Rare summer rain falls in San Jose with thunderstorms, lightning possible

Despite temperatures hovering in the mid-80s, San Jose saw a rare bit of rain Monday afternoon fueled by tropical moisture in the atmosphere.

"Leftover moisture from Tropical Storm Alberto is fueling some showers rolling into the South Bay and the Santa Cruz mountains," KPIX Chief Meteorologist Paul Heggen posted on X. "No lightning yet, but that threat is one we'll be monitoring this afternoon and evening."  

While the rain was not heavy, it was enough to wet the streets and force vehicles to turn on their windshield wipers. CBS News Bay Area photographer Jim Flanagan took video that showed the rainfall and cars driving through it.

The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center had earlier mentioned the possibility of thunderstorms further south over portions of Monterey and San Benito counties before the increased thunderstorm potential shifted northward to the rest of the Bay Area overnight as incoming mid-level moisture moves north.  

A later tweet indicated there would be a 15% chance for thunder and lightning from north of Cloverdale south to Paso Robles Monday night through Tuesday. Some thunderstorms may be dry and could present a potential fire hazard, the weather service said.

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• Weather Forecast
• San Jose