A warm week is set to kick off what may be a warmer-than-usual August for the Bay Area — though possibly not that warm for SF, because we all know how that goes.

As the Chronicle reports via National Weather Service meteorologist Roger Gass, we'll be finishing out July and entering August with a warming trend as a high pressure system builds over Northern California.

Parts of the East and North Bay will be seeing temperatures in the 90s this weekend and into next week, while SF will see things warming up on Monday through the rest of next of next week, according to the Weather Channel, hitting a relatively balmy (for August) high of 72 a week from today.

“These temperatures are above seasonal averages, but this time of year it’s pretty typical for us to get these warming trends," says Gass to the Chronicle.

Still, this is a refreshing change from some summers where we only get peeks of sunshine between 3 and 5 o'clock — and it runs counter to an earlier long-term forecast from May that said this summer was going to be colder than usual around here.

Looking further ahead in August, though nothing is for certain there, the nation as a whole is expected to be hotter than usual, with Southern California likely to see high temps as well, as weather service meteorologist Duane Dykema explains. He tells the Chron, "For the month of August, the Climate Prediction Center is essentially forecasting a higher-than-average chance of above-normal temperatures across almost the entire nation. It’s going along with what we’ve already seen this summer."

So, cross your fingers that SF can share in some of the wealth of warmth sooner than we typically do (September), but we should probably be grateful for whatever August afternoons we get that are not windswept and gray. Remember last August? Yah.

If you're thinking about celebrating the end of this week's hot temperatures with a fire in one of Ocean Beach's prison-looking fire pits, slow your roll, Sparky: Issues with Bay Area air quality means bonfires get the banhammer tonight.

According to a National Parks Service spokesperson, today's "Spare the Air alert is the first during the 2017 Ocean Beach recreational fire season. Rangers remind park visitors that fires are prohibited throughout Golden Gate National Recreation Area on Spare the Air alert days, including a prohibition on fires at Ocean Beach."

Bay City News reports that "Even though it’s still springtime, air district executive officer Jack Broadbent said that summer-like conditions will lead to hazy skies."

Broadbent had it right when he said "summer-like conditions," as the Chron reports that "Richmond and Napa broke heat records for the day on Tuesday by one degree. Richmond reached a high of 87 degrees breaking a record set in 2014. In Napa, temperatures reached a high of 94 degrees, topping a mark set for the day in 1966."

On Wednesday, temperatures in SF "are expected to reach anywhere from the mid to upper 70s."

National Weather Service forecaster Scott Rowe says that Wednesday's weather was the last bit of hot we'd see for a bit, as a “rolling cool down” is about to kick in. That means "a dramatic cooldown" beginning Thursday, with highs in the 60s. By Friday and the weekend, temperatures are expected to drop to the 50s.

“We are looking at the chance of low clouds and fog to return,” Rowe said of this weekend. “It’s the season.”

Related: NPS Touts New Fire Rings As Ocean Beach Bonfire Season Begins

There is nothing more American than a demolition derby at a county fair, or a small town Americana festival named after a fruit or vegetable, or an over-the-hill pop band performing a free concert at one of these provincial local celebrations. The Bay Area has many of these to offer this summer, despite the fact that we identify primarily as city slickers. We’ve rounded up the quirkiest, kitschiest, most all-American of these local celebrations that still remain on tap for this summer, beginning with this weekend’s Demolition Derby festivities at the Alameda County Fair.

Demolition Derby at Alameda County Fair
The Alameda County Fair has demolition derbies lined up this whole long holiday weekend at their “Action Sports Arena”, with standard demolition derbies Friday and Saturday night and an RV demolition derby Sunday night. This fair also has free concerts from Expose (July 1) and The Guess Who (July 2).
Friday, July 1, Saturday, July 2, and Sunday July 3 at 7 p.m. at the Alameda County Fair

Foreigner, Sheila E., Kool & The Gang at Marin County Fair
The Marin County Fair has some pretty spectacular washed-up pop acts lined up for free concerts (with fair admission), highlighted by Kool & The Gang (July 1), Sheila E. (July 2) and Foreigner (July 4). You will get a fireworks display after each show.
Friday, July 1, Saturday, July 2, and Monday July 4 at 7:30 p.m. at the Marin County Fair

Image: Kevin Y. via Yelp

Sunday Streets in San Francisco
San Francisco does not have a county fair (though we do have a County Fair Building!), but we've got the recurring, nomadic outdoor Sunday Streets festivals taking place a few more times this summer and then monthly all the way through November. Check the Sunday Streets website for dates and locations.
Sunday, July 10 (Tenderloin), Sunday, August 21 (Mission) and one Sunday per month in various San Francisco neighborhoods.

