A potent midweek storm is expected to bring widespread rain, colder temperatures and gusty winds across the Bay Area and portions of the Central Coast beginning Wednesday, forecasters said Tuesday.

The proverbial calm before the storm was evident as the National Weather Service said in its daily forecast discussion that Tuesday will be warm and dry, with some inland areas reaching the 70s and lower 80s. However, conditions will shift sharply by Wednesday as a strong Pacific system moves toward the coast.

Ahead of the storm, the Weather Service issued a small craft advisory for the Northern California coast, as well as San Pablo Bay, Suisun Bay, the West Delta and the San Francisco Bay north of the Bay Bridge, for Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., followed by a gale warning in effect fr

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