Stronger 2nd storm to bring heavier rain; North Bay Flood Watch issued for Sunday
A Flood Watch will be in effect for North Bay Counties as rain is expected from Sunday through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
The counties include Napa, Sonoma and Marin and it will be in effect from 8 p.m. Sunday to 10 p.m. Monday. The NWS expects the rain to lead to ponding on roadways and other low-lying areas and to create rapid rises in creeks and streams.
Lingering scattered showers from the first storm of a wet weekend persisted Saturday into the afternoon; the next stronger system will then bring heavier rain into Sunday morning.
According to CBS News Bay Area meteorologist Darren Peck, the second of two major storm systems still ahead. After leftover showers with some isolated thunderstorms from Friday's storm pass through, the next larger, more potent system is set to arrive late Saturday afternoon, about an hour before the 5:15 p.m. game time for the 49ers and the Packers.
At that point, there will be widespread rain across the region, with the precipitation intensifying at points later into the evening.
Rain totals of up to about 1.5" for the coastal mountains, with half to three-quarters of an inch are possible in the North Bay, with a quarter to a half inch expected in the greater SF Bay Area.
The rain from the second storm will continue into Sunday morning before the region gets another brief respite before the third and strongest system of the weekend arrives that evening.
Good morning! Here's the latest timeline on the expected weather impacts from today into Monday morning. In short: there's more rain on the way so keep the umbrella handy! #cawx pic.twitter.com/F7iSGCa33j
— NWS Bay Area 🌉 (@NWSBayArea) January 20, 2024
The final series of rain bands that will begin to impact the region late Sunday night and into late Monday will bring much higher rain totals. Up to three or four inches are possible in the coastal mountains, with up to two inches expected for the North Bay and the San Francisco Peninsula.
The East Bay and South Bay should see between an inch and an inch and a half of precipitation.
The heaviest rain is expected to fall in the morning hours of Monday with rain rates approaching a third of an inch per hour in lower elevations, and potentially up to a half an inch per hour in the coastal mountains. Additionally, gusty winds are expected with the rain early Monday morning with gusts up to 25-30 mph.
Showers will be ongoing during the first half of Monday as the remnants of the last potent storm moves through the region. A brief respite from the rain is forecast for Tuesday.