Gilroy Garlic Festival
The grandaddy of all northern California festivals named after a food item, the 38th annual Gilroy Garlic Festival will once again deliciously wreck the breath of more than 100,000 cloven garlic lovers, with garlic ice cream, a pyro chefs flame-up contest and of course the crowning of the Miss Gilroy Garlic Festival Queen.
Friday, July 29 - Sunday, July 30 at Christmas Hill Park, Gilroy

Image: Jussi via Flickr

Elvis Day at the Sonoma County Fair
Elvii young and old can’t help falling in love with the Sonoma County Fair’s annual Elvis-off known as “Elvis Day”, with a $1,500-prize Elvis impersonation contest, Elvis trivia contests, a “Thank you very much contest” and naturally, free peanut butter and banana sandwiches. The following Saturday, the fair features a free concert from the one and only El Vez.
Elvis Day on Saturday, July 30; El Vez on Saturday, August 6, 6:30 and 8 p.m. at the Sonoma County Fair

Demolition Derby, English Beat at the Santa Clara County Fair
When early August rolls around, the Santa Clara County Fair is also busting out a demolition derby, plus the ska-punk-reggae stylings of the English Beat.
English Beat on Friday, August 5 at 7:30 p.m; Demolition Derby on Saturday, August 6 at 5 p.m. at the Santa Clara County Fair

Image: San Jose Tamale Fest via Facebook

San Jose Tamale Fest
Hey, joven! Everyone’s a Tamale Lady at the the San Jose Tamale Fest, a delightfully corn-y festival featuring live music, a tamale-eating contest, and the awarding of the highly coveted Best Tamales title.
Saturday, August 6 and Sunday, August 7 at Emma Prusch Park in San Jose

Hayward Zucchini Festival
It’s a cute name for a festival. I’ll give you that much, Hayward. And I’ll bet there’ll be some good zucchini there.
Saturday, August 20 and Sunday, August 21 at Kennedy Park in Hayward

Bringing a bit of cheer to our Monday morning is the fact that today is the summer solstice — the longest day of the year and the first official day of summer. What's more, atypically for a summer day in San Francisco, the National Weather Service predicts that today will hit almost 80 degrees in the city.

That's the kind of one-two punch that means you can lounge the evening away at the park or the beach, basking in the sunlight and remarking out loud that life sure is grand.

To get down to details, the sun is expected to set at 8:35 p.m. tonight, giving us just under 15 hours of daylight (here's a handy map that shows how much light different parts of the US are getting today), and the predicted high is 78 degrees. (The Weather Channel conservatively puts the high today at 70.)

The warm weather should stick with us all week, with temperatures remaining in the 70s all week. So take off work a little early, grab a local beer, and head to the beach (or one of the best hills in SF) — after all, the days only get shorter from here on out.

Related: The 16 Coolest Outdoor And Patio Bars In SF

Bear Naked Granola decided to do some guerrilla advertising on Saturday by way of an enormous adult Slip-N-Slide on Potrero Hill — and a way nicer one than the slipshod one that occasionally used to show up in Dolores Park. It appears that everyone had a swell time despite the not-hot temperatures, but I'm not sure the granola messaging was really front and center. Assuming you missed it, we have some video and photo evidence.

[Joshua Litwin/Vimeo]
[Bold Italic]
[Memento Press]
[DaryaRose/Instagram]

So, you're relatively new to San Francisco, and last week (or earlier last month) when that sunny weather hit, you thought, "Ah, here it is! The California summer I've been dreaming of." Then the fog blew in on Thursday night. Then Friday came and the fog and chilly winds blew in again right around 5 p.m., and people started making comments about how San Francisco summer had arrived right on schedule.

