Relentless heat continues to scorch San Francisco Bay Area; excessive heat warning extended
The excessive heat scorching the Bay Area will last longer than originally forecast, with dangerously hot weather and fire concerns persisting through the weekend.
Early Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service extended an Excessive Heat Warning for most of the Bay Area and the Central Coast, warning of dangerously hot conditions with forecast temperatures up to 94 degrees in San Francisco and 113 degrees in elevated inland locations.
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The warning is now in effect until 11 p.m. Thursday in the North Bay coastal ranges and interior valleys, San Francisco Bay shoreline, East Bay interior, Santa Clara County, Santa Cruz Mountains and interior Monterey County. Originally the warning was set to expire on Wednesday night.
The Excessive Heat Warning has been extended for inland portions of the Bay Area, Central Coast, and the city of San Francisco through 11 PM Thursday. The Heat Advisory directly along the coastline has also been extended through 11PM Thursday. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/jR5OhsOh50
— NWS Bay Area 🌉 (@NWSBayArea) October 2, 2024
A strong high-pressure system was creating a heat dome over the region, compressing the typical marine layer and its cooling relief to near sea level, the Weather Service said. Most inland locations including in the hills and mountains Wednesday night were expected to remain warm or very warm overnight.
In addition, the Weather Service said elevated fire weather concerns will persist through the upcoming weekend, prompting a Red Flag Warning for portions of the Central Coast. Dry fuels, hot temperatures, and low humidity will combine to create and mix of near-critical to critical fire weather conditions, the Weather Service said in its daily area forecast discussion.
"The one factor that is in our favor are the winds. Generally speaking the winds are not overly strong," the summary said. "That being said, there is still periods of offshore flow forecast for the Central Coast through Thursday evening."
The continued hot weather and weak winds also prompted the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to issue a fourth straight Spare the Air alert because of unhealthy smog levels.
Several October 1 high-temperature records were tied or set on Tuesday across the Bay Area. The record-breaking or near-record-breaking hot weather was expected to continue, possibly into the weekend, the Weather Service said.
Here are the daily record temperatures that were set or tied today. Data is preliminary; official and certified data is available from the National Centers for Environmental Information @NOAANCEI. pic.twitter.com/F1dV9jYohl
— NWS Bay Area 🌉 (@NWSBayArea) October 2, 2024