds westward. #CAwx #BayAreaWX pic.twitter.com/GgZT80WoCm
— NWS Bay Area 🌉 (@NWSBayArea) September 26, 2024
The immediate effects of this pattern shift are more than just a spike on thermometers, as aviation is also bracing for variable ceiling conditions, with the NWS predicting an improvement from IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) and MVFR (Marginal Visual Flight Rules) to general VFR (Visual Flight Rules) throughout the day as the stratus begins to lift. Waterborne ventures expect gusty northwesterly winds that will continue into the early week, compounding challenges to navigators and seafarers alike, building seas near-coastal and off-shore waters.
Mariners are especially advised to take heed of the conditions, with a Small Craft Advisory in effect until 9 PM PDT Friday for areas stretching from Point Arena to Point Reyes, as well as a similar advisory from 3 PM this afternoon through to 9 AM PDT Friday for the stretch from Pigeon Point to Point Pinos, as informed by the latest marine bulletin. As for the longer-term prospects, the Climate Prediction Center foresees temperatures dwelling above and precipitation lingering below the seasonal averages into the first week of October, signaling an extended dalliance with the current dry and balmy conditions.
