Bay Area residents can expect a significant shift in weather conditions as a new storm system approaches. According to an early morning update from the National Weather Service in San Francisco, today's warm and dry conditions will soon give way to a more unsettled pattern starting Wednesday. Highs today are forecasted to be in the mid-70s to low 80s for interior valleys and higher terrain, whereas coastal communities will experience temperatures in the mid-60s to low 70s.
Churning over the Pacific, an incoming storm system will bring a slew of changes. Residents along the coast and in the interior valleys woke up to varied temperatures, ranging from the upper 40s to the upper 50s, due to high-level clouds streaming in. The approaching storm will bring moderate rain and strong southerly winds late Wednesday through Thursday, with a slight chance for thunderstorms, which will bring the main concerns being gusty winds, heavy rain, and flashes of lightning. "Chances for thunder generally sit at 20% or less with this forecast package update," said the National Weather Service.
The rain is expected to have a substantial impact, with the coastal ranges anticipating up to 2-3 inches of rainfall. San Francisco is expected to receive around 1-1.25 inches, while the interior valleys and Monterey Bay region are likely to receive less than 1 inch. While these predictions stand, rain-shadowed valleys may see significantly less rainfall than forecasted.
Wind gusts may also pose a hazard, potentially reaching speeds of over 60 mph through favored gaps and passes. Churning along with the storm, southerly winds will start picking up on Wednesday night and peak on Thursday morning. Even after the main front sweeps through, post-frontal showers are expected to linger until Friday. A brief drying trend on Saturday may offer some respite before the forecast anticipates the return of a trough pattern thereafter.
Aviation conditions remain mostly VFR (Visual Flight Rules), but morning fog along the coastline could present challenges until it lifts later in the day. The combination of strong winds and a building northwest swell could lead to rough seas for mariners, with conditions expected to worsen as the day progresses, particularly leading into Thursday. A Small Craft Advisory has been issued for several zones from 9 AM to 3 PM PST on Wednesday, which will escalate to a Gale Warning later in the day. Furthermore, seas could reach up to 15 feet post-frontal before they start to diminish over the weekend.
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