The Bay Area’s mostly balmy late fall is coming to a sudden end, with a windy cold front pushing south through California Tuesday night followed by a mass of what in these parts is very, very cold air. The National Weather Service has issued freeze watches that cover all nine Bay Area counties as well as the entire Central Valley and the coast to the north and south. The upshot: Forecasters say some locations in the Bay Area could see record low temperatures this week. (See table below.) And things will only be a little better in the daytime. Livermore, which had a high of 73 on Sunday, will see highs in the mid-40s later this week.
Social service agencies throughout the region are getting ready to offer shelter to thousands of Bay Area homeless. Here’s the summary from Rick Hurd in the Contra Costa Times:
In San Jose, EHC LifeBuilders launched its Cold Weather Shelter Program on Monday, creating 125 emergency beds at the former Sunnyvale National Guard Armory, 100 at the Gilroy National Guard Armory and 50 at the Boccardo Reception Center.
In Contra Costa County, homeless shelters such as the Bay Area Rescue Mission in Richmond expect to house more people than normally would be allowable.
“We’re going to be able to take our dining area and put sleeping bags in there,” said Gary Kingsbury, the vice president of operations for the shelter. “It helps temporarily.”
In Oakland, the Henry Robinson Multi-Services Center has replaced the now-closed Oakland Army Center as a haven for those who receive a referral from agencies that work with the homeless, said City of Oakland spokeswoman Dana Perez-St. Denis. The Salvation Army, CityTeam and Crossroads at 7515 International also will offer housing during the cold.
Here’s a rundown from the National Weather Service forecast office in Monterey for low temperature records in the region from Sonoma County south through Monterey County. If you’re wondering where the heck King City is, it’s in the Salinas Valley in southeastern Monterey County.
| Location | 12/4 Record (Year) | 12/5 Record (Year) | 12/6 Record (Year) | 12/7 Record (Year) |
| Kentfield | 26 (1936) | 28 (1972) | 28 (1921) | 28 (1927) |
| San Rafael | 32 (2004) | 31 (1972) | 32 (2009) | 33 (1956) |
| Napa | 24 (1936) | 26 (1972) | 29 (1948) | 28 (1972) |
| San Francisco | 34 (1897) | 40 (1972) | 40 (2009) | 38 (1972) |
| Downtown Oakland | 38 (2004) | 35 (1972) | 38 (2005) | 37 (1998) |
| Richmond | 37 (2004) | 34 (1972) | 35 (1967) | 35 (1956) |
| Livermore | 23 (1909) | 21 (1972) | 26 (2009) | 26 (1916) |
| Mountain View | 31 (2004) | 33 (1998) | 34 (2005) | 34 (2009) |
| San Jose | 26 (1909) | 29 (1972) | 32 (1931) | 29 (1896) |
| Gilroy | 27 (1990) | 27 (1972) | 28 (1959) | 25 (1960) |
| Monterey | 34 (1942) | 31 (1942) | 35 (1942) | 31 (1942) |
| Santa Cruz | 26 (1909) | 29 (1972) | 29 (1912) | 28 (1960) |
| Salinas | 29( 2004) | 29 (1968) | 29 (1960) | 29 (1960) |
| King City | 24 (2004) | 20 (1941) | 22 (1941) | 22 (1956) |