May is usually just that sort of tease, and come June 1 it's a crapshoot each afternoon how warm it will be, what time the fog will burn off, how early the wind will pick up, what time the fog will roll in again, and how many layers you will need. We had our lovely, dry, balmy winter, and now it's time to pay the piper, and for all your East Coast and Midwest friends to gloat while they lounge in tank tops all June and you are pulling out your sweaters.

The beach is out unless you're going to trek as far south as Monterey or Santa Cruz. But here are a few good and easy options for warming up when that chill gets in your bones, because it will. And come mid-July, you're going to thank us.

1. SAUSALITO

Because of a quirk in our geography, Sausalito stays sunny and warm on many of our foggiest days because the Marin peninsula protects it, sort of. It's the nearest spot in the North Bay where you can generally rely on warming up, and thankfully there are some good things to eat and drink while you're there. Bar Bocce serves good pizzas and easy bites along with beer and wine on tap, and at low tide they have their own rocky beach of sorts, on the harbor, where you can lay out a blanket. Fast Food Francais makes some excellent small plates and cocktails, while you can get your upscale Mexican fix at Joanne Weir's Copita. And if the weather is looking especially fogged in in town, and you want to splurge on an overnight or weekend getaway, check out the newly renovated and beautiful Casa Madrona.

2. CULL CANYON

Photo: East Bay Parks

All you need to do to escape the cold in the height of summer is drive due east, north, or south. In this case, it's a super family-friendly swimming hole and fishing spot near Castro Valley (to the southeast) with a beach and some shallows to wade in, but when the kids tire out and the parents start packing it in late in the day, it's not half bad for an off-the-beaten path date destination either. You'll just need to keep whatever adult beverages you've brought well concealed. Directions here.

3. PALO ALTO / WOODSIDE

The new Epiphany Hotel in downtown Palo Alto. Photo: Peter Thoeny

Hop on the 280, make a pit stop for a hike on the Crystal Springs Reservoir Trail, and head for a late lunch or dinner in the wealthy enclave of Woodside (Village Pub is a good bet) or in the newly San Francisco-ized Palo Alto, where they now have their own Pizzeria Delfina, new cocktail and casual food spot Lure & Till, Umami Burger, and a new branch of Half Moon Bay's Sam's Chowder House.

4. HEALDSBURG / DRY CREEK VALLEY

Public Bikes for loan at the Hotel Healdsburg. Photo: Facebook

I've talked about it before, but maybe it bears repeating: There's a very quaint and foodie city to the north that surrounded by great vineyards, offers multiple great dining options, and serves as a playground and second home to a lot of wealthy people as a result. The food at Campo Fina, Spoonbar, Scopa, Mateo's Cucina Latina, Barndiva, Chalkboard, and Dry Creek Kitchen is all pretty great, and Spoonbar is the spot for excellent cocktails too. It's the kind of place that makes for a frustrating day trip only because there's so much you could do, wine-tasting-wise, and otherwise. So grab a room at H2 and make a weekend of it.

5. THE DELTA

A bunch of boats roped together on the Delta. Photo: Burners.me

It may be nicknamed the White Trash Riviera, but there's plenty to see and a whole lot of sweltering, summertime heat in the Sacramento River Delta. Without driving too far, you could get just a small taste at the lip of the delta in Port Costa, where you could easily wile away an afternoon on the "patio" at the Warehouse Cafe. But head to the deepest Delta, past Suisun City and into Rio Vista and Walnut Grove for the real deal. Stop into Giusti's for a sandwich or a bowl of minestrone, and maybe find your way onto somebody's boat party. There are lots of them. More ideas here.

6. GUERNEVILLE

Photo: Peter Kemmer

Because the local beaches are useless and windswept most of the summer, our summer resort towns cropped up inland. Guerneville doesn't have the flash or the cash of Healdburg, and as gay tourist destinations go it's not as glamorous as Fire Island or Palm Springs. But it's only 90 minutes away, there are a couple of cute places to eat (Boon Eat + Drink never disappoints), there's plenty of drunken tubing on the river, and all summer long there are drunken gay pool parties at the Russian River Resort, The Highlands, and at The Woods. Good times.

