Technical NOAA Weather Discussion

FXUS66 KMTR 100202
AFDMTR

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Francisco CA
602 PM PST Tue Dec 9 2025

...New AVIATION, MARINE...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 1256 PM PST Tue Dec 9 2025

 - Tule fog and stratus return tonight for Bay Area valleys. 

 - Quiet weather continues, with high temperatures increasing 
   through Friday.

 - Light rain remains possible early next week. 

&&

.SHORT TERM...
Issued at 1256 PM PST Tue Dec 9 2025
(This evening through Wednesday)

Another day of watching the stratus slowly erode across the Bay 
area. The North Bay Valleys seem to be on track to erode by mid to 
late afternoon, which should keep high temperatures fairly chilly up 
there. It's been fun, yet challenging and humbling experience to try 
and nail the stratus erosion timing and high temperature forecast. 
This will continue to be the trend into Wednesday, though hopefully 
we get a little more compression from the high pressure system and 
perhaps slightly stronger offshore flow. If that happens, we could 
see warmer temperatures than forecast; however, I trended with a 
slightly more pessimistic forecast for Wednesday. If your'e outside 
the East and North Bay areas, warmer weather is on tap for 
Wednesday. 

The area area to watch will be interior Central Coast temperatures 
tonight. Ended up tweaking the values in these area based on the 
past few nights being a touch colder than expected. 

&&

.LONG TERM...
Issued at 1256 PM PST Tue Dec 9 2025
(Wednesday night through next Monday)

Heights will build into for the later portion of the work week, 
leading to high temperatures climbing a few degrees each day. The 
question will be, what does that mean for our friends who have been 
stuck with stratus? The ridge should limit the spread of the stratus 
and fog, due to the marine layer compressing. If any clouds and fog 
do form, they should at least erode faster leading to smaller 
warming trend for these areas. High temperatures falter a few 
degrees as we head towards the weekend as upper level ridging slides 
eastwards. The next chance for rain may occur early next week. The 
dates of when this occurs seem to continue to be pushed back, so 
stay tuned. 

&&

.AVIATION...
(00Z TAFS)
Issued at 602 PST Tue Dec 9 2025

Additional warming occurred today in the lower levels of the 
atmosphere per recent Oakland upper air sounding data and Bodega 
Bay profiler data. This strengthened the lower level temperature 
inversion today, however the difference between ground level and 
the base of the temperature inversion did not change much at both
of these locations, at least not yet. The SAC-SFO pressure gradient
is 1.7 mb and the WMC-SFO 0.9 mb. The WMC-SFO gradient is forecast
to strengthen tonight and Wednesday, both gradients support ongoing
offshore winds tonight and Wednesday. 

The synoptic pattern remains favorable for plentiful tule fog and
low stratus to continue over the Central Valley, corresponding to
ongoing chilly temperatures and higher surface pressures in the 
valley. There'll be very little if any interference in outgoing 
radiative cooling tonight; it's dry above the lower level temperature
inversion and cirrus clouds will be at a minimum tonight. Expect 
redevelopment of fog and stratus /LIFR-IFR/ in our area including
the potential for dense tule fog /VLIFR/ to be transported into the
Bay Area on light offshore winds tonight and Wednesday. Key to mix
out times, if they are earlier tomorrow than recently observed,
will be the base of the lower level temperature inversion, if it
does not move downward much then it's a persistence forecast with
late day break out times if at all. In areas where VFR has prevailed
recently the probability of VFR or mixing out from late night and
morning fog and stratus /VFLIFR-IFR/ is greater for Wednesday.
This is a very challenging forecast, forecast confidence regarding 
mix out times Wednesday is low. 

Vicinity of SFO...Low confidence VFR forecast tonight, with ongoing
light offshore surface winds these winds may transport stratus 
ceilings and fog to SFO tonight and Wednesday morning. The difference
between the air temperature and dew point temperature is small, 
radiative cooling and advection may work together to bring the 
atmosphere back to saturation i.e. stratus and fog development.
Offshore winds continue for the 00z TAF. 

SFO Bridge Approach...Slant range visibility may be moderate to
poor at sunrise and sunset due to trapped hazy conditions. Light
offshore winds may also bring low stratus and fog to the SFO
approach, bringing a cloud ceiling and reducing the visibility 
anyhow. It's a low confidence VFR forecast for SFO and the SFO 
approach.

Monterey Bay Terminals...The highest probability of VFR is here,
though radiative cooling may result in patchy fog to patchy dense
fog /LIFR-VLIFR/ in the Salinas Valley tonight and Wednesday
morning. Cold air drainage winds will result in southeasterly 
winds tonight and Wednesday, possibly shifting to light and 
variable temporarily Wednesday afternoon.

&&

.MARINE...
(Tonight through next Monday)
Issued at 408 PM PST Tue Dec 9 2025

Northerly flow remains over the waters with high pressure off the
coast. Winds are locally stronger south of Point Pinos leading to
hazardous conditions today. Winds will strengthen across all
outer waters by midweek. A new, long period northwesterly swell
is expected by midday Wednesday, lasting into the early weekend.

&&

.BEACHES...
Issued at 132 AM PST Tue Dec 9 2025

Long period swell will impact the coast Wednesday - Friday. This 
energy brings strong rip currents, an increased risk for sneaker 
waves, and large breaking waves. NW swell around 8 feet with a 15
second period will translate to breaking waves up to 15-20 feet. 
These conditions may warrant a Beach Hazards Statement, particularly
with the warm weather likely luring more people to the Beach.

&&

.MTR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...Beach Hazards Statement from Wednesday morning through Friday 
     evening for CAZ006-505-509-529-530.

PZ...Small Craft Advisory until 9 AM PST Wednesday for Pt Pinos to Pt 
     Piedras Blancas 0-10 nm.

     Small Craft Advisory until 3 AM PST Thursday for Pt Arena to Pt 
     Reyes 10-60 NM.

     Small Craft Advisory until 3 PM PST Wednesday for Pigeon Pt to 
     Pt Pinos 10-60 NM.

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...KR
LONG TERM....KR
AVIATION...Canepa
MARINE...MM

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Prepared by Boulder-Creek.com Weather at: Tue Dec 9 18:30:02 PST 2025
From the National Weather Service