For Bay Area, a brief warm-up before more rain likely for the weekend
The warmth that is expected to increase as the calendar gets deeper into the spring will drop into the Bay Area over the the next 72 hours, with temperatures likely to jump into the 80s in some places by Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.
Call it only a tease. By the weekend, it is expected to be chilly and rainy again.
“That forecast just changed about a day or two ago,” NWS meteorologist Nicole Sarment said Tuesday. “We thought we were in a stronger [high-pressure] ridge pattern than we are.”
That ridge began to build Monday, according to Sarment, and should lead to sunny and clear weather through Thursday. The warm-up is likely to bring temperatures in the upper 70s on Tuesday, with the mercury expected to max out at about 78 degrees in Concord, Livermore and San Jose.
The hottest spots in the region — Morgan Hill in Santa Clara County, Livemore and Pleasanton in Alameda County; Brentwood in Contra Costa County all are expected to reach at least 80 degrees on Wednesday.
Temperatures in Oakland are expected to top out at 75 degrees by Wednesday.
“We should have three really nice days,” Sarment said.
Then, just as abruptly, the weather is expected to turn ugly again. The high-pressure is expected to begin crumbling later Thursday as a storm system from the Pacific Northwest migrates toward the region. It is expected to hit the North Bay first and bring areas of scattered showers Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Sarment said the system is expected to drop between a quarter-inch and three-quarters of an inch of rain on areas of the region during its three-day trip through the Bay Area.
“The most notable change for people on Friday is that there will be a 10-20 degree temperature difference between Thursday and Friday,” Sarment said. “It’s not gonna be miserable cold, but you’re gonna see a fall from 80 degrees to 65. That’s significant.”
She added that clear weather is expected to return Monday after the weekend rain.