El Niño Arrives Early, Risks Historic Strength

El Niño is arriving earlier than anticipated, with increasing chances of becoming historically strong. The National Weather Service reports that strong winds, which caused a fatal tree fall in Santa Rosa and widespread power outages, are expected to subside by Monday night.

A brief hot spell is forecast to begin Tuesday, lasting about three days, before cooler temperatures and a chance of rain return for the weekend. Meteorologist Rachel Kennedy explained that surface high pressure over the Pacific will drive warming through Thursday, followed by a return of cooler conditions and potential rain.

The hottest days will be Tuesday and Wednesday, with upper 80s in inland East Bay, Santa Clara Valley, and North Bay. Coastal areas like Oakland may reach 80°F, while San Francisco and San Mateo see mid-70s.

Winds, which gusted up to 86 mph in the Santa Cruz Mountains and caused a fatal tree accident in Santa Rosa, will diminish. A wind advisory expired at 11 a.m.

Monday, but PG&E reported 674 Bay Area customers still without power due to public safety shutoffs, and an additional 10,000 customers faced unexpected outages. Trees were down in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, and a falling branch seriously injured a 23-year-old woman in Santa Rosa.