The National Weather Service in San Francisco has issued a weather update that could dampen any plans for outdoor frolicking today. According to their latest briefing, the Bay Area is set to experience scattered thunderstorms, along with rain and windy conditions throughout the day. The situation comes from a low-pressure system advancing southeastward from Northwestern California. Rainfall totals might hit up to 0.75 inches, as reported by the National Weather Service.
Not just the rain but wind gusts from 20-30mph are anticipated, hitting up to 45 mph, especially in higher elevations and coastal areas. If you've been wondering about thunderstorms, the NWS says they're possible this evening. "If a thunderstorm were to develop, the primary hazards will be lightning, locally heavy rainfall and gusty winds, and small hail," the National Weather Service said. When the sun makes its inevitable descent tonight, so should the risk of thunder. But before you sigh out of relief, the NWS advises you to brace for robust westerly winds that'll whip through the afternoon into the evening.
Looking past today's stormy theatre, the forecast suggests a warming trend that is expected to start up tomorrow and carry through Sunday, with temperatures heading north of the normal. This news might sit well with sun-seekers and those pining for drier days. Nighttime could bring the chill, particularly in elevated areas. Clear skies and light winds will facilitate radiational cooling, quite the opposite of daytime warming. A cold front will skim the region Sunday into Monday, bearing light rain primarily in the northernmost regions of Sonoma County, as per the NWS forecast.
The current weather also carries implications for aviators and mariners. "Scattered showers are increasing in coverage and intensity this morning," the National Weather Service cautions, with this trend expected into the afternoon before drier air moves in by evening. VFR conditions should generally prevail, but quick downpours could slash visibility below 3 miles for brief periods. Thunderstorms present a 20-30 percent chance to interrupt later in the morning and might persist through the afternoon. And if you've got business on the bay, strong westerly winds will continue today, as well as a high W-NW swell that will see seas getting rough, peaking around 14 feet today before gradually calming down by Wednesday.
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