Bay Area weather: Fri-Mon rain/t-storms/winds/fire risk, prior cooling, warming to 80s-90s holiday, El Niño megaflood risks
Key Questions
What weather is expected in the Bay Area from Thursday to Sunday?
Rain of 0.25-0.75 inches or more, possible thunderstorms, hail, gusty winds, ponding on roads, and slick conditions are forecast across North/South/East Bay, Peninsula, SF, and Santa Cruz. Gusts up to 15-30+ mph could impact bridges and Hwy 17 with flash flood risks.
How does El Niño affect flood risks in California?
The strongest El Niño in a century has doubled the odds of intense floods, raising risks of an ARkStorm megaflood in CA and the Bay Area. Prepare for potential biblical-scale flooding.
What is the weather outlook before and after the rain?
Prior cooling with fog and drizzle brought temperatures to the 60s-70s on Monday. Warming follows with San Jose reaching 77°F Thursday, 85-86°F weekend, and 80s-90s inland for Easter.
Are there fire risks during this weather event?
Gusts of 15-30+ mph in North Bay and bridges pose fire risks Thursday-Friday, despite incoming rain. AQI remains good overall.
How much snow is expected in the Sierra?
The Sierra Nevada could see about 10 inches of snow, helping reduce drought levels to 18%. This comes with the cold front bringing rain to the Bay Area.
What impacts might thunderstorms have?
Thunderstorms in North/South/East Bay, Peninsula, SF, and Santa Cruz could bring hail, gusts, ponding, and flash floods, affecting roads, bridges, BART, and Hwy 17. A drastic change from recent warm, dry conditions.
When does the warming trend resume?
After Thu-Sun rain, high pressure brings sunny, warm weather with clear skies. Inland areas will hit 80s-90s for the holiday weekend.
Is drought improving with this storm?
Sierra snow of 10 inches contributes to drought reduction at 18%. The rain event helps replenish water supplies across the region.
Fri-Mon First Alert rain/storms 0.25-1in+ t-storms (hail/gusts/ponding roads/bridges/BART/Hwy17/flash floods); El Niño doubled odds ARkStorm; gusts 15-30+ mph Thu-Fri bridges/fire; warming 80s-90s inland Easter; AQI good, Sierra snow 18% drought.