Much of the Bay Area is set to see sizzling summer weather this weekend as temperatures hit the triple digits, but coastal areas will mostly avoid the swelter with much more temperate conditions.
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Heat advisories go into effect Saturday at 10 a.m. and will remain in effect through Sunday at 10 p.m., said National Weather Service meteorologist Anamaria Nagarrete.
“More inland areas, particularly the interior valleys of the North Bay, East Bay and even South Bay as well as down on the Central Coast, can see temperatures as high as the mid-90s to the lower 100s,” Nagarrete said. “Once you get closer to the coast and right at the bay, we can see that marine influence holding on strong and moderating temperatures to the 70s, to even upper 60s.”
Friday’s weather ushered in some monsoonal moisture in upper clouds, but most of that was set to remain at higher elevations, Nagarrete said. Saturday and Sunday were likely to introduce moderate heat risks, which will begin to lower to a minor heat risk on Monday.
Nagarrete encouraged those who want to spend time outdoors over the weekend to take precautions due to the heat, including staying hydrated and drinking electrolytes, wearing sunscreen and other sun protection and limiting time spent outdoors. No children or pets should be left unattended in vehicles.
San Jose will see highs into the low to mid-90s on Saturday and Sunday, with lows dipping down to mid-to-low 60s, Nagarrete said. The heat risk in the South Bay is highest near San Jose, in the Santa Cruz Mountains and in the eastern Santa Clara Hills, according to the NWS.
In the East Bay, inland cities such as Livermore will spike to 96 on Saturday and up to 100 on Sunday, while more coastal Oakland will only heat up to the upper 70s and low 80s. Walnut Creek will see a high of 94 on Saturday and 101 on Sunday, with lows in the low 60s. The East Bay heat risk is highest in the region’s interior hills and valleys, according to NWS.
San Francisco will largely escape the swelter, with highs expected to hit 73 on Saturday and 77 on Sunday, with lows dipping into the upper 50s.
“The brunt of the force of that heat is going to be on Saturday and Sunday, and then beginning Monday, we should see a gradual cooldown,” Nagarrete added. “We still have a minor heat risk because … our high pressure system is holding on pretty strong over at the southwest and seems like it’s not going anywhere until probably the later half of the incoming work week.”
Bay Area residents traveling to the Lake Tahoe area for the weekend will not be able to escape the heat there, either. Temperatures are expected to peak in the lower 90s on Saturday and Sunday, but there is no heat advisory in place because temperatures will be dipping into the 50s overnight, said NWS meteorologist Mark Deutschendorf. Beginning Monday, there will be a “slow cooling trend” with highs dropping to the upper 80s and hitting the low 80s by the end of the week.
“It is on the hot side compared to their normals,” he said. “They normally would see lower 80s this time of year.”
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“Between the Bay Area and Tahoe, it’ll be quite hot in the valleys, so that’s always something to keep an eye on,” he added. “The drive there will be pretty heated, so you should have a vehicle well maintained and carry extra water in the car with you.”
That heat combined with a low humidity of 10% to 40% is also bringing elevated fire weather conditions in the Bay Area, Nagarrete said. Fire weather advisories are in place for the North Bay and East Bay for Friday through Sunday, warning of elevated fire conditions with the potential for rapid spread of flames, according to NWS.
“This heat … is drying out the vegetation that we have at our higher elevation peaks, which are places that we’re monitoring for,” Nagarrete said. “It’s just making them more susceptible to burn if a fire were to be ignited, and that’s combined with lower relative humidity recoveries overnight.”
“The only thing that we’re lacking is the wind component,” she added.
Smoke impacts on the greater Bay Area from a fire burning in Sonoma County, which had lowered air quality earlier in the week, were “very limited” to none, Nagarrete said, adding that the fire has reached 95% containment.
The heat-up will be accompanied by a coastal flood advisory warning of flooding of up to 1.7 feet in low-lying coastal areas along the edges of San Francisco, San Pablo and Monterey bays, according to the NWS. The advisory was set to go into effect 5 p.m. Friday and last until 2 a.m. Thursday. The warning anticipated flooding in roads, parks and lots with isolated road impacts.
“That’s mainly due to the high tides that we are experiencing,” Nagarrete said.
Nagarrete added that Bay Area residents should plan for extra travel time if going near coastal areas and take steps to protect valuables on flood-prone properties. Some low-lying coastal trails and beaches may also have access blocked by high tide.
“Never drive through any barricades or through water, as people may underestimate just how deep that water is,” she added. “It’s just better to err on the side of caution and to not drive through any type of water.”
The NWS is also monitoring for a southerly swell of 15 to 17 seconds along the coast that was set to arrive Friday evening and last until Sunday, Nagarrete added. That has the potential to increase the risk of strong rip currents and sneaker waves.
“Our wave heights aren’t necessarily high enough for us to meet beach hazards criteria,” Nagarrete said. “But because it’s going to be so hot and I’m sure people would love to go and experience our beautiful coastline, we just always emphasize taking extra precautions whenever people are visiting the beaches because the ocean can be very unforgiving.”
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