What are the common wind patterns?
The common wind pattern during the spring and summer is for the coast to be cool and the inland to warm during the day. The temperature gradient also results in a pressure gradient. This drives the wind, causing air to flow from high pressure (cold temps) to low pressure (warm temps). This air flow also causes the coastal fog in the summer. Once the fog comes overhead the wind will drop drastically. If SF and the Peninsula are fogged in head east to Berkeley Alameda or the Delta. In the spring after a storm front passes we will sometimes get clearing winds as high pressure builds up. These winds can be quite strong. A more complete discussion of the wind patterns can be found on Ken Poulton’s windspeed info.
