Major Storms Barrel Toward NorCal This Week

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Fall is here, and with it comes the first major storm of the season this week, according to the National Weather Service.

The wet front was located about 300 miles west of Bodega Bay and headed for Northern California on Monday morning, with dark clouds beginning to knit together, weather experts said. After this past week's "drying trend," forecasters say wet weather will return in force beginning late Monday into Tuesday.

Rain is expected across the Bay Area, particularly in the North Bay.

This week's first storm will likely bring rain totals that vary from city to city.

"Although the rain probably won’t be enough to completely end fire season in most places, it should moisten vegetation considerably and lower fire risk significantly, especially in the Coastal Ranges and northern Sierra," wrote Anthony Edwards, a newsroom meteorologist for the San Francisco Chronicle.

The system is expected to bring widespread light to moderate rainfall, with the heaviest totals expected across the North Bay hills. Gusty southerly winds are also anticipated along the coast and higher terrain, the National Weather Service said.

"This calmer weather won't last long as a second cold front arrives Wednesday, forecasters wrote Monday morning. This system looks a little more robust than the Monday system."

By midweek, showers are expected to continue with cooler-than-average temperatures and possible thunderstorms. The storm is forecast to taper by Thursday, but unsettled conditions could persist into the weekend as another low-pressure system approaches.

The storm is expected to bring a half inch of rain to the North Bay and between a few hundredths to a quarter-inch for the rest of the Bay Area.

Motorists are urged to plan for slick roads and reduced visibility during commutes, while residents in flood-prone areas should be prepared for potential localized flooding.

The rain is expected to taper off by Thursday, trading dark skies for sunshine.

Here's what's forecast across several Bay Area cities on Tuesday, according to the NWS:

San Francisco: A 10 percent chance of rain before 11 a.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 71. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Berkeley: A 10 percent chance of rain before 11 a.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 68. Southwest wind 3 to 7 mph.

San Rafael: A 10 percent chance of rain before 11am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 76. A 40 percent chance of rain after 11 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. Southwest wind around 6 mph, becoming calm in the evening. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch are possible.

Pleasanton: Mostly sunny, with a high near 76. Calm wind becoming west southwest around 6 mph in the afternoon. A 30 percent chance of rain arrives Wednesday.

Healdsburg: A 20 percent chance of rain. Patchy fog before 8 a.m. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 71. Calm wind becoming south southwest 5 to 7 mph in the morning.