It sure has been raining a lot lately, hasn't it? Well, for all of you feeling just a little too cooped up/soggy we have some good news: The National Weather Service predicts that this week is going to be a warm and sunny one — just in time to enjoy that extra hour of daylight.

Expect it to heat up through the week until Thursday, when the temperature is predicted to top out at 74 degrees. However, Friday through Sunday is no joke either, with temperatures expected to remain in the low 70's to high 60's. And you don't need to feel guilty about celebrating this stretch of sunny weather, as the Chronicle notes that this month downtown SF has already been on the receiving end of 5.65 inches of rain. That number is way above the average of 3.27 inches of rain for the entire month.

So now that the sun is here to stay (at least for the immediate future, anyway), this week presents the perfect opportunity to go lounge in Alamo Square Park before it closes starting in April for seven months. See you (and hopefully the above pictured doggies) there!

Related: Today Is Going To Be A Scorcher, Good Thing You're Not At Work

Calm down, everyone. If things start looking a little funky outside this afternoon, it's not end times: that's just the moon getting in between us and the sun

According to CNN, the sun will "look like a fingernail as it sets in the west" this afternoon, beginning in the Bay Area at 1:52 p.m. and ending at 4:32 p.m. The best time to check today's solar eclipse out, however, should be between 3-3:30, when about 40% of the sun will be obscured.

Locally, the Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland and the Foothill College Observatory in the Los Altos Hills will be holding viewing eclipseparties today, beginning at 1:45 and 2, respectively.

Just remember, whatever you do, don't look at the sun (even in sunglasses). I know, I know, who needs to be told that? But still, according to NASA, every time there's an eclipse, people end up in emergency rooms with retinal burns because they did precisely that. So, it happens.

Instead of looking straight at the sun like a dummy, make a pinhole viewer like in the video below, or just check it out as it's projected through the leaves of a tree. That's just as fun, you can actually see it, and you won't end up blind.

On nice days, San Francisco is rife with gorgeous areas in which to enjoy our very brief spells of sun. Here now are our picks for the best places for taking advantage of the outdoors.

DOLORES PARK
What can we say about the phenomenon that is Dolores Park that hasn't already been said? Did you know that as recently as 2005 it was full of needles and totally scary at night and no one hung out there? And then somehow, with the blossoming of food culture and youth culture and coffee culture and whatever else in the Mission came the colonizing of this open space on any and every sunny day. But it's not entirely monopolized by the plaid-and-PBR set. Families go, dog people go. There are sometimes barbecues and quinceañeras. And obviously the gays claimed the best real estate, on the highest ledge with the best views. We dread the disruption to come as the park gets renovated and retooled later this year. But we hope for the best that this place will always be the fair-weather shitshow of patchy grass and pot truffles that we know and love.
18th & Dolores (neighborhood: Castro & Mission)

ALAMO SQUARE
As Divis becomes the new Valencia, it only stands to reason that the neighborhood needs its own Dolores, and on certain sunny days that role is being filled by dog-friendly Alamo Square. The desirable open space, with that dramatic cityscape behind the Full House houses on Postcard Row, is pretty small, and can be quite windswept given the geography — directly inland from Golden Gate Park and in the path of the first fog off the ocean. But given the right conditions and the right amount of wine, a party can be had here on a Sunday that will make everyone say, 'Who needs Dolores?' Until summer comes, and then it's never warm in Alamo Square, like ever.
Steiner & Hayes (neighborhood: Western Addition)

Baker Beach (photo credit: Erik Wilson)

BAKER BEACH & MARSHALL'S BEACH
Let's say there are ten days in the year where it's legitimately acceptable beach weather. That's being generous. And then there are maybe twenty more days when it's questionable, but for at least two hours between approximately 2 and 4 p.m. you can probably get away with lying close to the sand in a swimsuit and staying warm in the sun. So that means that one of the city's sluttiest and nakedest places is really only good for anything for the equivalent of one month out of the year. We've seen straight couples canoodling here in their birthday suits while gay men watched. We've seen many an elderly penis here, bouncing against the backdrop of the Pacific. And how can you go wrong with the Golden Gate Bridge right there, making all your Instagram friends elsewhere in the country jealous. (Sidenote: This northern end of the beach was the original site of the Burning Man festival from 1986 to 1990). As an added bonus, if you know the route, there is an even gayer, dirtier beach just beyond the rocks at the north end, closer to the bridge, accessible via the cliff above and the parking lot next to the old Presidio military bunker up there. The official word from the Parks Service is that Marshall's provides a "quiet and contemplative" experience, but it's actually quite pervy. Don't go there unless you're gay, and/or prepared for that.
Gibson Road in the Presidio

