Galoshes Out! Two Storms Barrel Down On Bay Area

El Niño has no intention of releasing its stranglehold on the Bay Area anytime soon.

A new cluster of two storms - the most intense one hitting Friday night/Saturday morning - could bring upwards of six inches of rain in isolated mountain areas, according to the National Weather Service.

The rains are expected to begin Thursday evening, taper a bit Friday, then intensify with a second storm surge Friday night extending into Saturday.

The North Bay is expected to pick up another 1.5” - 2.5” of rain. Coastal mountain areas may see 2” - 4” by the end of the deluge.

According to the NWS, most of the rest of the Bay Area can expect .75” - 1.25” of rain.

Weather officials tweeted today that high tides will also be a concern along the coast:

Embed courtesy National Weather Service

So far this El Niño winter, the cities of San Jose and San Francisco areas are running just slightly ahead of their normal seasonal rainfall totals, while Santa Rosa is slightly behind. Normally, Santa Rosa has 18.90” of rain by now. This year, 18.37” have been measured.

AAA Northern California is advising drivers to prepare their vehicles to help prevent crashes and accidents during the rainy weather.

AAA officials suggest you:

• check all systems within the car
• inspect tires for pressure and balding
• adjust your speed based on the weather
• recognize hydroplaning hazards.

AAA officials said even a small amount of water on the road can cause a vehicle to hydroplane. Some other ways of improving safe winter driving include keeping windows and windshields clear, carrying an emergency kit, increasing the distance between vehicles on roadways and steering clear of collisions, according to AAA.

-Bay City News contributed to this report, image via NWS Bay Area