Bay Area weather: How much rain fell last night and where storm will hit hardest next
The next round of a weekend-long slate of storms will bring soaking rain to the Bay Area on Saturday, along with the potential for thunderstorms, hail and even a small tornado in some areas.
Saturday morning provided a brief break after another storm moved through the region Friday night, dumping inches of rain in parts of the North Bay and Santa Cruz mountains, while dropping between half an inch and an inch of rain on some Bay Area cities.
The region can expect steady rainfall moving in from the north late Saturday morning that won’t let up in earnest until late Sunday.
“Everyone should get a good soaking,” National Weather Service Meteorologist Scott Rowe said.
More rain is expected today with showers lingering into Sunday morning. Here's a look at total additional rainfall today through Sunday afternoon. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/BmZhdclfs3
— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) December 7, 2019
The latest storms are prompting warnings of flooding and mud slides in Sonoma County areas recently burned in the Kincade Fire.
The North Bay mountains are forecast to receive between 1 and 3 inches of rain in Saturday’s storms, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a Flash Flood Watch for the fire’s burn zone and downstream areas. The watch is set to last from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday.
As of Saturday morning, Rowe said the weather service had not received any reports of significant damage, beyond some minor flooding and debris on roads.
Rowe said the storm system that will come on-shore Saturday is set to bring with it scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon, which could include heavy rain and small amounts of hail.
Much of San Francisco, the Peninsula and the East Bay can expect to receive between half an inch and an inch of rain, according to the National Weather Service. San Jose and the South Bay should see between a quarter-inch and a half-inch.
Forecasters are also tracking the potential for severe weather, including a tornado, in the Sacramento Valley and the North Bay.
“The chance would be very low in the North Bay, but it’s a non-zero chance,” Rowe said.
The storm that rolled through the region Friday night dropped just over 5 inches of rain in the tiny unincorporated community of Venado in Sonoma County, and nearly 3 inches in Sleepy Hollow in Marin County.
San Francisco International Airport saw just over half an inch of rain, while Richmond received about three-quarters of an inch and Mount Diablo got about one inch. The South Bay got substantially less rain — San Jose and Palo Alto each recorded less than a tenth of an inch.
Round one of the storm brought the most rain to the North Bay and coastal mountains with lesser rainfall amounts in inland areas. Round two will arrive later today with widespread rain and thunderstorms. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/h3iNbnc9Aq
— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) December 7, 2019
Flash Flood Watch has been issued for the Kincade Fire scar starting at 10 am. This means flash flooding will be possible with the potential for heavy rain. Now is the time to be prepared. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/gprcx8ynUs
— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) December 7, 2019