Heat causes Bay Area temperature records to fall; cooler conditions to return

After a late summer heat wave led to record breaking temperatures, cooler weather for the Bay Area is on the horizon this weekend, forecasters said.

According to the preliminary data from the National Weather Service, daily temperature records in four communities were broken on Wednesday.

In San Francisco, the high reached 94 degrees, breaking the record of 92 set in 1951. Meanwhile, downtown Oakland reached 97 degrees, breaking the record of 96 that was set in 1984.

With a high of 104 degrees, San Rafael broke its daily record of 100, set back in 2015. The coastal community of Half Moon Bay also saw record-breaking heat, with a high temperature of 83, breaking a record that was set in 1979 (79 degrees).

On Thursday, hot conditions are expected to continue, particularly away from the ocean. Along the coast, highs are expected to be in the 70s and 80s. Meanwhile, inland areas are expected to be in the 90s and triple-digits.

A heat advisory remains in effect for the entire Bay Area and Central Coast through 10 p.m. Thursday. The Weather Service urged people to continue to practice heat safety precautions, including staying hydrated, wearing lightweight and loose-fitting clothing, limiting strenuous activities to early morning and early evening hours, and to take action when experiencing heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Forecasters said the marine layer should develop along the immediate coast on Thursday evening. Additional cooling is expected on Friday and into the weekend.

Highs along the coast will reach the 60s and 70s around the bay this weekend, while highs inland are expected to reach the mid-70s to mid-80s.