Residents of the Bay Area are gearing up for a significant deluge this weekend as the National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts a powerful storm system to sweep across the California coast, accompanied by heavy rain and strong winds.
The NWS Bay Area forecast cautions of “increasingly heavy rain” and “strong and gusty southerly winds” expected from late Saturday night through Sunday.
Flood Watch advisories are already in effect from late Saturday afternoon through Monday morning, with the potential for significant rises in streams and rivers.
The winds are anticipated to escalate to potentially hazardous levels, reaching around 50 mph within Wind Advisory zones, and exceeding 60 mph in areas under Wind Warning alerts, intensifying as the storm approaches.
According to an NWS Forecast Office release, there is significant concern that the impacts of the wind could be as severe as the rain, posing heightened risks to the Southern counties of the NWS coverage area and other locales.
A High Wind Warning is in effect from the early hours until late Sunday night.
The Area Forecast Discussion by the National Weather Service San Francisco CA indicates that while scattered showers are expected to persist on Saturday, the arrival of the powerful storm system during the night will usher in intensified rain and wind.
This storm is predicted to focus more on the Central Coast, with areas like Big Sur and the Santa Lucias expected to receive the highest rainfall amounts, estimated between 5 to 7 inches.
Rainfall projections for Saturday evening through Monday morning show variability across the region, with the Santa Clara Valley and interior East Bay anticipating 1 to 2 inches of rainfall, while the higher elevations, particularly along the Big Sur Coast, could experience up to or above 7 inches at the highest peaks.
Showery conditions are likely to persist into the following work week but are not expected to be as severe, providing some relief after the storm passes, as highlighted in the provided NWS forecast discussion.
