'Extreme Cold' Snap Warning On The Way For Bay Area: NWS

BAY AREA, CA — Skies are clear with whisps of clouds and breezy conditions with forecasts calling for near-normal January temperatures in the Bay Area. The rest of the week is another matter, however, with fair daytime conditions giving way to cold nights beginning Thursday night.

An extreme cold watch has been issued for most of the Bay Area overnight Friday until 9 a.m. The National Weather Service advised residents to ensure portable heaters are working properly and used correctly, and to ensure animals have food, unfrozen water, and warmth.

People who are unhoused are particularly vulnerable.

The coldest spots will be inland Monterey and San Benito Counties, where below-freezing temperatures are possible, according to forecasts. The Pacific Ocean will moderate conditions for the North Bay Coast and the San Francisco Peninsula Coast. After the cold snap, expect chilly but sunny days with highs in the 50s, and nights in the high 30s and low 40s.

In Sonoma County, flooding is expected to continue in areas near and downstream of Mark West Creek, including Mirabel Heights. A flood warning remains in effect until 8 a.m. today, according to the NWS. The warning will likely be replaced by a "long-duration flood advisory" as waters are expected to recede into a minor flood stage.

Hazardous beach conditions are expected at all Pacific Coast beaches on Thursday and Friday and again early next week. The National Weather Service also issued a high surf advisory from 1 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, with breaking waves up to 22 feet, strong rip currents, and sneaker waves along the Pacific Coast from Sonoma County to Monterey County, excluding northern Monterey Bay.

Conditions on the water will be testy, forecasters said. A series of weak fronts is expected to sweep through the region today and tonight, bringing increasing northerly winds. Fresh to strong breezes will develop, leading to hazardous conditions over the waters, and a northwest swell will arrive early Thursday, then build through the day, according to the NWS.

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