7. TIBURON

At Sam's. Photo: Gail M. Tang

Hasn't anybody taken you to Sam's? Oh, it's fun. It's a quick ferry ride away, if you don't want to drive, and the scene on the deck is pretty raucous all year long, in part because Tiburon is blessed and has perfect weather all the time somehow. No, seriously. Life is perfect in Tiburon. There's some shopping there too, if, like, your mom is in town and needs a sunhat or handblown perfume bottle. But mostly you just want to sit at Sam's and have a few margaritas and a burger and watch the ferries come in and out to Angel Island.

8. LAKE DEL VALLE

Photo: Coba/Flickr

Lake Del Valle is a giant, rather remote reservoir that was made by filling in a canyon just south of Livermore, and it's one of the most easily accessible and predictably hot spots to sit by some water that you'll find anywhere around the Bay Area. (Sidebar: It's also a pretty good spot to do stargazing, and far enough away from light pollution.) There are pretty oak trees covering the hills surrounding it, and it's big enough that you're almost guaranteed to find a spot to throw down a blanket that won't be anywhere near anyone else. It's dog-friendly too, and if you get too hot in the sun, you can just hop back in the car and taste some wine in Livermore's small but up-and-coming wine region over the hill. Because of the drought and the possible water needs of the south bay, the water levels here could go down by late summer. Directions and details here.

9. BASS LAKE

Photo: Ray Krebs

Head north through Marin and up a short way on Route 1, to Bolinas, and you'll come to an easy-to-hike trail that will take you about 3 miles into the woods to Bass Lake. On even not-hot days you can expect not to be alone, but in addition to rope swings (!) into the water, there are plenty of picnic areas and it feels downright summery there. For swimming, you may want to wait until September or so for the lake to warm up. Details here.

10. THE MISSION / POTRERO / MISSION BAY

Photo: brandi

It's true that on the coldest, foggiest of summer Saturday afternoons, there's little hope of making it feel like real summer in the city. But assuming you have backup layers and a means of transport, you can throw on some shorts and dash around to a couple of the city's reliably warmer microclimates and see what you can find. The Ramp is still popular in part because it can sometimes be sunny over there when the rest of the city's engulfed (not because their food is good). Mission Rock Resort has that great big two-level deck, and plenty of oysters and beer to go around. And yes, you can even, occasionally, watch the fog roll right over downtown from the sunny and (somewhat) warm comfort of Dolores Park, which can be oddly protected from the fog (sometimes!) in the late afternoon hours. But don't count on that. And bring a jacket.

And if it's 4th of July, bring a helmet and some protective gear.

Goddamnit it's summer. Also, it's the day before the 4th of July and there's hardly any fog!! With that in mind, we must point you to this marvelous roundup of summer jams from 20 years ago, and at the risk of dating ourselves, we need to say it was a great summer for pop music, when "alternative" had just come into its own, and R&B was evolving away from the oftimes hideous '80s. Janet Jackson's first single off her fifth studio album Janet, the followup to her number-one 1989 hit record Rhythm Nation 1814, sounds like pure summer to us, and like kicking back in the sun with a refreshing beverage in hand. Have a listen, and be glad we didn't decide to get Blind Melon stuck in your head. Again. [Buzzfeed]

As (comparatively) warm weather approaches and the Giants head into a long summer stretch, isn't it time you checked out one of the many fine watering holes along the waterfront? We're not talking Fishermen's Wharf, but the spots locals flock to during weekends and after work. Here are our suggestions; we're certain you'll let us know yours in the comments.

BAY VIEW BOAT CLUB
It's friendly, cheap and right on the water. The catch? This old-school dockside bar is for members only, or friends of members. The other catch? To become a member you need to pay dues and own "one-quarter interest in a boat". No boat, no service. But you can get around this injunction by becoming friends with someone who's got a stake in the boat club, and when you do, this'll become your go-to spot for sunny Sundays by the water. The Bay View Boat Club has got it all, from maritime charm and no-nonsense service to friendly locals and a picturesque backyard garden that meanders along the bay's edge. Any members out there looking for new friends? Let us know!
489 Terry A Francois Boulevard

