Technical NOAA Weather Discussion

FXUS66 KMTR 040701
AFDMTR

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Francisco CA
1201 AM PDT Sat Jul 4 2026

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

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 1200 AM PDT Sat Jul 4 2026

 - Marine layer stratus develops each evening and overnight before
   retreating to the coast each morning and afternoon

 - Temperatures near to slightly below seasonal averages for
   Independence Day

 - Temperatures dip for Sunday and Monday with a slight chance of
   showers on Sunday, warming trend for the mid to late week

&&

.SHORT TERM...
Issued at 1200 AM PDT Sat Jul 4 2026
(Today and tonight)

The marine layer stratus is continuing to make its way inland, as 
the clouds come into the Sonoma County valleys, the Richmond-
Berkeley area and down the Salinas Valley. Stratus will make its way 
into the coastal valleys through the night, retreating to the 
immediate coastal regions through the post-dawn and afternoon hours 
before returning this evening and overnight.

The weather pattern this Independence Day will be driven by a ridge 
set up over the Rocky Mountains and a shortwave trough that develops 
in the eastern Pacific, with California set up in a kind of 
transition zone between the two. Low temperatures remain in the 
lower to middle 50s in the lower elevations, and rise into the lower 
to middle 60s across the higher elevations. Today's highs are 
generally near to below the seasonal averages with highs in the 80s 
across the inland valleys, up to the lower to middle 90s in the 
warmest interior spots, the middle 60s to the upper 70s close to the 
Bays, and the middle 50s to lower 60s along the Pacific coast. Some 
breezy onshore winds develop in the afternoon and evening with gusts 
reaching 20 to 25 mph through gaps, passes, and the northern Salinas 
Valley. People planning to celebrate America's 250th birthday with 
fireworks or outdoor cookouts should remember their fire safety, 
obey any local burn bans, and keep a fire extinguisher nearby when 
playing with fireworks or cooking with open flames.

&&

.LONG TERM...
Issued at 1200 AM PDT Sat Jul 4 2026
(Sunday through Friday)

The long term outlook continues to show a balance between ridging 
across the Western United States and a series of troughs in the 
eastern Pacific through the next few days. A shortwave trough will 
knock down temperatures by a few degrees on Sunday with around five 
degrees of cooling within the inland valleys. In addition, as a 
pulse of moisture comes into the Bay Area and Central Coast, a few 
convective showers could develop Sunday morning and afternoon. High 
resolution convective models are showing the possibility for showers 
to come through the region, and the GFS K Index fields show a 
potential for isolated to widely scattered thunderstorms as the 
pulse of moisture comes through. However, with dry slots aloft, 
particularly near the 700 mb level (around 10,000 feet above sea 
level) and no obvious lifting mechanism besides local topography, 
confidence is not high enough to introduce probabilities for 
precipitation or thunder at this time. The oncoming day shift will 
reevaluate local conditions and make any grid modifications as 
necessary.

Monday will not have a chance for showers, but otherwise conditions 
should be similar to Sunday. Towards the middle and later parts of 
the week, temperatures will gradually rise inland as the ridge 
strengthens and moves into the Desert Southwest, with a particular 
emphasis on Wednesday and Thursday when local temperature gradients 
range from the lower to middle 60s at the immediate coast to the 
upper 80s to lower 90s in the inland valleys, to the triple digits 
up to 105 within the warmest spots of southern Monterey County. CPC 
outlooks continue to lean towards temperatures above seasonal 
averages into the middle of July.

&&

.AVIATION...
(06Z TAFS)
Issued at 956 PM PDT Fri Jul 3 2026

Widespread VFR lasts into the night. Winds increase across the 
region into the afternoon becoming moderate to breezy. Winds will 
reduce into the night, becoming light for most areas into Monday 
morning. Cloud cover returns to the Monterey Bay and HAF into the 
late night with MVFR CIGs. This cloud cover erodes into the mid 
morning on Monday, leading to widespread VFR again.

Vicinity of SFO...VFR through the TAF period. Breezy west winds 
build into the mid afternoon with gusts around 22kts expected. Gusts 
cut off into the night and winds reduce slightly. Expect winds to 
become light into early Monday with breezy west winds returning that 
afternoon.

SFO Bridge Approach...Similar to SFO.

Monterey Bay Terminals...VFR lasts into the night. Expect moderate 
winds to build in the afternoon across the area with gusty conditions 
affecting SNS. Winds reduce into the evening as come low clouds 
begin to flow through the area. MVFR CIGs fill over the terminals 
into the late night. These CIGs look to erode into late Monday 
morning at SNS and slightly beyond the TAF period for MRY.

&&

.MARINE...
(Tonight through next Thursday)
Issued at 854 PM PDT Fri Jul 3 2026

High pressure over the Eastern Pacific will shift slightly
allowing winds to diminish through Monday. Locally hazardous
conditions will persist over the northern outer waters through
early Sunday due to fresh to strong breezes. Sunday and into
Monday gentle to moderate breezes are expected. More widespread
stronger winds and seas will build starting Monday night and
continuing through the week.

&&

.MTR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...None.
PZ...Small Craft Advisory until 3 AM PDT Sunday for Pt Arena to Pt 
     Reyes 10-60 NM.

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...DialH
LONG TERM....DialH
AVIATION...Murdock
MARINE...MKK

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Prepared by Boulder-Creek.com Weather at: Sat Jul 4 04:30:04 PDT 2026
From the National Weather Service