Rain, potential flooding to impact Bay Area, NorCal over New Year's weekend
SACRAMENTO -- Residents up and down California braced for heavy downpours and potential flooding Friday from a series of rainstorms expected to usher in the new year.
An atmospheric river storm, a long and wide plume of moisture pulled in from the Pacific, began sweeping across the northern part of the state Friday and was expected to bring more rain through Saturday, according to the National Weather Service in Sacramento.
KPIX 5 First Alert Weather: Current Conditions, Forecasts, Alerts For Your Area
Officials warned that rivers and streams could overflow and urged residents to get sandbags ready. A flood watch was in effect in much of Northern California from 10 p.m. Friday through New Year's Eve.
According to the Bay Area office of the National Weather Service, on-and-off showers are expected throughout the day Bay Area-wide on Friday, with the North Bay experiencing higher rain totals with up to an inch falling in the region by midnight.
Check South Bay creek levels for flooding
Friday night will also be breezy with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Low temperatures will be in the mid-50s. Southwest winds will be 15 to 20 mph before switching to south winds of 20 to 30 mph after midnight.
But the National Weather Service also noted that the rain is expected to end abruptly in the North Bay by afternoon, the Bay Area by late afternoon and the Central Coast by evening for any planned New Year's Eve activities. On New Year's Day, the forecast is mostly sunny weather.
It was the first of several storms expected to roll across California over the next week. The current system is expected to be warmer and wetter, while next week's storms will be colder, lowering snow levels in the mountains, said Hannah Chandler-Cooley, a meteorologist at National Weather Service in Sacramento. The Sacramento region could receive a total of 4 to 5 inches (10 to 13 centimeters) of rain over the span of the week, Chandler-Cooley said.
On the Sierra's eastern front, flood watches and warnings were issued north and south of Reno, Nevada, where minor to moderate flooding was forecast along some rivers and streams into the weekend.
At Susanville, California about 85 miles (137 kilometers) north of Reno, the Susan River was forecast to rise from about 5 feet (1.5 meters) Friday to a foot (30 centimeters) above the flood stage of 12 feet (3.6 meters) by Saturday morning, causing moderate flooding that could affect some homes, roads and bridges, the National Weather Service said.
In Southern California, moderate-to-heavy rain was forecast for Saturday. The region will begin drying out on New Year's Day and the Jan. 2 Rose Parade in Pasadena should avoid rainfall.
Heavy showers are forecast for Tuesday or Wednesday, the National Weather Service in Oxnard said.
The rain was welcomed in drought-parched California, but much more precipitation is needed to make a significant difference. The past three years have been California's driest on record.