Thunderstorms, rain to hit Bay Area early next week

While this weekend’s weather was warm and sunny, Bay Area residents might need to pull out their umbrellas and raincoats by the start of the work week.

Thunderstorms and rain showers are forecasted to make their through the region early next week, according to the National Weather Service.

A storm system off the central coast will bring in the unstable weather early Monday morning through Tuesday evening after it pulls in moisture from the southeast, Matt Mehle, a forecaster with NWS said.

Rain showers are expected to fall across the Bay Area, while thunderstorms are more likely in the North Bay near Sonoma and Napa, and farther south in Monterey and San Benito counties. But the weather service said the thunder could still reach the South Bay, East Bay or peninsula depending on how the system progresses.

Thunderstorms are unlikely this time of year, Mehle said, but not totally rare.

“It’s a little more on the unusual – is it unheard of? No. But we do get some showers and thunderstorms in May and June, so it’s not completely out of the question for this to happen this time of year,” Mehle said. “But it’s more on the unusual side from a climatological side.”

Temperatures aren’t going to drop too low during the storm. San Jose’s high of 85 degrees on Sunday will dip to 78 degrees by Monday and 74 degrees by Tuesday. In Oakland, the high on Monday and Tuesday is expected to be 68 degrees, compared to Sunday’s 72 degree high.

The rainfall could cause slick roadways and travel delays, and forecasters said drivers should proceed with caution during their morning commute.