‘It’s going to be bit of a mess again’: New atmospheric river storm barrels toward Bay Area, signaling yet another wet weekend

As is near-weekly Bay Area tradition in 2023 thus far, yet another heavy storm was expected to roll into the region just ahead of the weekend beginning Thursday, bringing strong winds and flooding concerns along with it according to the National Weather Service.

While some scattered and isolated showers Wednesday morning were expected to last until around 8 a.m. for most of the region, clouds were predicted to subside by the late morning and give into a sunny afternoon and evening. High temperatures around The Bay on Wednesday included 57 degrees in San Jose, 56 in Walnut Creek and 54 in Oakland and San Francisco.

Morning radar loop shows light showers moving through our area. These will move through quickly, making for a dry afternoon/evening. Widespread, heavier rain arrives tomorrow (Thurs) late morning. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/ifAwjwapwx

— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) March 8, 2023

When the sun says its goodbyes for the night Wednesday, the storm clouds were expected to roll in. In the late morning Thursday, NWS predictions showed a new atmospheric river system set to hit the entire Bay Area, lasting well into the weekend with heavy rains and wind gusts nearing 40 miles per hour.

NWS predictions showed between one and a half and three inches of rain headed to most urban parts of the Bay Area, with the lesser amounts expected in the South Bay and about two inches expected in San Francisco and northern sections of the East Bay. Rainfall could total as much as eight to 10 inches in parts of the Santa Cruz Mountains, NWS meteorologist Roger Gass said.

A NWS flood watch was set to go into effect from 1 p.m. Thursday to 10 a.m. Sunday. The agency warned that creeks and streams were expected to rise, potentially affecting low-lying and flood-prone locations. Urban flooding was possible in areas with poor drainage.

Now is the time to prepare! An atmospheric river will impact the San Francisco Bay Area & Central Coast late this week with the heaviest rainfall currently expected to occur Thursday into Friday. As such, a Flood Watch has been issued for the region. #CAwx #BayAreaWX #CArain pic.twitter.com/KW2ODCzd9X

— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) March 7, 2023

While the most substantial rainfall was expected to come down before Friday night, the flood watch extended to Sunday due to concerns with runoff, Gass said.

“The flooding may actually occur after all of the rain has fallen and the runoff really begins to push into the system,” he said.

A wind advisory was also scheduled to go into effect from 1 p.m. Thursday to 4 p.m. Friday, bringing high gusts to the region. Additional power outages should be expected as gusts push tree branches into power lines.

“With how saturated the ground is, given the wet weather we’ve had, it’s not going to take much more for more tree limbs and trees to go down, resulting in isolated and scattered power outages,” Gass said. “It’s going to be bit of a mess again.”

Those in higher elevation areas shouldn’t expect snow to fall again, however. With low temperatures remaining in the mid-to-high 40s throughout the atmospheric river, precipitation should remain liquid in the Bay Area hills, NWS forecasts said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.