Temperatures inland could hit over 100 degrees by Saturday, but the National Weather Service says the deadlier threat is the surf, where a distant hurricane swell has already driven a weekend of water rescues.
Jul 27, 2026
Updated 2:44 pm PT
A surfer walks in the water to surf at Ocean Beach in San Francisco on Feb. 10, 2025. The National Weather Service has warned of sneaker waves and strong rip currents through at least Wednesday. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)
The Bay Area is heading into its hottest stretch of the summer so far, with inland temperatures climbing toward 100 degrees by the weekend. But the heat may not be the most dangerous thing about this week’s weather.
As residents head for the coast to escape the heat, forecasters warn they will be walking into the most hazardous surf conditions of the season, driven by two distant hurricanes churning off Mexico. A weekend of dangerous waves has already prompted reports of roughly 25 water rescues along the California coast.
“We are recommending everyone to stay away from the beach and stay out of the water, “ said Nicole Sarment, a meteorologist with the Weather Service’s Bay Area office. “I know it’s going to be hot. I know people like the beach in the summer. But it’s just so dangerous out there.”
People enjoying the sun at the Palace of Fine Arts as a heat wave rolls through San Francisco on July 11, 2024.
Making the ocean even more threatening is that it will appear calm, Sarment said.
A long-period swell generated by hurricanes Fausto and Genevieve, the latter evolving into a Category 5 hurricane on Monday morning, is creating sneaker waves that can run far up the beach after 20 minutes or more of flat water, sweeping people and pets off dry sand and into cold, turbulent surf. Rip currents running stronger than normal can then pull even strong swimmers out to sea.
“Even if the water seems flat for 20 minutes, you can still have an unsuspecting wave run much farther, up actually on dry sand, getting people who are sleeping, walking their dogs,” Sarment said.
Children play in sprinklers at Meadow Homes Park in Concord on Sept. 8, 2022, as the temperature soared to 108 degrees.
Sarment said fires like the ones so far this summer frequently trace to cars, either starting as vehicle fires that spread to vegetation, or blazes sparked by people driving or parking on dry grass.
Forecasters are urging people to avoid anything that could throw a spark, warning that fires that start now are likely to spread fast.
For those who spend the days outside, whether working, camping or home with kids on summer break, the Weather Service’s guidance is to hydrate, take frequent breaks and shift strenuous activity to the cooler parts of the day. Older adults, people without air conditioning, unhoused residents, pregnant women and young children are most at risk in the heat. She reminded to never leave children or pets in an unattended vehicle.
The heat is expected to build midweek and peak into the weekend, though forecasters say there is still uncertainty in how hot it ultimately gets. The Weather Service is posting updates on its website and social media accounts.