Crissy Field (photo credit: Bob Horowitz)

CRISSY FIELD
With grassy open space, running and biking paths, room for your canine companions, a real beach and even a surf spot, Crissy Field has everything your SoCal friends think they can only find in Santa Monica — except it's all within sight of the Golden Gate Bridge. Don't let the overrun bro scene at Fort Mason distract you: keep carrying your boozy picnic west past the Marina Green and the yacht clubs until you cross the footbridge and can set yourself up on the beach like a professional.
1199 E Beach in the Presidio

Corona Heights Park (photo credit: Gerard Livernois)

CORONA HEIGHTS PARK
Twin Peaks gets all the tour buses and Buena Vista Park gets all the junkies, but the jagged peak at Corona Heights Park makes for a perfectly secluded spot to perch with a hot beverage and cuddly companion. It takes a little climbing to get to, but early risers can do stair runs without fear of waking park sleepers, evening visitors can watch the sunset over the Sunset and midday visitors get a scenic view while Fido chases down the tennis ball.
Roosevelt and Museum Ways (Corona Heights)

Telegraph Hill (photo credit: Jason Rodman)

TELEGRAPH HILL
Despite the constant stream of tourists huffing up the stairs from North Beach, Telegraph Hill still has the only lookout in town where you can take in views of a Diego Rivera mural, Lombard Street, Al Capone's former home, an Eichler skyscraper, and two famous bridges. Work up a thirst spotting the wild parrots on the Filbert Steps and descend the opposite side to reward yourself with a drink on Grant Street.
Filbert & Sansome (North Beach/Telegraph Hill)

Public privately-owned space at 1 Kearney (photo credit: Brock Keeling)

PRIVATE PUBLICLY OWNED SPACES
A slew of private publicly-owned spaces are just waiting for you to stop by for a spell. Our favorite? The lovely rooftop terrace atop 1 Kearny. The bathrooms are spotless and, if you can manage not getting caught, it's a choice place for smoking a joint on your lunch hour. Other noteworthy spots include the Skygarden at the Federal Building and the 4 Terraces at the Intercontinental Hotel.

Financial District (photo credit: Bhautik Joshi)

WALKING AROUND DOWNTOWN/FiDI ON THE WEEKENDS
For those of you who, say, work from home or aren't saddled with having to traverse to an office in downtown San Francisco, we recommend walking around the city's Financial District during sunny days. It's quiet and a great way to catch only a little bit of sun (perfect for redheads!) while taking in the massive structures looming overhead.

Ariel view of Golden Gate Park. (photo credit: Wikipedia)

GOLDEN GATE PARK
Above Dolores Park, Alamo Square and lesser parks stands the almighty Golden Gate Park, the birthplace of the Summer of Love. Sure, it's got its faults (too foggy!) and some sketchy characters, but it's the park of San Francisco, period. It's got it all: Kezar Stadium, Conservatory of Flowers, Music Concourse, Japanese Tea Garden, the windmills, and some of the finest patches of grass on which to trip your balls off.

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

Cruelty, thy name is a gorgeous Wednesday.

Today is the day we give you permission to defriend and unfollow with impunity anyone who boasts or brags about being outside on this gorgeous April day. Any and all photos of blatant lollygagging and/or frolicking at the park shall be shunned, unshared, and unliked. May a riptide nip at your toes if you dare post evidence of your picturesque day at Ocean Beach.

Temperatures are expected to reach the mid 70s. Record-breaking temps, perhaps. Look back at SFist today, around noon-ish, when we will publish the best places in SF in which to enjoy the outdoors.

Now get back to work.

Ugh.

It's so nice out. All the other kids are outside playing capture the flag, but mom is making us stay inside to practice violin. But you should try to get outside while you can. It's goddam gorgeous. Have you seen it? It's bullshit. Ideally, you would be halfway through a pot truffle and knee-deep in banana hammocks on the fruit shelf. Instead, you're probably at work. Alas.

We feel your pain, folks. If it helps, this is the view form our desk today. (Those pink Post-its have been there for MONTHS.)

The weather this weekend should be just as nice, though not as hot. 70-degree temperatures will grace San Francisco on Saturday. Enjoy.

"Summer Fun" by Darwin Bell.

The formidable Bhautik Joshi snapped these shots of Sunday's annular "ring of fire" solar eclipse. "I ended up using a pair of solar shades glasses over the end of my 70-300mm and it was still possible to get some pretty decent shots of the eclipse," he notes.

Also, care of LAist, check out this astounding time-lapse footage of yesterday's eclipse shot by Cory Poole. Shot in Redding, California the film is made of "700 individual frames through a Coronado Solar Max 60 Double Stacked Hydrogen Alpha Solar Telescope." Behold:

You'll have to wait until 2023 to see the next annular solar eclipse in Northern California. Until then...

