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An atmospheric river is traversing the Bay Area on Wednesday, bringing the potential for localized flooding, mudslides, and downed trees and power lines.
The relatively fast-moving system is dragging moisture up from the tropical Pacific Ocean region around Hawaii and is expected to dump nearly 3 to 5 inches of rain on the most impacted areas in the North Bay, according to the National Weather Service.
The rest of the region could see rain totals from between just under an inch to maybe 3 inches and while a flood watch is in effect for the entire bay area and central coast, the storm’s pace should be helpful.
“It’s moving through fairly quickly, which is kind of a saving grace in terms of flooding,” said weather service meteorologist Dalton Behringer. “The rain is going to come to an end tonight across much of the area, then we’re dealing with scattered, lighter showers tomorrow and into the weekend.”
Along with the rain, high wind warnings and advisories are in place for much of the region, with sustained winds of up to 40 mph expected along the coast and ridgetops and gusts of up to 70 mph in higher elevations.
The next storm system is expected to hit the Bay Area on Sunday, which could lead to significant impacts, given the region’s already swollen waterways and saturated soils, Behringer said.
“It could be a little more impactful than this current one,” he said.
