Rain forecast in parts of Bay Area
Parts of the Bay Area could finally see some longawaited precipitation.
Scattered showers are expected to dampen some isolated pockets as a cold front moves through the region, National Weather Service meteorologists said.
The next several days could bring perhaps as much as a quarterinch of rain to the region.
Rain clouds hovering off the Pacific could sweep over Point Reyes and Bodega Bay, moving further inland over the North Bay and the East Bay, meteorologists said.
Windy, chilly conditions are expected to develop, starting on Saturday. Snow began falling Friday in the Sierras and at other high elevations. Snow in those locations is expected to continue into late next week.
The hills of coastal San Mateo County could also see some precipitation. Half Moon Bay saw light showers Friday morning, according to the weather service.
But for Bay Area residents desperate for a sign that wildfire season might be over, meteorologists offered little relief.
“This is a drop in the bucket,” said weather service meteorologist Roger Gass as he sought to temper expectations that fire season was at an end.
Could the expected precipitation be a harbinger of winter rains?
“Absolutely not,” Gass said. “We are anticipating below average rainfall this season. It’s a good sign to see a colder system and some rain, but this is not a sign that the storm door is open.”
Cooler temperatures in the Bay Area were likely to remain through the weekend. San Francisco
could record temperatures in the 50s, with such inland areas as Oakland and Berkeley seeing low 60s.
Even with some rain on the horizon, Gass urged the public to remain vigilant about fires. Bay Area vegetation remains at recorddry levels, with or without an early November spritzing.