San Francisco is set for an extended stretch of dry weather after the first storm of the season soaked the region, but rain probably isn’t done with the Bay Area this month. Long-range forecasts indicate a return to wetter conditions is possible before Halloween.
With the next rain chance more than a week away, it’ll give San Franciscans time to enjoy tranquil mid-October weather, typically one of the warmest times of the year.
Wednesday’s overcast skies were a sign of lingering moisture in the atmosphere, but drier air moving into Northern California will yield more sunshine Thursday through Saturday. Temperatures will climb, too. San Francisco and Oakland are forecast to reach the 70s Friday and Saturday.
Clouds are predicted to increase Sunday afternoon, but there’s less than a 10% chance of rain in San Francisco. The northern Sierra Nevada could get hit with rain showers or snow flurries, but no significant accumulation is expected.
By next week, it appears Northern California will settle into a dry pattern with above-normal temperatures as a high-pressure system pushes the storm track to the north. The warmest parts of the Bay Area could even hit 80 degrees by midweek.
A strong jet stream across the Pacific Ocean will probably shunt the high-pressure system eastward by Friday, Oct. 24, opening the door for rainstorms to return to the Pacific Northwest.
The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center favors Northern California for wetter than normal weather from Oct. 23-29. The Bay Area has a 50% to 60% chance of above normal precipitation these days, according to the agency’s forecast. (Baron/Lynx)
Northern California could get hit with wet weather in the following days, as the Climate Prediction Center favors areas north of San Francisco for above-normal precipitation at the end of October.
Thursday breakdown
San Francisco: It’ll be a sunnier day in the city, especially by the afternoon as winds pick up and begin pushing drier air into the region. Highs will range from the low 60s at Ocean Beach to the mid-60s downtown, slightly below normal for mid-October. Gusts of 10 to 15 mph are expected in the afternoon. Lows will be in the low to mid-50s under mainly clear skies.
North Bay: Sunnier, warmer weather is expected. After patchy morning fog, drier air blowing into the North Bay should clear out the clouds. High temperatures are forecast to reach the upper 60s to low 70s throughout Wine Country and into Solano County, with mid-60s along the coast. Lows will be in the mid-40s to low 50s.
East Bay: It’ll feel much warmer in the East Bay as clouds clear out and temperatures rise. Highs are forecast to reach the mid- to upper 60s in Richmond, Berkeley, Oakland, Hayward and Fremont and the low 70s in Dublin, Pleasanton, Livermore, Danville, Walnut Creek, Lamorinda and Antioch. Calm winds in the morning will give way to light westerly breezes in the afternoon. Overnight lows will be in the upper 40s to low 50s under starry skies.
Pacific Coast and Peninsula: A partly cloudy morning will give way to a sunny afternoon as dry air pushes toward the coast. Highs will be in the low to mid-60s in Daly City, Pacifica and Half Moon Bay and the upper 60s to low 70s in South San Francisco, San Mateo, Redwood City and Menlo Park. Gusts of 10 to 15 mph are likely through the San Bruno Gap in the afternoon. Overnight lows will be in the low 50s.
South Bay and Santa Cruz: Â The stubborn clouds that stuck around Wednesday will clear more quickly as winds pick up and drier air moves into the region. Highs will be fairly uniform throughout Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties, in the upper 60s to low 70s. Patchy fog is possible overnight, with lows in the upper 40s to low 50s.
This article originally published at San Francisco dries out after first storm. When will rain return?.