Snowstorms are not the headline problem for California this week, but a string of storms is expected to bring rain, wind, snow and large waves over the next week. The first system could reach the North Bay by late Thursday night and bring a wet, slippery Friday commute across the Bay Area.
Brian Garcia, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office serving the Bay Area, said, “This is the first real rain of the season for the Bay Area, and any rain is going to cause slippery roads,” and warned people to prepare for a wet and possibly frustrating commute on Friday.
North Coast Rain Totals
The heaviest rain is likely in the North Coast, where up to six inches could fall over the next week. The San Francisco Bay Area could record up to two inches, while Los Angeles is likely to get less than an inch. The first storm will bring rain up and down California on Friday, with intermittent rain and blustery winds in the Bay Area most of the day.
The storms are expected to bring the first statewide soaking of the season, but Chad Hecht, a meteorologist at the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at the University of California, San Diego, said, “Once the storm gets down to Los Angeles, it’s on the weaker end,” a sign that the system loses strength as it moves south.
California Coast Waves
The storms will churn up the Pacific Ocean and send big waves ashore this weekend. Experts warned of dangerous conditions at beaches across California, particularly in Northern California, where an unexpectedly large wave can quickly pull a person standing on shore into turbulent waters.
Waves could reach eight to 12 feet in Los Angeles and San Diego, while some Central California beaches could see waves of 25 feet. Ocean Beach in San Francisco could see waves of more than 40 feet, and Mavericks is expected to reach 60 feet or higher.
Friday To Weekend Impacts
Garcia said winds could be strong enough to snap branches off trees that dried out after high temperatures during the summer and early fall. He also told people, “People should log into their computers and watch webcams of the beach,” and, “They should not be going down anywhere near the saltwater at all.”
The rain is expected to replenish reservoirs and rivers and soak the landscape enough to reduce the threat of wildfires, while the flooding risk is predicted to be low. For people in the Bay Area and along the coast, the practical move is simple: plan for slick roads on Friday and stay away from the water this weekend.
