Pacific storm brings 6 inches of rain to Mount Tam
A robust winter storm brought 6 inches of rain and isolated lightning to Marin this week.
Rick Canepa, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the subtropical system, which lingered over Marin between Monday and Tuesday, was the product of water-vapor-rich warm air meeting colder air coming down from higher latitudes.
And it’s not over yet, with more rain expected Thursday and continuing into the weekend.
“Both storms are mostly along the same line of air mass characteristics. It is possible we could see some lightning returning to the Bay Area, but we will be watching that closer we get to that time frame,” he said.
Marin saw about 3 inches of rain at lower elevations and nearly twice that on Mount Tamalpais, said Summer Oudit, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
Rain totals included 3.4 inches at Lagunitas Creek, 3 inches in San Rafael, 6 inches on Mount Tamalpais, 3.7 inches in Mill Valley and 2 inches in Novato, she said.
Oudit said there would likely be up to 3 inches of rain on the way between late Thursday and Sunday morning. Daytime highs are expected to be in the low 60s, dropping down to the upper 50s overnight. Wind gusts could reach between 30 and 40 miles per hour, she said.
A high surf advisory is in effect until 9 a.m. Wednesday. Just days before, king tides brought flooding to the county’s coastlines. The events were independent of each other, Canepa said.
Some lightning strikes recorded during the storm in West Marin, he said, but added “they were isolated at best.”
Ahead of the coming storm, Battalion Chief Doug Paterson of the Southern Marin Fire Protection District said county residents should ensure gutters are clean and pumps are working correctly. Those in flood-prone areas should secure sand bags, he said.
“Pre-charge or make sure you have batteries for flashlights,” he said. “If you use a generator, check the fuel level and do not operate it inside your home or next to the exterior of your home.”
Marin reservoirs, which include Alpine, Bon Tempe, Kent, Lagunitas, Nicasio, Phoenix and Soulajule, had a total capacity of 53,469 acre feet, or 67.20% as of Monday, according to Marin Municipal Water District.
The storage level for this date last year was 68,089 acre feet, or 85.58%. The current storage is 90.92% of the average storage for this date.
The current rainfall for the year is 12.47 inches, which is about 70.61% of the average rainfall of 17.66 inches for this date, the agency said.