SAN FRANCISCO — A powerful atmospheric river is forecast to affect much of the West Coast, including the Bay Area, over the weekend.
Washington to Northern California will be at risk of heavy rain and flooding, with the highest chance of heavy precipitation over Northern California and Southern Oregon, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center reported late last week.
Heavy snow is expected in the Cascades, northern Sierra Nevada and northern Rockies, while high elevation areas of Del Norte and the King Range could get up to 6 inches of rain, forecasts said.
An atmospheric river is forecast to affect much of the West Coast over the weekend. (National Weather Service)
“For our area, it’s going to be a more beneficial system,” said meteorologist Rachel Kennedy of the National Weather Service.
The North Bay is expected to see as much as three-quarters of an inch, with the rest of the region likely to get closer to a quarter-inch, she said.
Most of the accumulation will happen Friday night into early Saturday, followed by lighter rain through the weekend, tapering off Sunday and Monday, according to Kennedy.
While there may be nuisance flooding, the rain is not expected to affect rivers, Kennedy said, adding drivers should leave extra time to reach their destinations and slow down on slick roads over the weekend.
“Now’s the time to clean out your gutters,” she said. “If you have any outdoor objects, now would be a good time to secure them.”