Rain fell again in the Bay Area on Monday, following a mostly dry Sunday that came after the most powerful storm of 2024. Yet, it seemed to fall with considerably less force.
“It’s a light rain,” National Weather Service meteorologist Rick Kaplan said. “That’s how it’s going to stay.”
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More rain in the forecast Monday and Tuesday
Indeed, the precipitation appeared to lighten up in a similar way to water at the end of a car wash, hitting with far less intensity than late last week. According to the weather service, the rain was falling at about the rate of one-tenth of an inch per hour in most places.
As a result, the rainfall totals on Monday and Tuesday are expected to be lighter than they were in the 24-hour period ending Monday at 11 a.m. Mt. Umunhum and Loma Prieta in Santa Cruz County each received a little more than a half-inch of rain. No other city in the region received more than one-third of an inch.
According to the weather service, about an inch of rain is expected to fall on the East Bay, South Bay and Peninsula before Tuesday night. The rain is expected to be heavier in the North Bay, which has been pummeled with rain since the atmospheric river first arrived. About two more inches are expected in Napa, Santa Rosa and San Rafael before Tuesday night.
That said, the heaviest part of the system is expected to be near the Central Coast, where the original atmospheric river is hanging around and where a second one aimed more for Southern California may have an influence, according to the weather service.
“We still have large scale troughing,” Kaplan said. “The low pressure is moving from west to east, and the part of the original atmospheric river that’s still lingering in the central coast. Now, there’s going to be another ripple and that will be more south.”
That second ripple is likely to bring more heavy snow to the Sierra Nevada, according to the weather service. A winter storm warning will remain in effect until 10 a.m. Wednesday, and at least 1 foot of snow is expected above 7,000 feet, perhaps 2 feet. The Sierra Crest is expected to get at least 3 feet of snow.
Those below 7,500 feet can expect up to 8 inches of snow.
Winds also will be miserable in the Sierra, with winds at the ridge gusting as high as 95 mph, according to the weather service. Travel to and from the area continues to be discouraged until Wednesday.
Once Wednesday hits, “it looks like it will be dry,” Kaplan said.
That day also likely will bring with it big surf. Waves may break at 10-to-14 feet along parts of the central and Northern California coast, the weather service said. The agency put out a beach hazards statement for coastal Monterey County to coastal Sonoma County that goes into effect at 10 a.m. Tuesday and lasts until 10 p.m. Thursday.