Warmer temps, offshore wind gusts elevate Bay Area fire weather risk
By Carlos E. Castañeda
A warming trend in the Bay Area coinciding with offshore winds are bringing an elevated fire risk to parts of the Bay Area, forecasters warned.
The National Weather Service said in its daily forecast discussion that elevated to near-critical fire weather conditions are a concern in higher elevations of the North Bay interior mountains and East Bay hills, which will see exceptionally dry air and poor overnight moisture recovery through Friday. The strongest gusts are expect in the North Bay, with peak wind gusts topping 40 miles an hour, the weather service said.
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Pacific Gas and Electric has alerted to possible public safety power shutoffs in Sonoma, Napa, Contra Costa, Alameda, and Solano counties because of the weather conditions. Farther north in Lake County, the weather service has issued a red flag warning from 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, and a fire weather watch from late Thursday night through Friday afternoon.
People were urged to exercise extreme caution with any outdoor activities involving fire or potential sparks.
The warming trend in the Bay Area is expected to send temperatures climbing well above normal levels, with inland highs forecast to reach into the 80s and low 90s with patches of upper 90s by Friday. Coastal areas will likely see daytime highs in the 60s and 70s.
A cooling trend is expected to begin over the weekend, and a shift in the weather pattern could bring the first storm system of the season with chances of light rain and below-normal temperatures.
