Technical NOAA Weather Discussion

FXUS66 KMTR 221952
AFDMTR

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Francisco CA
1252 PM PDT Fri May 22 2026

...New SHORT TERM, LONG TERM...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 1250 PM PDT Fri May 22 2026

 - Diurnally driven onshore winds during the afternoon and early 
   evening through early next week

 - Gradual cooling trend continues with seasonal temperatures for
   the upcoming weekend and cooler temperatures early next week

&&

.SHORT TERM...
Issued at 1250 PM PDT Fri May 22 2026
(This evening through Saturday)

The marine layer deepen to ~1500 ft this morning and resulted in 
cooler conditions along the coast and adjacent valleys. May not have 
lowered temperature in these areas enough, however they are on a 
warming trend now the sun is out. Thus, expecting afternoon 
temperatures to warm into the upper 70s to middle 80s across the 
interior, lower 60s to lower 70s around the San Francisco bayshore, 
and upper 50s to middle 60s near the coast. Dry conditions persist 
this afternoon with elevations above 1500 ft are seeing 10%-30% 
humidity values.

As the marine layer is forecast to remain steady, low clouds near 
the coast will spread further inland this evening and spread deeper 
into the valleys early Saturday morning. There is also the potential 
for coastal drizzle, yet the probability is not great enough to 
include in the official forecast grids. 

For Saturday afternoon, we are expecting slightly cooler 
temperatures than today as stratus will be slower to clear. This is 
also in response to more zonal for developing over the region.

&&

.LONG TERM...
Issued at 1250 PM PDT Fri May 22 2026
(Saturday night through next Thursday)

Zonal flow will persist on Sunday, thus temperatures will be similar 
to those on Saturday as far as afternoon maximum temperatures go. 
During the late evening and overnight hours, cannot rule out coastal 
drizzle again Saturday night into Sunday morning. 

By late Monday and early Tuesday, a cold front associated with a 
deep upper level through is forecast to sweep across the region. 
This would result in drizzle and/or light rain as the front moves 
from north to south across the Bay Area and Central Coast. However, 
widespread rainfall is not expected and will be very light not 
amounting to much more than a few hundredths of an inch. In wake of 
the frontal passage, the marine layer may mix out and allow for 
coastal locations slightly warmer compared to this weekend. Winds 
are also forecast to strengthen over the coastal waters on Tuesday 
and Wednesday. 

From the previous forecaster: "Towards the later part of the week, 
the ensemble model runs begin to diverge as the evolution of the 
upper level low and incoming ridging becomes uncertain. Most runs 
lean towards a warming trend for that period, which is reflected in 
the current forecast, with a significant minority (around 30-40% of 
the runs) suggesting that some form of trough lingers through the 
period." 

&&

.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 1132 AM PDT Fri May 22 2026

Stratus is eroding from all non-coastal sites. HAF looks to keep 
CIGs through the day while the rest of the region sees VFR by the 
mid afternoon. Wind turn more moderate into the afternoon, but 
directions will be determined by more localized effects, rather than 
an overall flow. Winds reduce into the evening, allowing stratus to 
flow inland and causing IFR/MVFR CIGs to begin to form and push 
inland. LIFR CIGs and patches of fog will be possible in the near 
coastal sites as well as in the north bay terminals into Saturday 
morning. Cloud cover looks to erode into the late morning and early 
afternoon on Saturday for all but HAF.

Vicinity of SFO...Moderate west winds arrive into the afternoon as 
stratus continues to retreat. Winds will reduce into the late night 
as scattered clouds arrive. Expect MVFR CIGs to form into early 
Saturday morning while winds shift more southwesterly. CIGs erode 
into the late morning ahead of moderate west winds returning into 
the afternoon.

SFO Bridge Approach...Similar to SFO.

Monterey Bay Terminals...VFR returns in the afternoon as moderate 
west winds build. winds reduce in the early evening as IFR CIGs move 
inland. LIFR CIGs and pockets of mist will reduce visibilities into 
the night. CIGs raise back to IFR levels into the mid morning with 

&&

.MARINE...
(Today through Wednesday)
Issued at 838 AM PDT Fri May 22 2026

Light to moderate winds will shift across the waters through the
day, becoming southwesterly and light. The sea state will improve
heading into the holiday weekend as northwesterly swell continues
to decrease.

&&

.MTR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...None.
PZ...None.
&&

$$

SHORT TERM...RGass
LONG TERM....RGass/DialH
AVIATION...Murdock
MARINE...Murdock

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Prepared by Boulder-Creek.com Weather at: Fri May 22 14:30:03 PDT 2026
From the National Weather Service