, Issued at 1200 AM PDT Sat Aug 22 2026 (Today and tonight)
The skies are generally clear for now with patches of stratus in favored locations and some high level clouds continuing to stream across the interior. Offshore, a blob of cooler air lurks offshore, evidenced by a robust stratus deck set up off the North Bay and the San Mateo Peninsula. Through the rest of the night, this stratus deck is expected to expand to the coastal areas and build inland through the post-sunrise hours when the stratus will begin to gradually clear out.
The region remains under the influence of the balance between a cutoff low located around 200 miles west of Cape Blanco along the southern coast of Oregon, and an upper level ridge with an axis extending along the crest of the Rocky Mountains. Altogether this pattern will result in temperatures which are near to slightly below the seasonal averages, with highs today ranging from the upper 70s to the lower 90s in the inland valleys, the middle 90s into the triple digits for the warmest interior spots, especially the southern tier of Monterey County, across the 70s for areas near the Bays, and the 60s for areas along the Pacific coast. The marine layer remains relatively stable at around 1000-1500 feet, with warm and dry conditions persisting above the marine layer inversion as relative humidity values reach the 10-30% range. Winds remain relatively light and develop in an onshore flow pattern, with wind gusts reaching 20 to 30 miles per hour along the coast, through favored gaps and passes, and within the northern Salinas Valley.
..issued at 1200 AM PDT Sat Aug 22 2026 (Sunday through Friday)
More of the same pattern is anticipated for the rest of the week's forecast, with a generally southwesterly upper level flow over the region as the series of eastern Pacific troughs continues to balance the ridge over the Desert Southwest. High temperatures are expected to hover around the upper 70s to the lower 90s for the inland valleys and the middle 60s to upper 70s near the Bays, with a subtle drop in the temperatures in the early part of next week before the ridge tries to build back towards the west. As noted by the previous forecaster, a couple of broad low pressure areas to the south of Baja California could develop into tropical systems sometime within the 7-day outlook, and how those systems interact with the ridge is highly uncertain at this time.
(12z TAFS) Issued at 425 AM PDT Sat Aug 22 2026
Currently a mixed bag of LIFR-VFR with both advective and radiative stratus out there. Moderate confidence that all terminals will become sub-VFR this morning with a feed of stratus coming in from the coast and radiative stratus expanding. VFR is expected by the afternoon and may be achieved earlier than normal due to the patchy nature of stratus. Diurnal winds will prevail. Similar forecast on tap tonight with ceilings on the cusp of IFR/MVFR returning late.
Vicinity of SFO, Currently VFR with westerly flow. Moderate confidence on a ceiling developing this morning (likely on the cusp of IFR/MVFR); this will happen either via a push of stratus from the northwest that is 10 miles off the coast or stratus across the bay at OAK that is expanding. Diurnal winds will prevail.
SFO Bridge Approach, The San Mateo Bridge Approach will likely stay VFR longer than the terminal this morning; however, stratus is surrounding it and continuing to expand.
Monterey Bay Terminals, Currently IFR with southwesterly flow at MRY and LIFR with westerly flow at SNS. MRY is expected to further deteriorate to LIFR with conditions improving at both terminals by 16Z. IFR stratus will stick close to the coast this afternoon with another return to IFR conditions this evening. Diurnal winds will prevail.
(today through Thursday) Issued at 425 AM PDT Sat Aug 22 2026
Fresh to strong northwesterly breezes will bring widespread hazardous conditions for small craft this afternoon and evening. Conditions will slowly improve as northwesterly breezes diminish to become moderate to fresh Sunday and into next week. Slight to moderate seas will prevail.
Ca, None. PZ, Small Craft Advisory from 3 PM this afternoon to 9 PM PDT this evening for Mry Bay-SF Bay N of Bay Bridge.
Small Craft Advisory until 3 AM PDT Sunday for Pt Arena to Pt Reyes 0-10 nm-Pt Pinos to Pt Piedras Blancas 0-10 nm-Pt Reyes to Pigeon Pt 0-10 nm.
Small Craft Advisory from 3 PM this afternoon to 3 AM PDT Sunday for Pigeon Pt to Pt Pinos 0-10 nm-Pigeon Pt to Pt Pinos 10- 60 NM-Pt Arena to Pt Reyes 10-60 NM.
