Technical NOAA Weather Discussion

FXUS66 KMTR 020541
AFDMTR

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Francisco CA
1041 PM PDT Fri May 1 2026

...New AVIATION, MARINE...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 125 PM PDT Fri May 1 2026

 - Overnight and morning stratus will persist as the marine layer
   deepens through the weekend

 - Cooler temperatures this weekend with a chance of drizzle
   and/or light rain, mainly along the coast, into early next 
   week

 - Warm and dry condition's return the middle of next week

&&

.UPDATE...
Issued at 502 PM PDT Fri May 1 2026

The forecast appears to be on track. High clouds are passing
overhead, with stratus seeping into the coast due to the deepening
marine layer. This looks to deepen this evening and overnight, 
perhaps to 1500 to 2000ft. 

&&

.SHORT TERM...
Issued at 125 PM PDT Fri May 1 2026
(This evening through Saturday)

We'll lose the influence of the upper ridging moving across our area 
this afternoon by sunset, with a pattern shift to persistent 
troughing through the weekend into the beginning of next week. 
Stratus has mostly retreated back to the coastline with San 
Francisco and SF Peninsula lagging a little behind early this 
afternoon. Otherwise expect mostly sunny skies with a layer of thin 
cirrus for the remainder of the day. As an upper low continues 
tracking south offshore toward our latitude, we'll see the marine 
layer continue to gradually increase through the weekend. Stratus 
development tonight and its intrusion inland will be similar as what 
we saw last night into this morning. With the slight increase in the 
depth of the marine layer as well tonight, it should take a little 
longer to mix out Saturday, into the early afternoon for adjacent 
inland spots, and potentially linger most if not all day for 
immediate coastal areas. There is a chance of drizzle along the 
coast late tonight into Saturday morning with the best chances in 
higher elevated coastal ranges.

&&

.LONG TERM...
Issued at 125 PM PDT Fri May 1 2026
(Saturday night through next Thursday)

The increased cloud clover inland and cooler temperatures will lead 
to a more notable drop in inland high temperatures this weekend, 
around 5 degrees from todays values on Saturday and another 5 on 
Sunday, with little change for coastal areas under the continuous 
influence of the marine layer. As the Rex Block begins to pivot 
inland, so too will the offshore upper low, beginning to take a more 
direct path inland on Sunday. The cooling trend will continue into 
the beginning of next week. By Monday and Tuesday, high temperatures 
will bottom out to between 5-10 degrees below normal as the system 
tracks inland into the desert southwest. Unfortunately, this system 
has continued to trend drier from already anemic moisture offered in 
guidance earlier this week. As mentioned above, there will be 
patches of drizzle at times mostly confined to the coast but with
no impacts. Wednesday appears to be the beginning of an extended 
period of warm and dry weather under persistent ridging well 
beyond the current forecast period.

&&

.AVIATION...
(06Z TAFS)
Issued at 1041 PM PDT Fri May 1 2026

Widespread stratus is reported across the region with a mix of MVFR-
IFR CIGs. Ceilings will lower throughout the night with 
predominantly IFR CIGs expected. Clearing is likely to occur by late 
morning/early afternoon before another early return of stratus 
Saturday evening. Gusty winds return during the afternoon/evening 
before winds reduce again tomorrow night. 

Vicinity of SFO...MVFR CIGs are expected to persist through the 
overnight hours before clearing by the early afternoon. Breezy 
onshore winds return during the afternoon/evening with gusts peaking 
around 25 knots. Stratus returns early tomorrow evening with MVFR 
CIGs to prevail tomorrow night.

SFO Bridge Approach....Similar to SFO.

Monterey Bay Terminals...MVFR to IFR CIGs expected overnight with 
clearing by late morning/early afternoon. Breezy onshore winds 
return during the afternoon/evening before dissipating overnight. An 
early return of stratus is likely again tomorrow night with MVFR 
CIGs expected.

&&

.MARINE...
(Tonight through next Thursday)
Issued at 1041 PM PDT Fri May 1 2026

Fresh to strong northwesterly breeze continues into Saturday
before winds diminish. Winds will become moderate to fresh late
Saturday into Sunday. Moderate, wind driven seas will build to 8
to 10 feet across the northern outer waters through Saturday
afternoon. Seas subside late Saturday into Sunday as winds
continue to diminish next week.

&&

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

PZ...Small Craft Advisory until 9 AM PDT Saturday for Pt Arena to Pt 
     Reyes 0-10 nm.

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

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...JM
LONG TERM....JM
AVIATION...Kennedy
MARINE...KR

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Prepared by Boulder-Creek.com Weather at: Sat May 2 00:30:03 PDT 2026
From the National Weather Service