COQUETA
The newest spot on this list is Michael Chiarello's barely two-week-old Coqueta on Pier 5. They took the former Lafitte space, with its semi-enclosed outdoor seating area, and created an awesome glassed-in bar where the back of the bar is just water, Yerba Buena Island, and sky. It's a Spanish restaurant, and the bar — dubbed Bar 5 — serves just tapas and drinks, none of which are cheap but which are pretty high quality. And you should note that the bar is mostly first-come, first-serve, with some stools and a counter circling the glass perimeter. Go for one of the Spanish-style gin and tonic variations, flavored with various fruits and botanicals, or a nice glass of sangria on tap.
Pier 5, Embarcadero and Washington

Hi Dive (photo credit: Erik Wilson)

HI DIVE
Located at Pier 28, Hi Dive looks like a dive bar from the outside, but has pretty nifty art deco interiors once inside. They've got a menu to satiate any booze-drinking (think: fried stuff, burgers) and million dollar views of the Bay. But the best part is the outside patio, perfect for getting lit before heading over to AT&T Park to catch a Giants game.
Pier 28 1/2, The Embarcadero at Bryant

Mission Rock Resort (photo credit: Joe M. /Yelp)

MISSION ROCK RESORT
A stark contrast from some of the more divey waterfront options around SoMa and Mission Bay, Mission Rock Resort classes things up with an overwater patio that wouldn't feel out of place on a lido deck. Come at dusk to slurp $0.99 oysters and $4 drafts during happy hour, or catch the morning sun over the Bay with Eggs Benedict and a couple mimosas at brunch.
817 Terry A Francois Blvd between Mariposa and 16th Street

Red's Java House (photo credit: Scott Beale)

RED'S JAVA HOUSE
Despite what Anthony Bourdain proclaimed on his food expedition to the Bay, the burgers at Red's are not the real draw here. (Although we do respect their strict "No lettuce and tomato" policy.) It's the plastic chairs, faded umbrellas and warped wooden tables set out on a crumbling city pier that make Red's the ideal waterfront dive. Garlic fries negate any fishy breezes coming off the waterfront and there's a full bar — if you consider a rack of mid-shelf bottles a full bar — but you'll want to order a bucket of something bottled, cold and domestic to stretch your a lunch well into the afternoon. (And get those drinks in quick, folks, the Golden State Warriors will be taking over Pier 30 by 2017. While they've promised to keep Red's intact, we just can't see it being quite the same.)
Pier 30, The Embarcadero at Bryant

The Ramp (photo credit: The Ramp's website)

THE RAMP
An institution since the 1950s, the Ramp remains one of the best spots in the city to recover from the night before with a hearty brunch. They serve lunch, brunch, late-night appetizers, and daily Happy Hour specials year-round (rain or shine!). And from May through October, you can dance outdoors to live Salsa and Brazilian Cumbia while enjoying the outdoor BBQ.
855 Terry A Francois Boulevard

The Slanted Door (photo credit: Wally Gobetz)

SLANTED DOOR
The restaurant anchor of the Ferry Building has what many consider one of the best cocktail programs in the city, spearheaded by bar manager Erik Adkins. Adkins is a devotee of the classics, and though Charles Phan's Vietnamese cuisine demands some tropical flair, Adkins is careful to keep the drinks, like his Singapore Sling, tasting fresh and balanced, as opposed to the over-sweet Tiki drinks they morphed into over the years. The place gets crowded with corporate types most evenings right after opening, right at 5:30, but if you can snag a seat at the long bar, with the Bay and the Bay Bridge just over your right shoulder, and order a few fried things to go with your cocktails, you'll feel like you've arrived.
1 Sausalito - San Francisco Ferry Bldg #3

Jay Barmann, Andrew Dalton, Rose Garrett and Brock Keeling contributed to this article.

Is your barbecue grill making you ill? Could be. Who knows. This handy chart by the FDA, CDC, Mayo Clinic, and International Food Council will tell you at what temperatures one should prepare their meats on the grill in order to prevent foodborne illness. Sure, some might disagree with the suggestions here. (We prefer our steaks barely introduced to the patio grill from the other side of the street. Rare is the only way to go.) But it's pretty good for those who don't abide by artisan law, or are unsure from where their meat came.

