Technical NOAA Weather Discussion

FXUS66 KMTR 090428
AFDMTR

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Francisco CA
928 PM PDT Thu May 8 2025

...New AVIATION...

.SYNOPSIS...
Issued at 1214 PM PDT Thu May 8 2025

A warming trend will bring temperatures well above average Fri-Sat
before a cold front brings a sharp cool down starting Sunday and 
a chance for rain Monday.

&&

.UPDATE...
Issued at 916 PM PDT Thu May 8 2025

Satellite imagery shows clear skies across the region. The focus
of the forecast over the next 24 hours continues to revolve around
the warm and dry conditions for the inland regions, in particular
the southern Salinas Valley where a Heat Advisory will come into
effect 10 AM Friday. Latest available MOS guidance continues to
show Paso Robles running higher than the current forecast grids,
and with today's observed temperatures running towards the higher
end of the probabilistic NBM distribution, the night shift may
need to bump up temperatures a few degrees during the forecast
update.

DialH

&&

.SHORT TERM...
(This evening through Friday)
Issued at 1214 PM PDT Thu May 8 2025

GOES visible imagery shows mostly clear skies away from the 
immediate coast. Data from the Ft. Ord profiler is indicating the
marine layer has compressed to around 1,500 feet this afternoon 
and this trend should continue as the 500 mb ridge builds over the
next 24 hours. As the ridge builds, the air mass will warm, with 
a high likelihood that the 850 mb temperature exceed the 90th 
percentile by late Friday. The ridge axis will extend from the 
Channel Islands to the northern Rockies, bringing the 850 mb 
temperature above 20C from Southern California to Montana. While 
the Bay Area is escaping the core of the heating, interior 
portions of Monterey and San Benito Counties will be more 
directly affected. Temperatures are expected to reach the mid 90s 
in the Southern Salinas Valley, and a Heat Advisory is in effect 
from 10 AM Friday through 9 PM Saturday. The rest of the Bay Area 
will enjoy some relief from onshore winds, which will keep 
temperatures mostly in the 70s and 80s. For the forecast, we are 
sticking with the 50th percentile of the NBM probabilistic 
guidance for max and min temp. Focusing on the Heat Advisory in 
the Southern Salinas Valley, most MOS guidance is around 5 degrees
warmer for Paso Robles than our forecast. You may even notice 
something warmer than our forecast on your favorite weather app. 
We've decided to stick with our blend as moderate onshore winds 
should help bring a hint of marine influence to Greenfield and 
King City, and the hourly temp forecast has been running warm 
today.

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Friday night through next Wednesday)
Issued at 1214 PM PDT Thu May 8 2025

Saturday will be very similar to Friday with high temperatures
roughly 10 degrees above normal for inland areas and an ocean breeze
keeping the temperatures more seasonal along the coast. By Sunday
an approaching trough from the Pacific will clear out the ridge
and usher in a drastically different weather pattern for the next
few days. This trough will bring increased cloud cover and much 
cooler temperatures, with some light rain expected Monday. Since
the modest moisture (PW around 0.7") arrives with the cooler air 
mass, there may be some instability Monday, and we can't rule out 
the possibility of a thunderstorm developing. Otherwise, most 
areas have a slight to moderate chance of rain and could pick up 
anywhere from a few hundredths to 1/4 inch, especially in the 
North Bay and coastal mountains. While the rain forecast is still 
a little fuzzy, one thing that is certain is the cooler 
temperatures. The 850mb temp will crash from around 18C Saturday 
to less than 5C by Tuesday morning. This will bring high 
temperatures at the surface down anywhere from 10 to 15 degrees F 
below normal, bringing some whiplash after a couple days well 
above normal. The uncertainty has decreased substantially through 
mid-week, and the progressive solution now has far more support in
the guidance. This means temperatures will gradually rebound back
toward normal as the trough evacuates to the East and ridging 
rebuilds through mid-week. It also means the threat of an "inside 
slider" pattern that can bring offshore winds and enhanced fire 
weather conditions is becoming less likely.

&&

.AVIATION...
(06Z TAFS)
Issued at 928 PM PDT Thu May 8 2025

The marine layer continues to compress under increasing high 
pressure aloft. Conditions are currently VFR at the airports 
except MVFR in mist reported at KHAF. The marine layer depth is 
compressed to approx 800 feet from the Bay Area to the Fort Ord 
profiler and near sea level at the Point Sur profiler. 

VFR continues tonight and Friday with exception of LIFR-IFR along
the immediate coastline due to patchy overnight stratus and fog. 
Coastal stratus and fog mixing out later Friday morning.

Vicinity of SFO...VFR. West wind 10 to 15 knots tonight and Friday
morning, increasing to 20 to 25 knots Friday afternoon and evening.

SFO Bridge Approach...Similar to SFO. 

Monterey Bay Terminals...VFR this evening then patchy stratus and
fog /LIFR-IFR/ redeveloping late tonight and Friday morning. Stratus
and fog mixing out by late Friday morning. Onshore winds 5 to 10 
knots becoming light and variable tonight and Friday morning then 
onshore 10 to 15 knots Friday afternoon.

&&

.MARINE...
(Tonight through next Wednesday)
Issued at 902 PM PDT Thu May 8 2025

High pressure will build in from the north through Saturday
maintaining light to moderate northerly flow over the waters
heading into the weekend. Winds will be locally stronger north of
Point Reyes and along the Big Sur coast. Light rain will be
possible on Monday as a frontal passage moves across the region.
Moderate seas continue through the end of the forecast period.

&&

.MTR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...Heat Advisory from 10 AM Friday to 9 PM PDT Saturday for CAZ516.

PZ...Small Craft Advisory from 9 AM to 9 PM PDT Friday for Mry Bay.

     Small Craft Advisory until 3 AM PDT Friday for Pt Arena to Pt 
     Reyes 0-10 nm-Pt Arena to Pt Reyes 10-60 NM-Pt Pinos to Pt 
     Piedras Blancas 0-10 nm.

     Small Craft Advisory from 9 AM Friday to 3 AM PDT Saturday for 
     Pigeon Pt to Pt Pinos 0-10 nm-Pt Arena to Pt Reyes 0-10 nm-
     Pt Pinos to Pt Piedras Blancas 0-10 nm.

     Small Craft Advisory from 3 PM Friday to 3 AM PDT Saturday for 
     Pigeon Pt to Pt Pinos 10-60 NM-Pt Arena to Pt Reyes 10-60 
     NM-Pt Reyes to Pigeon Pt 0-10 nm.

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...Flynn
LONG TERM....Flynn
AVIATION...Canepa
MARINE...Canepa

Visit us at www.weather.gov/sanfrancisco

Follow us on Facebook, X, and YouTube at:
www.facebook.com/nwsbayarea
x.com/nwsbayarea
www.youtube.com/nwsbayarea


  
Prepared by Boulder-Creek.com Weather at: Fri May 9 02:30:03 PDT 2025
From the National Weather Service