212
FXUS66 KMTR 251608
AFDMTR

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Francisco CA
908 AM PDT Fri Jul 25 2025

...New UPDATE, MARINE...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 1211 AM PDT Fri Jul 25 2025

 - Cool weather continues through Saturday

 - Temperatures return closer to normal starting Sunday

&&

.UPDATE...
Issued at 907 AM PDT Fri Jul 25 2025

Widespread coastal drizzle and favored west-east facing upslope
drizzle this morning with most sites picking up generally less than
0.04" of rainfall. This is as the marine layer has deepened to above
3,000 feet in depth per the Fort Ord Profiler. With the marine layer
this deep, low clouds are expected to scatter out and/or dissipate
across much of the region by this afternoon. However, expecting low
clouds to return tonight with another round of coastal drizzle.
Please see the Short Term discussion below for additional details.

&&

.SHORT TERM...
Issued at 1211 AM PDT Fri Jul 25 2025
(Today and tonight)

The most interesting feature tonight is a cluster of thunderstorms
in the Sacramento Valley drifting towards NE Napa County. The
cells are moving into a less favorable environment with CAPE less
than 20 J/kg according to the RAP. While there is still a slight
chance for a thunderstorm to develop in the North Bay through the
morning, the radar presentation seems to be waning recently and
the already slim chance is decreasing. As a plume of PWAT over
1.0" drifts south towards the North Bay through the day, there is
another slight chance for high-based convection this afternoon
into Saturday morning across the North Bay. Despite the higher
moisture and good 700-500 mb lapse rates near 8 C/km, low-level
moisture is actually pretty low outside of the marine layer. The
CAPE does increase, but so does the CIN. As such, the probability
remains less than 5% for thunderstorms from Friday afternoon
through Saturday morning.

Otherwise the short term forecast continues to be pretty
steady. The cut-off low is centered directly over the Bay Area at
500 mb and won`t budge much in the short term. That means another
day with a deep marine layer, some patchy drizzle in the morning,
and afternoon temperatures 5-15 degrees below normal. Now that the
low is directly over the Bay Area, the 850 temp is bottoming out
around 15C (bottom 10th percentile), and temperatures will be a
couple degrees cooler than previous days. In fact San Rafael is
only expected to reach 72F today. That would tie the lowest max
temperature for July 25 on record (record set 1993, records go
back to 1894). Several other cities have a similar shot at this
record today. With a robust stratus blanket tonight, we don`t
have any chance to set record low minimum temperatures.

&&

.LONG TERM...
Issued at 1211 AM PDT Fri Jul 25 2025
(Saturday through Thursday)

The long wave pattern is mounting a rescue mission for the cut-off
low this weekend. By Sunday an approaching trough over the East
Pacific will gradually re-absorb the low. The pattern change might
not be obvious at the surface as the trough will then linger near
the coast, providing a similar cooling effect as the cut-off low.
At the same time high pressure will build over the desert SW,
bringing triple digit heat to our friends in southern Arizona.
The battle between these two features will cause temperatures to
rise Sunday, but still remain slightly below seasonal normals. The
loss of the cut-off low will cause the marine layer to thin a bit,
but don`t expect to see a sunrise anytime soon. This new pattern
looks very stable, with temperatures remaining near or just below
seasonal normal through next week. That`s still warmer than it`s
been, however.

So will a summer heat wave ever hit? There is some indication in
the ECMWF ensemble mean that the SW US high and subtropical high
over the central pacific will merge over northern California
sometime around August 6. The GEFS mean shows similar timing.
We`re talking nearly 2 weeks out, so take this with a grain of
salt. In fact we had similar indications a month ago about July.
Not only did that heat wave not happen, July 2025 may end up in
the coldest 10% of Julys on record.

&&

.AVIATION...
(12Z TAFS)
Issued at 415 AM PDT Fri Jul 25 2025

Currently a mixed bag of IFR-MVFR at the terminals. The cutoff low
over the Bay Area will continue to support a deep marine layer,
drizzle, and moderate, gusty onshore winds. High confidence on sub-
VFR ceilings returning to all terminals tonight, with the marine
layer likely beginning to compress as heights begin to rise.

Vicinity of SFO...Currently MVFR with westerly flow. Moderate
confidence on brief VFR being achieved by this afternoon with a 40%
chance for sub-VFR ceilings to linger through the TAF period.
Westerly flow will prevail through the TAF period.

SFO Bridge Approach...It is likely that low stratus clouds will
linger between SFO and OAK and northward through the TAF period with
only moderate confidence on either terminal achieving brief VFR.

Monterey Bay Terminals...Currently MVFR with southwesterly flow at
MRY and MVFR with northwesterly flow at SNS. Moderate to high
confidence on VFR briefly being achieved by this afternoon with a
return to MVFR and eventually IFR ceilings by tonight. Westerly flow
will prevail through the TAF period.

&&

.MARINE...
(Today through Wednesday)
Issued at 907 AM PDT Fri Jul 25 2025

A moderate northwesterly breeze and moderate seas will prevail
through Tuesday. Low clouds with drizzle can be expected through
Saturday.

&&

.MTR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...None.
PZ...None.
&&

$$

UPDATE...RGass
SHORT TERM...Flynn
LONG TERM....Flynn
AVIATION...Sarment
MARINE...KR/Sarment

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