10+ inches of Rain by March 8th? Possible.

If you’ve been enjoying the sunny break, you’re not alone. But evolving forecast trends hint that more storms are headed to Sonoma County and the North Bay.

Today’s enhanced satellite view shows a storm diving down to the east of us.  And also an ominous looking blob far out to the west.

Most forecasts were showing a ridge of high pressure building in around this time…and giving us a week of sunny weather.  But now that’s changed, and the models are in decent agreement that after a couple of cold but fairly dry storms from the north arriving over the next few days, moisture will begin to stream into Northern California from the west by Sunday….and really pick up by the middle of next week.

The storms will be slipping under the high pressure ridge, which has parked itself up near Alaska.  Here’s a look at next Wednesday.

And a bigger storm possible for next Friday, March 1st.

To be sure, until the middle of next week, we will have breaks of sun, some showers at times, and cool pleasant weather.  But by next Wednesday, a new storm cycle will likely kick in that will bring lots of rain and snow to California through the first week of March.

How much?  Here’s one long range outlook for the next two weeks….more than 10 inches for Santa Rosa!  And upwards of 15 inches in the wetter parts of Sonoma County. And most of that falling after next Wednesday.