Water cools toward fall pattern in SF Bay and Bodega

What's next

Expect water temperatures to hold in the mid-50s through the next two to three days barring a wind shift strong enough to push a fresh upwelling pulse through the Bay entrance or the Bodega side. The First Quarter moon means tides are still building toward the bigger swings of the full moon, so current strength should stay moderate into the weekend rather than ramping sharply. The midday low tide window seen today should shift roughly 40-50 minutes later each day, meaning by the weekend the bottom of the ebb lands in the early afternoon instead of late morning, worth planning around for anyone fishing structure that depends on current speed to trigger a bite.

Anglers timing trips around the last two hours of the ebb and the first hour of the flood will likely see the most consistent water movement across this stretch through the coming days.

Context

Mid-to-upper 50s water temperatures are typical for Northern California's SF Bay and Bodega waters heading into late September, as the region transitions out of peak summer upwelling toward a more mixed fall pattern. Nothing in this week's readings points to an early or late seasonal shift; conditions sit squarely on schedule for the calendar. Moderate, First Quarter tidal ranges are also standard for this point in the lunar cycle, with bigger swings still roughly a week out as the moon builds toward full.