‘Astronomical high tides,’ freezing weather to hit Bay Area

The National Weather Service is warning of “astronomical high tides” and freezing weather in the Bay Area on Sunday.

Tidal levels are one-third to half a foot above predictions, which could lead to minor flooding in coastal parts of the Bay Area and parts of the North Bay, according to the NWS. The warning lasts from 7 a.m. to noon Sunday, with high tides expected to peak around 10 a.m. 

Residents are cautioned to avoid driving into deep water and budget extra time in case of road closures. 

Freezing temperatures are also expected to plague parts of the Bay Area from Saturday night through Sunday morning, the NWS forecasts. From 10 p.m. Saturday through 9 a.m. Sunday, the weather service is warning of temperatures as low as 30 degrees in Monterey County, on the coast of Mendocino County and along a long stretch of the inland East Bay. 

Parts of the inland North Bay could also see temperatures as low as 35 degrees, which could cause overnight frost, according to the NWS.

The freezing temperatures and frost could pose a danger to unhoused people, outdoor pets and plants that are left uncovered, the NWS warned. 

A third warning cautions Bay Area beachgoers to avoid swimming in the water from Friday night through Sunday morning due to an increased risk of sneaker waves. Dangerous coastal conditions already sparked several water rescues on Saturday. 

Just before 4 p.m., officials with the San Francisco Fire Department, California Highway Patrol and the U.S. Coast Guard located a surfer who went missing at Ocean Beach, according to the fire department. About half an hour later, a fire department rescue boat and CHP helicopter rescued a sailboat with three people on it that wasn’t able to anchor due to strong winds, the department shared on social media.