A strong cold front (by May standards) swept through the Bay Area Monday. In its wake, gusty northwest winds developed, with the strongest winds along and near the North Bay coast.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS MTR wrote it up.
A strong cold front (by May standards) swept through the Bay Area Monday. In its wake, gusty northwest winds developed, with the strongest winds along and near the North Bay coast. A wind advisory was issued for the North Bay Coast for the Monday afternoon through evening period. Peak wind gusts of 35-50 mph were recorded along the coast, creating travel disruptions.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS San Francisco Bay Area, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 2, 4:15 AM PST, 2 hours 45 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area
515 AM PDT Mon May 2 2022
.SYNOPSIS...Look for breezy onshore winds and cooler temperatures
today. Notable warming towards mid-week with inland temperatures
climbing well into the 80s. Cooling towards next weekend with
breezy conditions developing.
&&
.DISCUSSION...as of 02:03 AM PDT Monday...
Today and Tonight:
An upper trough will progress through the Pacific Northwest and
NorCal as an accompanying cold front sweeps through our area today.
Any precipitation associated with this system should remain to our
north with only limited moisture over our area. The bigger story
will be wind as the pressure gradient tightens later this afternoon
and evening behind the departing front. A breezy onshore component
is expected first along the coastal North Bay, with breeziness
spreading towards the North/East Bay Hills and SF Peninsula
overnight. Gusts should reach Wind Advisory criteria along the
coastal North Bay, where proximity soundings for Bodega Bay show
mean winds around 40-42 kt in the lowest 1 kft with potential for
mixing these down into the surface layer at times. Therefore a Wind
Advisory was issued for this area from early afternoon through early
evening. Otherwise it will feel rather chilly along the coast and
bays given onshore winds and plentiful cloud cover. Highs in those
areas should max out in the upper 50s to around 60. The inland
valleys should reach around 70, with mid 70s possible for the
warmest interior spots in southern Monterey County. Lows overnight
will be mostly in the lower to mid 40s.
Tuesday and Wednesday:
Dry northerly flow should develop behind the previously mentioned
trough as high pressure builds into the area. This will bring a
pronounced warming trend with very warm temperatures over the
interior. Highs should reach the 80s for inland areas on Tuesday
with upper 80s to perhaps lower 90s for some spots by Wednesday.
Lows will remain seasonal in the 40s to lower 50s.
Thursday through Sunday:
An amplified flow pattern should prevail with longwave troughing
taking shape across the West. This should result in onshore flow
with a gradual cooling trend into the weekend. A consensus of
models and their ensembles keep the best rain chances north of our
area, but couldn't rule out a small chance for some light rain
towards the North Bay this weekend. That said, any rain that does
occur (a big "if") wouldn't be of the meaningful variety. A tight
pressure gradient associated with this system suggests that breezy
to gusty winds may reappear over the weekend as well. Somewhat
below normal temperatures appear likely given renewed pushes of
cold advection during this time.
&&
.AVIATION...as of 5:13 AM PDT Monday...For the 12Z TAFs. A mix of
VFR/MVFR and local IFR/LIFR across TAF sites as marine stratus
has intruded on coastal sites along with low cloud development
farther inland. A cold front pushing into northern CA has brought
breezy to gusty onshore winds to the coast, though winds are
generally below 20 kt at area terminals. Patchy low clouds and
CIGs will linger through the morning with steady onshore flow
bringing in ample moisture and the front providing lift. Clouds
will clear out behind the front by late morning into early
afternoon. A tightening pressure gradient along with solar heating
will set off gusty onshore winds, generally 20-30 kt through the
afternoon and evening, before diminishing at night. VFR conditions
will prevail overnight with perhaps some patchy clouds.
Flow veers to the north overnight bringing in drier air and some
stronger winds aloft. LLWS may be a concern for SF Bay area
terminals as surface winds settle down after 06z.
Vicinity of KSFO...VFR/MVFR through the morning as low clouds
linger around the Bay. Likely clearing after 18z. Breezy westerly
winds also persist through the morning, becoming stronger by late
morning behind the cold front. Onshore winds likely peaking
around 35 kt by the late afternoon to early evening, slowly
diminishing at night, but remaining breezy.
KSFO Bridge Approach...Similar to KSFO.
Monterey Bay...Mix of MVFR/IFR/LIFR as low stratus continues to
expand over the Bay coastline and into the Salinas Valley. Clouds
scatter out as the dry cold front passes through mid to late
morning. Breezy to gusty post frontal northwest winds reaching
20-25 kt after 18Z, lingering into tonight. Some low clouds
redevelop Monday night, but models favor VFR conditions as drier
northerly flow filters in.
&&
.MARINE...as of 03:09 AM PDT Monday...A dry cold front will move
southeastward across the waters this morning, leading to strong
gale force wind gusts later this afternoon and tonight. These
northerly winds will generate steep and hazardous seas. Winds are
forecast to diminish slightly on Tuesday but will remain strong
and breezy through much of the week, especially along the coastal
jets. Wind driven seas will dominate through mid- week before a
pair of longer period northwest swells arrives later in the week.
&&
.MTR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
.Tday...Wind Advisory...CAZ505
SCA...Pigeon Pt to Pt Pinos 0-10 nm
SCA...Pt Arena to Pt Reyes 0-10 nm until 3 PM
SCA...Pt Reyes to Pigeon Pt 0-10 nm until 3 PM
SCA...Pt Arena to Pigeon Pt 10-60 nm until 3 PM
SCA...Pigeon Pt to Pt Piedras Blancas 10-60 nm until 3 PM
GLW...Pt Arena to Pt Reyes 0-10 nm from 3 PM
GLW...Pt Reyes to Pigeon Pt 0-10 nm from 3 PM
GLW...Pt Arena to Pigeon Pt 10-60 nm from 3 PM
GLW...Pigeon Pt to Pt Piedras Blancas 10-60 nm from 3 PM
GLW...Pt Pinos to Pt Piedras Blancas 0-10 nm
SCA...SF Bay from 9 AM
SCA...Mry Bay from 9 AM
&&
PUBLIC FORECAST: SPM
AVIATION: Lorber
MARINE: Lorber
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www.youtube.com/nwsbayareaThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
California Highway Patrol issued a travel advisory for I-580 in Alameda County due to strong winds.
Peak wind gust 52 mph recorded at PG&E Snake Road station.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in California, May 2022
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1029590, 1029601.