Summer Finally Kicks Off in San Francisco, With Hot Weather Stretching Across the Bay Area
Grab your bathing suits and sunscreen; San Francisco summer is officially here.
Temperatures in the city could reach into the mid- to high-80s on Wednesday, as the first heat wave of the fall peaks across the wider Bay Area.
A heat advisory is in effect through Thursday night across the region, with temperatures forecast between 10 and 20 degrees above seasonal averages. National Weather Service meteorologist Joe Merchant said the East Bay will see some of the hottest temperatures, in the 90s, while some inland areas in Northern Sonoma County could hit triple digits.
The warm-up isn’t unusual for the time of year, he said.
“Some of our warmest months are September and October,” Merchant said. “We’re sort of in the bumper season between the dry season and the rainy season as we go into late fall and winter.”
Unlike unseasonably warm spells so far this year — including a 90-degree heat wave in March and the hottest July temperature in over a decade — Merchant doesn’t expect many heat records to be broken this week.
One exception could be Half Moon Bay, which is forecast to hit 81 degrees on Wednesday. The current daily high, recorded in 1979, is 79 degrees.
In San Francisco, the city’s signature microclimates will be on full display — as the Mission District up to Fisherman’s Wharf could heat up to 84 degrees, but neighborhoods along the coast can expect to get some relief from ocean breezes. Further east, Oakland and Berkeley could hit the low- to mid-90s.
Merchant said people should be sure to find shade, stay hydrated and take breaks if they’re working outside. Dogs and people shouldn’t be left in cars, he added.
The San Francisco Fire Department also urged people hoping to beat the heat at the beach to do so at lifeguard-protected areas outside the city, like Stinson Beach in Marin County.
Be sure to safely enjoy the warm weather while it lasts — Merchant said that while the Bay Area is entering its warmest season, milder weather is on the horizon by the weekend.
“By Saturday, temperatures are back down below normal almost across the entire area,” he said. “So it’s not really indicative of any major shift in the forecast or pattern. It’s pretty typical weather for this time of year.”