Region not likely to get wet from passing storms
The monsoonal moisture flowing into Northern California from the coast of Mexico this week could bring a chance of wet and dry thunderstorms to the area starting Wednesday, meteorologists said.
The storm activity appeared to be headed toward the Central Valley and the Sierra, according to the National Weather Service. Isolated showers, thunderstorms and some lightning were expected Wednesday through Friday in those areas, weather officials said.
San Benito and inland Monterey counties were predicted to receive about 1 inch of rain Wednesday, weather officials said.
But in the Bay Area, meteorologists say chances for rain and dry thunderstorms were slim.
“The Bay Area itself won’t get a whole lot from this,” said the weather service’s Sarah McCorkle.
McCorkle said areas like the East and North Bay could see remnants of the monsoonal moisture starting Wednesday evening into Thursday.
“It won’t be a lot of rain. If we do get some, it might wet the ground but it won’t be a lot,” she said.
In some places the event could line up with a heat wave, triggering concerns for lightningsparked wildfires in regions that have seen historically low rainfall this year. Communities in the East Bay, San Joaquin Valley and Santa Cruz Mountains saw temperatures in the triple digits Tuesday.
Some forecasts show the system clipping the South Bay and the Santa Cruz Mountains, but predicting where and when thunder and lightning could hit is notoriously finicky.
Still, McCorkle urged people to continue tracking the forecast as lightning can lead to wildfires. Nearly two years ago, similar conditions coalesced and ignited the CZU August Lightning Complex fire, which destroyed more than 900 homes in Santa Cruz County.
It’s important that people are “just staying aware and having your fire plan ready,” she said.
The weather service urged people to keep vehicles off of dry grass, avoid using outdoor equipment that could create sparks, properly dispose of cigarettes and matches and avoid dragging tow chains.