Rainy Forecast Could Mean Showers for Sunday's Niners Game

By Bay City News Service

Enjoy the blue skies while you can; the Bay Area's long stretch of sunny weather will soon give way to gray clouds and rain, a National Weather Service forecaster said today.

The rain is expected to start Wednesday and could last through Sunday, when the San Francisco 49ers will host the New York Giants in the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park.

Those planning to attend the game may want to bring rain gear. "Cool with chances of showers I'd say would be the best bet right now," forecaster Bob Benjamin said of Sunday.

He said showers will begin in the North Bay on Wednesday afternoon and spread to the rest of the Bay Area later in the day and early Thursday. There are no major storms expected, but Benjamin said there will be gusty winds and periods of heavy rainfall, with possible flooding of small creeks and streams. Parts of the Bay Area could see several inches of precipitation over the next week, he said.

"We'll start our trek back toward normalcy with respect to rain for the season," he said. Benjamin said the system will also bring "decent snow" to the Sierra.

Before the rain starts, it will be chilly in the Bay Area, with a freeze warning in effect for the North Bay and urban valleys on Tuesday morning, Benjamin said.