Bay Area residents are in for a particularly blustery start to their week, as the National Weather Service has issued a Wind Advisory affecting the North Bay Interior Mountains and East Bay Hills until 2 PM today. According to NWS San Francisco, gusty north winds are developing across the region, with gusts up to 55 mph possible. These conditions are expected to make it difficult to drive high-profile vehicles, blow away unsecured objects, and cause minor tree damage.
The windy weather results from an interaction between a cutoff low and a developing upper-level ridge, creating a strong pressure gradient across the state's northern half. "As of 11 PM Sunday night, the pressure gradient between SFO and ACV (Arcata Airport, around 12 miles north of Eureka) was a relatively strong 8.2 millibars," the forecast discussion from the National Weather Service states. The winds are expected to diminish in the afternoon, but firefighters were on alert as low relative humidity and dry offshore winds presented potential fire weather concerns.
Along with the Wind Advisory, a Beach Hazards Statement remains in effect through Monday morning for the Monterey County coast due to elevated surf and an increased risk of rip currents. "Surf heights could reach 15 to 20 feet, with waves up to 28 feet possible in favored locations, leading to dangerous swimming and surfing conditions, especially for inexperienced swimmers," the NWS advisory warns, urging swimmers and surfers, especially those less experienced, to exercise extreme caution.
Regarding overall conditions, the Bay Area is slated for sunny skies today, with a high near 78 degrees in San Francisco, while nighttime will see a shift to a southwest wind and a cooler low around 54. "Main story for this morning is the LLWS for the majority of the Bay Area terminals," detailed the National Weather Service's aviation outlook. The remainder of the week seems to pivot towards generally dry and warm conditions, with the extended forecast predicting sunny days accompanied by temperatures in the 60s and 70s, and most nights settling into the lower 50s.
.jpg){kind=link}