Here are some other less frightening suggestions for throwing your own BBQ fete this summer:

• Never use lean ground beef. Or pre-made patties.
• Do not start spraying lighter fluid after more than two cocktails -- ask a more sober friend to light the grill. We're not kidding.
• Please keep 2:1 ratio of beer to (white) wine. A lack of dry wine makes for unhappy blog editors.
• Classic barbecue sauce is only a suggestion, not a requirement.
• Please keep soft blankets at the ready. We enjoy sitting on the grass, but not on the grass. While we're at it, a colorful selection of parasols make for a lovely melanoma-free afternoon.
• Thighs and legs > breasts
• New Edition or En Vogue are ideal Pandora stations for barbecue under the sun. Dunno why. They just are.
• Clean your grill before using.
• Stop moving the meat around constantly like your dad did. Let it sit on the grill for a bit. Also, never press on your patties. The juice will run out and you will have dry burgers... and a dry frowny face.
• Got any weed?
• Screw it. Grilling, like math, is hard. Grab some ribs from Pican instead. Or, better yet, get some meat from B-Side BBQ in Oakland, care of chef Tanya Holland. She's a wizard when it comes to the art of barbecue.

Happy grilling, people!

"Summer Fun" by Darwin Bell.

But we're only a week into summer, you bemoan? Nonsense. It's summertime and thus never too early to get summer items on the menu. (See: AQ Restaurant, a noted SoMa joint that changes its decor along with its menu each season.) It being San Francisco, we don't need to tell you that the summer is fitting for a bowl of soup. And with that, we bring you Perbacco's Minestra Genovese, a soup rife with seasonal vegetables and pummeled basil. Staffan Terje, chef and owner of Perbacco in San Francisco, explains, "I love this soup because it speaks of summer. It's light, yet hearty and the mortar pounded basil pesto brings all the flavors together."

The soup will run you $10. If you think that's expensive, which it really isn't, read this piece by Michael Bauer on the $14 salad. Learn it and learn it well.

And there you have it. In other gastronomic, be sure to check out our daily list of foie gras dishes that, come July 1st, will come to an end. Stay tuned.

Perbacco, 230 California (at Battery), S.F., 415-955-0663

The ridiculously summery weather yesterday brought out a legion of revelers to Dolores Park yesterday, and among the pastimes being enjoyed was something we just haven't seen enough of since moving here: a slip-n-slide. Some industrious kids set up a long line of slippery plastic sheeting down the north-facing slope of the park's central hill, ending down in the soccer area. SFist noted a number of tanned twenty-somethings in swimwear taking part, as well as a fully clothed gentlemen who may have been homeless. At least he almost got a bath. One more shot below.

People don't really move to San Francisco to bask in the sun, at least not in the summer months, but anyway, we all continually like to complain about the weather, especially as August drags on. With that in mind, the Bold Italic's Eric Slatkin pens a little illustrated cartoon thing about the 'Wet Cold San Francisco Summer' as it compares to everywhere else in the country (except maybe Seattle). It is somewhat amusing. In particular, under the heading 'BBQs' -
Elsewhere: The reason they exist.
S.F.: Unless you start at noon and end promptly at 5 p.m., you're gonna have to drink enough to make it feel like you're wearing the jacket you chose not to bring because it's "summer."

PREVIOUSLY: The Bold Italic Is Trying To Make 'Valencia Bottoms' Happen

Do you get the summertime blues? We sure do. And word is there ain't no cure for them. Which is why tomato season is one of the few things we look forward to during these warm summer months. (And the evening fog. We do enjoy our nightly blanket of cooling fog.) Local James Beard Award-winning chef and celebrity Joanne Weir just revealed her top 10 tomato recipes for the upcoming barrage of glorious tomatoes heading our way. They are:

10. Tomato Bruschetta
9. Pizza with Gorgonzola and Tomatoes
8. Heirloom Tomato Bisque
7. Peak-Season Tomato Sauce
6. Spiced Tomato Upside-Down Cake
5. Tomato and Corn Chowder
4. Cheddar-Crusted Corn and Tomato Tart
3. Spaghetti alla Norma
2. Moroccan Chicken with Tomato Marmalade
1. Love-Apple Chocolate Cake

And seeing as how tomatoes are rather delicate, Weir recommends storing them at room temperature "with the stem end up to prevent bruised shoulders." And, of course, "never refrigerate your tomatoes." Ever. Don't Why do people do this? It's bad. Real bad.