The National Weather Service in San Francisco is alerting residents of the Central Coast to the potential for thunderstorms this afternoon and evening, with San Benito County facing the highest risk. The forecast calls for "locally heavy rain, gusty winds, small hail, and lightning," according to NWS San Francisco. The NWS advises that when you hear thunder, seek shelter indoors immediately.
In a separate issue, the KMUX radar, which provides weather coverage for the region, remains out of service due to communication problems. There is currently no estimated time for the radar to be operational again, leading to reliance on neighboring radars such as Eureka, Beale Air Force Base, Sacramento, Hanford, and Vandenberg Space Force Base for weather data. "We are sorry for the inconvenience," said the NWS San Francisco.
Furthermore, the weather service's Area Forecast Discussion has highlighted a slight warming trend expected this weekend along with moderate offshore winds. Meanwhile, today's temperatures will dip below average, with conditions persisting into the evening. "Showers moving south through the day with slight chance for thunderstorms in the interior Central Coast," the forecast discussed, with particular attention to the 10-15% chance of thunderstorms in parts of Monterey County and southern and eastern sections of Santa Clara County.
A weak cold front will continue to push through the coastal waters today, making way for a strong northwest breeze with near gale force gusts from Friday through early Sunday. "After the front passes, hazardous small craft conditions will persist as the swell subsides, but winds increase," the National Weather Service predicts. Mariners should prepare for "rough wind waves up to 10 feet through the weekend," as higher pressure builds across the Eastern Pacific.
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