Parts of the Bay Area are seeing wildly different temperatures thanks to an unusually \u201cdramatic\u201d weather pattern.<\/p>\n
A ridge of high pressure is causing a major temperature inversion in the Bay Area, with temperatures hitting the 70s at high altitudes while dropping close to freezing in some areas at lower altitudes, according to the National Weather Service.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is leading to pretty dramatic thermal belting, with warm air in the mountains and cold air settling in the valleys,\u201d according to the weather service\u2019s forecast <\/a>discussion released on Friday.\u00a0<\/p>\n The major temperature differential was evident in the North Bay on Friday, with Healdsburg seeing temperatures in the 30s, while the nearby Healdsburg Hills had balmy weather, with the temperature reaching 70 degrees at 1,700 feet elevation.<\/p>\n Roger\u00a0Gass, a meteorologist with the weather service, explained that the high pressure combined with weak winds can essentially keep cold air from moving out of those lower altitudes, resulting in cooler temperatures and more chances for fog.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe have high pressure over the region that is allowing radiation cooling to occur in the valley location, while it\u2019s very warm aloft,\u201d he explained. \u201cThere\u2019s some weak offshore flow across that region that\u2019s really driving the warmer temperatures in those higher elevations.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Gass said this warm weather is at 1,000 feet elevation and is expected to last for the next several days as the high pressure remains squarely above the region.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cEspecially if you\u2019re going out for like an early morning hike, yeah \u2026 it\u2019s going to stay warm in the higher terrain,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The temperature inversion will likely last through much of the weekend, although the biggest temperature differential will be evident in overnight and early morning hours.\u00a0<\/p>\n