Issued at 920 AM PDT Thu Sep 24 2026
Thursday is the last day of warm conditions this week, maintaining moderate HeatRisk across the interior East/South Bay valleys and Big Sur coastline. A parade of high clouds ahead of a dry cold front pushes through today with the actual frontal passage occurring overnight. Early Friday morning, a mix of low and high clouds with moderate to strong onshore winds, around 15 to 20 mph primarily at the coast, will result in widespread cooler conditions Friday into the weekend. No precipitation is expected with this system as it cruises through the Bay Area and Central Coast.
, Issued at 1157 PM PDT Wed Sep 23 2026 (Tonight through Friday)
There is a large variation in temperatures across our forecast area, with 50s in a shallow marine layer along the coastline and 60s, 70s and near 80 inland and at elevation. The warmth is due to ongoing thermal and height ridging aloft while a narrow channel of cooler air over the coastal waters is undercutting the ridge. There is very little to no stratus or fog over the coastal waters since there is also warmer surface to near surface air temporarily mixing in on northwest winds. Even though it's dry aloft i.e. good conditions for outward radiative cooling to help stratus and fog develop, the air/sea interface is not thermodynamically supportive of stratus/fog at the current time. However, 1000 mb NAM forecasts a rapidly southeastward moving cooler air mass arriving in our coastal waters between midnight and Thursday morning, which may briefly fall into syncopation with the remaining rhythm of radiative cooling in the early morning. This combination will likely help produce a few areas of coastal stratus and fog, while inland areas stay clear since the marine layer depth is forecast to remain near steady.
Daytime highs on Thursday will warm up similarly to Wednesday's daytime highs with mid 60s to 70s near the immediate coastline, 70s/80s bayside to the 90s well inland.
The ridge will weaken Friday with onshore winds deepening, sending cooler air inland. Daytime highs Friday will range from the 60s/70s coastside to the 80s well inland.
..issued at 1157 PM PDT Wed Sep 23 2026 (Friday night through next Wednesday)
For the weekend, 500 mb troughing will return once again which will keep temperatures cooler than normal for late September. It should be a beautiful weekend temperature-wise. After the weekend cooling trend, temperatures will warm up again by the middle of next week.
(18z TAFS) Issued at 1032 AM PDT Thu Sep 24 2026
VFR. The lack of a better defined marine layer has resulted in VFR conditions regionwide this morning. Onshore winds are forecast to increase through late morning and become locally gusty at times this afternoon. Winds ease slightly late in the night before a dry frontal boundary pushes southward across the region overnight and into Friday morning. The greatest potential for MVFR or sub-MVFR conditions will be early Friday morning around HAF, OAK, and MRY. In wake of the frontal passage on Friday, expecting an increase north-northwesterly winds.
Vicinity of SFO, VFR through the TAF period. Onshore winds increase this afternoon and again in wake of the early morning dry frontal passage. There is a 20-30 percent probability of MVFR ceilings just before sunrise on Friday, yet the greatest potential will be over OAK. Thus, have left out of the TAFs at this time.
SFO Bridge Approach, Similar to SFO.
Monterey Bay Terminals, VFR. Onshore winds increase this afternoon and ease after sunset. The greatest probability of sub- MVFR conditions will be at MRY just before sunrise. Once the dry frontal boundary passes, any low clouds that do develop will mix out by around 17Z.
(today through Tuesday) Issued at 1032 AM PDT Thu Sep 24 2026
Light to moderate northerly breezes expected through early Thursday night. Building high pressure in wake of a passing cold front will usher in fresh to strong breezes Friday into Saturday for most of the waters. Near gale force gusts will be possible in the wind-prone areas nearshore. The stronger winds will lead to an elevated sea state and hazardous conditions for small craft.
Ca, None. PZ, Small Craft Advisory until 5 AM PDT early this morning for Pigeon Pt to Pt Pinos 10-60 NM-Pt Arena to Pt Reyes 0-10 nm.
Small Craft Advisory until 3 AM PDT Thursday for Pt Arena to Pt Reyes 10-60 NM.
CA, None. PZ, Small Craft Advisory from 9 AM to 9 PM PDT Friday for Mry Bay.
Small Craft Advisory from 9 AM Friday to 9 AM PDT Saturday for Pigeon Pt to Pt Pinos 0-10 nm-Pt Arena to Pt Reyes 0-10 nm- Pt Reyes to Pigeon Pt 0-10 nm.
Small Craft Advisory from 9 PM this evening to 9 AM PDT Saturday for Pt Pinos to Pt Piedras Blancas 0-10 nm.
Small Craft Advisory from 9 AM Friday to 3 PM PDT Saturday for Pigeon Pt to Pt Pinos 10-60 NM-Pt Arena to Pt Reyes 10-60 NM.
