SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Hot weather is in the forecast, with Heat Advisories in effect for much of the Bay Area today, according to the National Weather Service. Even though the calendar is approaching Halloween, temperatures will be hot and possibly even record-breaking on Thursday.
While parts of the Bay Area began to feel the heat Wednesday, the highest temps are expected for Thursday.
“It may be October but here in the Bay Area, it will feel more like summer,” explained KRON4 Meteorologist Kyla Grogan. “The reason for the warm-up is a dome of high pressure that is parked directly over us.”
“The high pressure will intensify through Thursday, which will be our hottest day where the coast could see upwards of 80 degrees and even San Francisco will be flirting with upper 80s,” said Grogan. An active Heat Advisory Thursday is affecting the South Bay, North Bay valleys, the East Bay, and the Peninsula, including the coastal areas.
On Thursday, BART announced it is running trains at reduced speeds from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. between Pleasant Hill and Concord stations and El Cerrito del Norte and Richmond stations. Travelers are advised to plan for an additional 10 minutes on trips due to the delays. In June 2022, a BART train derailed between Pleasant Hill and Concord stations. BART blamed the incident on the 100-degree temperatures that day.
High surf, dangerous sneaker waves expected
This week’s high temperatures are also set to coincide with the potential for dangerously high surf, bringing the danger for sneaker waves.
“While you may be tempted to head to the coast to beat the heat, unfortunately, we have some coastal dangers,” said Grogan. “Thursday brings a High Surf Advisory where some waves could be 17 to 22 feet high. So, if you are headed to the coast be very careful and never turn your back on the ocean,” she advised.
How long will the heat last?
The good news for those who want to get back to sweater weather and enjoying pumpkin spice lattes is that this week’s heat spike is expected to be short-lived.
“For those who are not fans of the October heat, hang in there, we will be cooling down quickly,” said Grogan. “Relief heads our way Friday and by the weekend temperatures will slip below seasonal averages.”
“There is even a small chance of a shower on Sunday bringing further cooling,” she added.
