Northern California and the Bay Area had significant rainfall on Thursday, the second day of an atmospheric river. The North Bay saw the most precipitation before the storm moved south on Friday.
Marin, Napa, and Sonoma counties are under a flood advisory through early Saturday morning, according to the National Weather Service. According to the Weather Service’s Bay Area office’s daily forecast discussion, the North Bay saw 24-hour rainfall totals of over 7 inches at Santa Rosa Airport and reports of over 10 inches in Sonoma County’s coastal highlands.
Until 6 a.m. on Friday, a high surf advisory was also in force for the entire Bay Area coast, including Southern Monterey Bay, from Point Reyes south to Big Sur. The weather service predicted that well-exposed west-facing beaches would experience massive breaking waves of 14 to 19 feet, while southwest-facing beaches would see waves of 19 to 22 feet.
KPIX First Alert Weather: Local weather conditions, warnings, and maps
A deep, quick decrease in pressure that occurs when a polar air mass collides with a tropical air mass—known as bomb cyclogenesis, or abomb cyclone—combines with the tropical moisture from the atmospheric river to produce the storm’s ferocity.
The majority of the storm’s effects, such as fallen trees and power lines and hundreds of power outages since Wednesday, were occurring north of the Golden Gate. According to the Weather Service, the powerful southerly winds that are currently affecting the Bay Area are predicted to lessen on Thursday but won’t significantly improve until Friday night.
The North Bay may see a minor drop in rainfall on Thursday, but over the course of the next day, another 1 to 3 inches of rain is still predicted in the lowlands and up to another 6 inches in the mountains.
By Friday, the storm will be more evenly spread over the Bay Area, while the most of Thursday’s rain will be focused north of Interstate Highway 80. The bomb cyclone conditions off the Pacific Northwest are expected to reappear by Friday, according to the Weather Service, intensifying the atmospheric river moisture that is passing across the area. Strong winds and a lot of rain are predicted for Friday.
Even when the atmospheric river conditions end, the Weather Service said longer-term forecasts call for more rain in the Bay Area. Saturday is predicted to bring showers, and most of the area will likely get soaked by the waves of rain that follow on Sunday night and possibly Tuesday.
In addition to what has already fallen, the total amount of rainfall predicted from Thursday through next Tuesday ranges from roughly 2 inches in San Jose to more than 6 inches in Santa Rosa.
Note: Thank you for visiting our website! We strive to keep you informed with the latest updates based on expected timelines, although please note that we are not affiliated with any official bodies. Our team is committed to ensuring accuracy and transparency in our reporting, verifying all information before publication. We aim to bring you reliable news, and if you have any questions or concerns about our content, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!
ChiefsFocus is a dedicated news writer with extensive experience in covering news across the United States. With a passion for storytelling and a commitment to journalistic integrity, ChiefsFocus delivers accurate and engaging content that informs and resonates with readers, keeping them updated on the latest developments nationwide.