Bay Area braces for sizzling weekend temps, high fire danger

OAKLAND, Calif. (BCN) - Weather will pose a danger to Bay Area residents starting Friday with a higher risk for rip currents at beaches and increased wildfire risk starting Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

A larger northwest swell will visit beaches starting early Friday morning, bringing with it larger waves and raising the risk for rip currents.

Heat, low humidity and higher winds, especially in higher terrain, will raise the risk for wildfires as the area recovers from an earlier than expected fire season.

A fire weather watch goes into effect at 11 a.m. Saturday for the North Bay mountains and East Bay hills.

"Those areas are usually the most vulnerable," said Gerry Diaz, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

That's because higher winds are expected in those areas, he said, along with poor humidity recovery overnight.

In the highest peaks, 50 mph gusts are possible along with temperatures in the 90s to 100.

Hundreds of thousands of acres have burned already this year in and around the Bay Area. Winds help to spread fires, and contributing to the increased risk for fires will be the poor overnight humidity recoveries, which means the vegetation will be drier.

"Dry and hot," Diaz said. "That set's up a dangerous situation where all it takes is one spark to get things going." Inland Bay Area locations will see temperatures rise 15 to 20 degrees relative to the recent milder weather. Coastal areas will see temperatures rise 10 to 15 degrees.