Rain returns to Bay Area after nearly a month

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The Bay Area is seeing its first rainfall in weeks as a low-pressure system moves into the region, bringing scattered showers through Thursday. While the rain is expected to be relatively light, with San Francisco receiving around 0.25 inch, coastal areas in the North Bay could see up to 0.75 inch. The changing weather pattern is also expected to bring some much-needed snow to the Sierra Nevada, where the snowpack is currently at 30% of normal.

Why it matters

The return of rain is a welcome sight for the Bay Area, which has been experiencing record-breaking heat and dry weather due to a high-pressure system. The additional moisture will help replenish the region's water supplies and provide relief from the recent warm and dry conditions.

The details

According to Roger Gass, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, the rainfall is being brought in by a low-pressure system that is moving into the Pacific Northwest. The showers are expected to be scattered, with the best chances of rain this afternoon and again tomorrow as another system moves in. Coastal areas in the North Bay are likely to see the most rain, with 0.5 to 0.75 inch expected, while Oakland could see between 0.25 and 0.5 inch through Thursday.

• The rain is expected to continue through Thursday.
• The Sierra Nevada could see 4 to 8 inches of snow over 6,000 feet elevation, with increased snow totals at higher elevations through Wednesday evening.
• Mono County above 8,000 feet elevation could see 6 to 12 inches of snow through early Wednesday morning.

What they’re saying

What’s next

After this system passes, hot and warm weather is expected to return to the Bay Area for the weekend, though not the record-breaking heat from earlier in March. And after these showers, there is no sign of wet weather returning in the forecast.