textproduct: San Francisco Bay Area

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 954 PM PDT Thu Sep 24 2026

- Cooler conditions arrive Friday into the weekend.

- Near seasonal temperatures early next week.

UPDATE

Issued at 853 AM PDT Fri Sep 25 2026

Stratus lingers across the SF Bay Area and within the northern Salinas Valley, expected to pare back to the coastal regions through the rest of the morning. A weak and dry cold front continues to make its way through the SF Bay Area and will come into the Central Coast this afternoon, bringing breezier conditions in its wake and heralding a cooler and moister weekend. No changes to the forecast at this time.

DialH

SHORT TERM

Issued at 1158 PM PDT Thu Sep 24 2026 (Tonight through Saturday)

A cool front will sweep southward across the forecast area Friday morning. The front will bring coastal low clouds Friday morning before mixing out during the day. Daytime highs will be cooler with highs ranging from the 60s to lower 70s coastside to the mid 70s and 80s inland. Additional cooling arrives for Saturday with daytime highs in the 60s/70 at the coast, mostly 70s inland except in the 80s across the southern interior of Monterey and San Benito counties.

LONG TERM

Issued at 1158 PM PDT Thu Sep 24 2026 (Saturday night through next Thursday)

There's good agreement in the global models showing a progressive pattern across the Pacific into the western CONUS late in the weekend through mid next week. This is a signature of a strong north hemispheric meridional temperature gradient, robust polar jet stream and subtropical jet stream winds, wind shear and low pressure system(s) development. With both jet streams across the eastern Pacific working in unison through the forecast period, this greatly increases the chance we see reinforcing drier mid- latitude wind flow suppressing tropical activity far to our south during this timeframe.

The cooler weather lasts through Monday before we return to a warming trend Tuesday through Thursday. 500 mb ridging returns during this time with breezy to gusty coastal northwesterly winds and dry weather prevailing.

AVIATION

(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1033 AM PDT Fri Sep 25 2026

A mix of VFR-MVFR conditions this morning will give way to VFR regionwide by this afternoon. High confidence for breezy onshore winds this afternoon in wake of a dry frontal passage. Winds are forecast to ease overnight and more so into early Saturday morning. Low to moderate confidence for the return of low ceilings and/or fog across the region early Saturday morning. The greatest potential for sub-VFR conditions are at HAF, OAK, and SNS. Any low clouds and/or fog will dissipate by 18Z Saturday.

Vicinity of SFO...VFR. Increasing west to northwest winds this afternoon with gusts up to 28 kt. Low confidence for sub-VFR conditions early Saturday morning through about 17Z with the greatest potential over OAK. Winds ease early Saturday morning before increasing once again in the afternoon with VFR conditions likely to prevail throughout the day on Saturday.

SFO Bridge Approach...Similar to SFO.

Monterey Bay Terminals...VFR. Expecting increasing northwesterly winds this afternoon before easing after sunset. The greatest potential for sub-IFR conditions will be over SNS with the potential for fog development, however have just SCT006 in at MRY from 1100Z-1630Z Saturday to account for the uncertainty.

MARINE

(Today through Wednesday) Issued at 853 AM PDT Fri Sep 25 2026

A passing dry cold front will bring fresh to strong northerly breezes into the weekend. Near gale force gusts are possible across Monterey Bay south to Big Sur through Sunday afternoon and evening. Tropical storm activity producing long period southerly swell begins to increase for the beginning of next week.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 430 AM PDT Fri Sep 25 2026

Transition day across the district as a weak dry cold front sweeps through. As of this writing the front is just pushing through the N Bay and will traverse through the Central Coast by this afternoon. The passing front will kick off a cooling and moistening trend, which will continue through the weekend. More importantly for a fire weather standpoint the passing front will cause an uptick in winds. Winds will likely be strongest later this afternoon and this evening. Winds ease overnight, but a weak offshore push develops for early Saturday morning. Nothing to be alarmed over as it will be weak and mainly N and E Bay higher terrain.

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MTR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

CA...None. PZ...Small Craft Advisory until 9 PM PDT this evening for Mry Bay.

Small Craft Advisory until 3 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 until 3 PM PDT Saturday for Pigeon Pt to Pt Pinos 10-60 NM-Pt Pinos to Pt Piedras Blancas 0-10 nm.

Small Craft Advisory until 3 PM PDT Sunday for Pt Arena to Pt Reyes 10-60 NM.