Those of you taking today off on this unusually warm springtime Friday, we salute/loathe you for being in a state of unadulterated bliss. Wait, scratch the "unadulterated" part. You're probably sipping wine and/or beer and getting lit as your SFist editor types these words from inside SFist headquarters. Even better. Sigh.

Just a friendly reminder that today, like yesterday, will be a gorgeous day littered with sunlight, gentle breezes, springtime romps, butterfly kisses, and pretty people who managed to get the day off walking around with ice cream cones. Why, just look at this shot taken the other day in Alviso by Bob Horowitz. The warm weather is even making San Jose stunning. It's just not fair for a weekday.

This unseasonably fantastic weather, however, will come to an end by tomorrow, with temperatures making a 10-degree drop. Just in time for the weekend. Alas.

In a move poised to stave off children looking like white trash, Governor Jerry Brown banned kids from using tanning beds. The legislation, singed over the weekend, makes California the first state to adopt such a ban. Doctors, nurses, American Cancer Society, and people with commonsense backed the bill penned by Sen. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance).

"I praise Gov. Brown for his courage in taking this much-needed step to protect some of California's most vulnerable residents - our kids - from what the 'House of Medicine' has conclusively shown is lethally dangerous: ultraviolet-emitting radiation from tanning beds," Lieu said in a prepared statement. "If everyone knew the true dangers of tanning beds, they'd be shocked.

Kids will soon have to wait until they're 14 (teens between 14 and 18 will need parental consent) in order to look like Bristol Palin.

Surfers take advantage of the swells for some midweek action under the bridge. Should be just as beautiful for the duration of the three-day (!) weekend ahead. Enjoy the sun while we have it, folks.

Due to the refreshingly gorgeous weather we're having -- from the windows outside SFist headquarters on busy Third Street, it seems that many of you took the day off; it's practically barren outside! -- many folks took to boating in the Bay over the weekend. One incident in particular resulted in a family's boat being capsized. You see, during a Father's Day cruise in the water on Sunday, a father and his two kids had to be "rescued 500 yards south of Ballena Bay in Alameda when their 19-foot aluminum boat capsized before 11:40 a.m."

Luckily, the family were treated and released with minor injuries.

The second scary moment happened in Stinson Beach. KTVU reports: "Father’s Day outings to the waters of Stinson Beach were interrupted Sunday when a patrolling U.S. Coast Guard helicopter spotted an 8-to-10 foot great white shark swimming toward the shore, authorities said."

The great white measured "between 8 and 10 feet" and it was traveling south. Beware.

While our friends to the East (Chicago et al.) suffer through extremely cold weather and worse news puns, we San Franciscans have grown downright snarky about our sudden burst of glorious warmth (it’s going to be near the 70s for the next week).

Photos have surfaced in recent days of picturesque blue skies, sizzling rooftops and smiling park loungers. The top Tweet on such matters comes courtesy of Jason Snell, editor of Mac World (@jsnell). His photo has been retweeted 35 times at press time:

@jsnell Snowpocalypse, San Francisco. [pic]

@yeswap Amazing weather in San Francisco #SF [pic]

@PalominoPony snowpocalypse san francisco... city paralyzed. somebody save us! [pic]

Good luck with that -12 below snow blast, Chicago. We’re with you in spirit. And you know we’ll get ours soon enough with thick citywide fog and face-stabbing winds.

(by Emily Savage)

by Heather Cummings

Spring is almost here, and that means it's time for San Francisco's sun worshipers to soak up what they can before the Summer fog rolls in. The Bay Area's many parks are an obvious choice for time in the sun, but some of us prefer table service and mimosas to hippie drum circles and dog poop. To that effect, here's our list of four fabulous patios, (and no, Zeitgeist isn't one of them.)

1. Wild Side West - Bernal Heights

Not just for ladies who love ladies, Wild Side West is a zany, anything goes bar with a gigantic beer garden and a strong neighborhood vibe. WSW's interior is completely covered in antique (or at least old) odds and ends, and the back garden is a true Sapphic paradise with multiple levels and gorgeous greenery. It's the perfect place to sip on a raspberry lemonade cocktail while getting to know your Bernal Heights neighbors.

2. Cafe Gratitude - Inner Sunset

Yes, we all hate being forced into repeating positive affirmations just to get our warm quinoa bowl and dairy-free milkshake. It's a small price to pay however, to drink organic beer on a flower bedecked patio in one of the coziest neighborhoods in SF. We like to pass the time waiting for our meal by seeing who can read the most cards in the Cafe Gratitude board game while keeping a straight face. The record- two.