If the marine layer compresses enough, Gass said San Francisco could also warm up. The service’s forecast discussion suggests that “a lack of stronger offshore flow will keep coastal areas in check. However, they`ll still be warm, but not in an impactful way with max temps in the upper 60s to mid-80s.”
“If the marine layer doesn’t keep us cool, we could see moderate risk extend into the city, but we’re still evaluating that,” Gass said.
Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources and UCLA, said the warm-up might be a preview of what could be a very hot summer statewide.
“The last couple of days in May and the first couple of days in June look particularly hot, including in Northern California and the Bay Area, than they have so far this season,” Swain said during his semi-regular YouTube office hours on Friday. “The rest of California and the West and Southwest will be quite toasty as well.”
Swain said a hot summer, if it materializes, would exacerbate drought conditions across much of the state.
“The West is mostly in drought,” he said.”Most of these droughts are going to get worse before they get better.”
Forecasters are also paying attention to late next week when a low-pressure system, if it sets up, could bring isolated showers to the Sierra Nevada and Bay Area.
“This kind of scenario could produce some lightning or even the potential for an isolated dry or thunderstorm or two if it were to come to fruition,” Swain said.
