3 Storms Take Aim At NorCal: Timeline

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — March is shaping up to be a wet month for Northern California as the region is in for possibly three separate rain events over the next 10 days.

The first rain is set to arrive on Tuesday, before a stronger system hits the region later in the week and another system arrives on Sunday, potentially carrying into the following week, according to the National Weather Service.

Temperatures this week are expected to remain cool, with the low hovering around 50 degrees on Tuesday night and around the mid 40s for the rest of the week in San Francisco.

Light, mostly coastal rain is expected to begin early Tuesday morning and continue through the afternoon, tapering off by evening with less than a tenth of an inch of rain expected in cities like San Francisco, Santa Cruz, San Rafael and Sonoma.

With the second storm, most urban areas, including San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, could get up to half an inch of rainfall, while coastal and higher-elevation areas could see higher amounts Wednesday and much of Thursday, weather officials said.

As of the current forecast, here's how much rain is expected this week, according to the NWS:

• 0.10 to 0.30" for the interior North Bay.
• 0.30" 0.55" for the Bay Area.
• 0.55" to 1.00" for the San Mateo Coast and the southern Santa Clara Valley as well as Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties.
• 1.00" to 1.20" for the Santa Cruz Mtns.
• 1.20" to 1.75" for the Santa Lucias and Big Sur.

Gusty winds could accompany the storm midweek, with wind speeds reaching 20 to 30 mph in some locations, especially in the higher elevations of the North Bay and Santa Cruz Mountains, the NWS said.

Although the storm is not expected to spur widespread hazards, forecasters warn that the combination of rain and wind could create slick road conditions and "very minimal" flooding in low-lying areas. Drivers are urged to slow down and expect potential delays during peak morning and evening traffic hours.

The most "intense" rain is expected to hit Wednesday, bringing an opportunity for snow to mountainous areas.

The NWS also issued a Winter Weather Advisory for parts of Central and Northern California, where 3 to 7 inches of snow could accumulate in areas with 5,000 to 6,000 feet of elevation. That advisory will be in effect from 4 a.m. Wednesday to 4 p.m. Thursday.

"But we're not done with rain yet," forecasters said on Tuesday as more rain is expected Sunday, with the wet pattern continuing into the next work week, forecasters said.

"Some of the extended forecast guidance shows signs that next week's rains could be more impactful than what we're seeing and will see for this week. But there is still some ironing-out needed to be done when a forecast gets that far into the extended," weather officials wrote.

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