Marin to get high waves, wet start to the weekend
After a rainy start to the week, Marin County will get hazardous surf and an even wetter weekend.
A weather system moved through the area late Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing big swells, high winds and about a half inch to an inch of rain, according to the National Weather Service.
A high surf warning is in effect through 3 a.m. Friday. Waves are expected to peak at 25 to 30 feet as they reach the beach.
“It will actually be a pretty nice day aside from the surf,” said Dylan Flynn, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said about the Thursday forecast. “That’s the most significant coastal warning that the National Weather Service issues.”
Winds on Wednesday averaged 30 miles per hour with 50 mile-per-hour gusts, prompting a wind advisory until late in the afternoon, according to Flynn.
Another system bringing rain is on the way. “That was round one, but round two comes Friday,” Flynn said.
Marin is expected to get between 2 and 3 inches of rain beginning midday on Friday. While the storm is not expected to be as windy as the first system, temperatures will be a bit warmer than average for winter in Marin.
“All the wind is coming from the south, that’s bringing some tropical temps,” Flynn said.
Marin is predicted to have lows in the mid-50s, which is nearly 10 degrees above the average for this time of year. The highs will remain around the average, with temperatures in the middle to upper 50s.
When the rain stops on Saturday, temperatures are expected to return to normal by New Year’s Eve, with most of the county having lows in the mid-40s and highs in the upper 50s.
There is a slight chance for showers overnight, with around a tenth of an inch of rain, according to Flynn.
“This will be kind of run-of-the-mill rain for this time of year,” he said.
Mark Deutschendorf, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Reno, said the Sierra had light rain showers on Wednesday. A mix of rain and snow is predicted in the Lake Tahoe area on Friday night into Saturday, with some areas getting up to 4 inches of snow. Deutschendorf said the higher passes might get up to a foot of snow Friday night into Saturday.
The area is expected to have low temperatures around 30 degrees and highs around 50 degrees on Thursday and Friday. Cooler temperatures are expected on Saturday, with lows around 25 degrees and highs around 40 degrees.