February is coming to an end in the Bay Area after a month of major weather swings, accompanied by a brief period of spring warmth. Temperatures will rise into the 60s and 70s on Friday and Saturday before falling back to near normal on Sunday.
It was a fitting end to this chaotic period of weather. February started out dry and mild, then turned wet and stormy, and will now end with some of the warmest numbers of the month.
Recent foggy mornings were a reminder of how quickly the atmosphere is changing here. A stream of subtropical moisture is blowing into the area, keeping humidity levels high and making it easy for light fog to form at night. But that moisture has now shifted north of San Francisco, making fog more likely in the North Bay valley while leaving most other areas clearer.
Friday was the best day.
Excellent weather conditions and warm temperatures are expected around the Bay Area on Friday. (Baron/Lynx)
Shallow sea levels combined with light offshore air currents will allow temperatures to rise quickly. High temperatures will continue into the 70s across much of the Bay Area, including parts of the coast. Inland portions of the South Bay and East Bay may experience an 80-degree tilt. It feels more like early April than late February.
A series of weak storm systems will bring mostly light rain to Northern California on Saturday. In the Bay Area, cloud cover will increase. (Baron/Lynx)
The weather will remain mild on Saturday, but temperatures will drop back a few degrees as high clouds increase ahead of a weak storm system. The system will move into Northern California late Sunday into early Monday, bringing temperatures back to seasonal averages and more cloud cover.
Overall rain chances remain low in the Bay Area, but light showers are most likely in the North Bay and coastal areas from Sunday afternoon into early Monday morning.
As February comes to a close, we don’t expect the final numbers to deviate too far from normal despite the inclement weather. Temperatures will be about 1 to 3 degrees above normal in most Bay Area cities this month. The biggest deviation occurred along the peninsula, where an early warm current caused temperatures in places such as Half Moon Bay to exceed 70 degrees for three consecutive days.
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Rainfall totals were also slightly above average in many locations. San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose are expected to end the month with about half an inch of rainfall above normal.
Weekend Outlook
San Francisco: Friday is the warmest day. Clouds will persist in the morning, but highs will rise into the 60s on the west side and into the 70s downtown and in the Mission area. Friday night will be mild and mostly cloudy, with lows in the 50s. Saturday will bring a mix of sunshine and clouds along with slightly cooler air. Temperatures across the city will stabilize in the 60s. Saturday night will become cloudy again with lows in the 50s. Sunday will be cooler and grayer. Highs will hover around the lower 60s under mostly cloudy skies.
Brother and sister Luna Philliou and Sol Philliou of San Francisco played in spring-like temperatures at the Outpost playground in the Presidio on Wednesday. “I want to take advantage of the warm weather while it’s nice,” said their father, Dimitrios Philliou (not pictured). (Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle)
North Bay: Gray weather will begin to appear in the valley on Friday, with scattered dense fog possible around Santa Rosa, Petaluma and Napa, but once the fog clears, temperatures will rise quickly. Highs range from the mid-60s near the Marin coastline to the mid-70s inland. Friday night will remain partly cloudy, with fog returning after midnight with lows in the 50s. Fog will increase in the valley starting Saturday, followed by partly sunny skies. Temperatures should remain mild, but a few degrees cooler than Friday, with highs in the upper 60s to lower 70s. Winds will pick up from the west at 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Saturday night will become cloudy again with mist, with temperatures in the upper 40s to lower 50s. Sunday will be cool and mostly cloudy with a chance of light showers in the evening. Highest temperatures range from the 50s near the coast to the 60s inland.
East Bay: Friday started out bright and sunny and the weather was warming up quickly. Highs will reach the mid-70s from Oakland and Berkeley to Walnut Creek and Pleasanton. Some indoor attractions can rotate up to 80 degrees. Friday night will be mostly cloudy and mild, with lows in the mid-50s. Saturday will be sunny, followed by increasing clouds. Highs will be in the mid 60s to lower 70s. Saturday night will be mostly cloudy, with lows in the lower 50s. Sunday’s trend is cooler and grayer. Highs should stay in the mid-60s under mostly cloudy skies.
Pacific Coast: Friday was an unexpectedly warm day for late February along the coast. Pacifica, Half Moon Bay and Daly City will start off partly cloudy with highs rising into the low 70s. Light northerly winds will keep ocean impacts in check. Friday night will be mostly cloudy and mild, with lows in the mid-50s. The weather will remain pleasant on Saturday, but temperatures will drop a few degrees with a mix of sunshine and clouds, with temperatures reaching the upper 60s. Sunday looks cooler and grayer, with highs in the lower 60s. Light rain is possible Sunday night.
peninsula: Friday will see warm weather in places like Redwood City and San Mateo. After a partly cloudy morning, temperatures will rise into the mid-70s and a light northerly breeze will control the Gulf breeze. Friday night will be cloudy and mild, with lows around 50 degrees. Saturday should be sunny before clouds increase. Highs will hold steady in the upper 60s to lower 70s with breezy west winds in the afternoon. Sunday will be cooler and milder. Mostly cloudy skies will remain with highs in the mid 60s.
South Bay: It should be warming up quickly in Silicon Valley on Friday. Highs will be in the upper 70s in San Jose and Santa Clara, and in the 80s in Gilroy. Friday night will be cloudy and mild, with lows around 50 degrees. Saturday will be mostly sunny but a little cooler, with highs in the mid-70s. Saturday night should become cloudy again with a chance of scattered fog and lows in the low 50s. Sunday will be a mix of sunshine and clouds, with highs falling back into the mid-60s.
This article was originally published on Bay Area temperatures soar into the 70s again — and how long will this last?.
