Rain Hits North Bay, Causes Traffic Accidents

Skies have turned gray over the Bay Area, and rainfall is expected for the next few days as a storm system from the Gulf of Alaska passes through the region, a National Weather Service forecaster said Monday.

"The Bay Area might see some light rain and maybe a few splashes of moderate rain throughout the day and into this evening," forecaster Diana Henderson said.

The North Bay will see the most rainfall today, and another system is expected to arrive Tuesday evening. By Wednesday evening, some parts of the Bay Area will see about half an inch of rain, with slightly more in the hills and in coastal areas, she said.

Henderson pointed out that motorists should slow down, since this is the region's first rain in a while and the roadways will be slick.

"They haven't really had any rain or anything to bring up the muck on the roads," Henderson said.

California Highway Patrol Officer Kevin Bartlett echoed Henderson's advice.

"Drive under the speed limit," he said. "Just because the speed limit is 65 or 25, it doesn't mean it's safe to drive that speed."

CHP reported 30 vehicle collisions Monday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. — most of which happened in a Rohnert Park crash. 

"The majority of these collisions will likely be attributed to to unsafe speed for the wet road conditions," police said.

Steve Anderson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the rain is about a month earlier than normal.

"The rain is about four weeks early this year," Anderson said. "The first winter storms normally come at the end of October."

Last year, Rohnert Park got 41 inches of rain, according to Anderson, and the total for last October was 5.14 inches.

-Bay City news.

Your seven-day forecast for Rohnert Park from the National Weather Service:

Late Afternoon: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a steady temperature around 65. Calm wind.

Tonight: A 50 percent chance of showers, mainly before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. Calm wind.

Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 70. Calm wind becoming west southwest between 11 and 14 mph. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph.

Tuesday Night: Rain. Low around 52. South southeast wind 7 to 10 mph becoming south southeast between 15 and 18 mph. Winds could gust as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Wednesday: Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 11am. High near 67. West wind between 11 and 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Wednesday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 11pm, then a chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 69.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 44.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 73.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 46.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 75.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 52.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 77.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 52.

Columbus Day: Sunny, with a high near 80.