Overview
The second in a series of Pacific Storms will bring rainfall to the Bay Area this week. Rain will begin Tuesday morning and wet weather will continue through Thursday. This storm system will bring locally heavy rain, isolated thunderstorms and stronger winds. |
CONFIDENCE
· Moderate-high
confidence
UPDATED
INFORMATION
· Initial
briefing for this storm.
TIMING
- Rain begins Tuesday morning
by daybreak and continues through Thursday. The heaviest rain will be
Tuesday and Wednesday.
- Southerly winds increase
Tuesday morning. The strongest winds will be Wednesday afternoon.
LOCATIONS
OF GREATEST IMPACTS
· Rainfall
totals with this storm:
o Urban
locations: 1 - 2 inches
o Coastal
mountains: 2 - 4 inches. Up to 5 inches possible in the Santa Cruz and Santa
Lucia Mountains.
· Strongest
winds: coastal areas and higher elevations
· Minor
flooding: low lying, poorly drained, and urban areas, small creeks.
· Debris
flow: Pfieffer Burn Scar in Big Sur. Other minor debris flows and rock slides
possible.
IMPACTS
*
Hazards:
* Impact 1 (Minor Flooding) :
· The ground is not yet
saturated this season, so flooding concerns will mainly be confined to
low-lying and poorly drained areas, especially in urban areas, and some minor
flooding of small streams.
· Large rivers are not
expected to have flooding concerns.
· Clogged storm drains
will worsen localized urban and street flooding.
· Flooding may be more
likely near the coast during high tides.
* Impact 2 (Strong Winds):
· Wind gusts may bring
down trees and potentially power lines, especially in the hills and near the
coast where winds will be strongest.
· Coastal winds 25 to
35 mph with gusts to 40 mph expected Tuesday and Wednesday. Similar winds
in the hills over 1500 feet elevation.
*
Impact 3 (Moderate-Heavy Rainfall ):
· Wet roadways,
especially for the Tuesday morning commute.
· Isolated
thunderstorms possible along the coast Tuesday and Wednesday. Small hail will
be possible in any thunderstorms that develop.
*Impact
4 (Drought Conditions):
· This
upcoming rainfall will beneficial to our area and while it may provide some
short term benefits, it is only just a step in the right direction.
California's present drought has evolved over several years’ worth of rainfall
deficits, and one storm will not completely end the significant impacts across
the state.
· It
will still be important for Californians to conserve water and heed the advice
of statewide water management agencies, despite any short term improvements
that are observed. It will take several more storms in the next few months to
make a significant or long-lasting improvement to California's drought
conditions.
NWS will continue to
provide email updates if the forecast changes.
