The National Weather Service (NWS) in San Francisco advises residents to brace for storms heading into the Bay Area this holiday season. With a High Surf Advisory issued from Thursday, December 26, through Sunday, December 29, locals are urged to be wary of dangerous beach conditions. Swells of up to 30 feet are anticipated along the coast. "Never turn your back on the ocean," warns the National Weather Service.
As families unwrapped gifts and enjoyed a clear and chilly Christmas morning, the NWS released a frost advisory early Wednesday for inland and coastal regions that was lifted at 9 AM. The North Bay inland valleys and parts of the Central Coast, including the southern Salinas Valley, were particularly vulnerable due to their low overnight temperatures and patchy dense fog, which could pose hazards for those traveling or without access to adequate warmth and shelter.
Heading into the weekend, the Bay Area sky, initially partially cloudy, will fill with storm systems promising a wet outlook. "The North Bay could receive around 1-3 inches of rain in the valleys with up to 5 inches in the higher elevations," according to the NWS's Area Forecast Discussion. Coastal areas and the San Francisco-Oakland-Richmond region could also see consistent rainfall, although expected totals are lower than predicted for areas north of the Golden Gate.
Aviation forecasts suggest that VFR conditions will prevail through Wednesday morning, with cloud coverage from an incoming system limiting additional cooling. Santa may have had a clear ride, but the region prepares for reduced ceilings and southward-rushing rain overnight. The Monterey Bay terminals are currently VFR and are expected to remain so, with southeasterly winds picking up as the cold front approaches.
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