A WET AND WILD END TO MARCH

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The end of March will be a tale of two storms, each dropping moderate amounts of rain across the North Bay and keeping the hills a vibrant green well into April. And there are signs that cool weather at least may continue into early April.

The incoming storm is clearly visible on satellite.

This first storm should arrive Wednesday around 7-9AM with rain and showers lasting into early Thursday. Rainfall should be light to moderate with this first storm, around a third to a half inch for the North Bay, with up to an inch in the hills.

There will be a quick transition between the end of showers from the Wednesday-Thursday storm and the arrival of the Friday storm. Depending on its track it should pack more of a punch that the first system, dropping generally one inch of rain with up to 2 inches possible in the hills of the North Bay. This storm will have strong dynamics, which means the chance of thunderstorms Friday afternoon into midday Saturday. Showers should continue into early Sunday.

One wild card will be the track of the system. The trend has been south, with lots of rain for Southern California. We’ll have to keep an eye on that as the forecast evolves.

Here is its forecast arrival in the North Bay Friday morning, and expected additional rain bringing the two storm total to 1-2 inches with heavier amounts in the hills.

Projected two-storm total rain by early Sunday.

There may be a period of strong winds as the center of the low pressure system passes just off the coast on Friday. Wind advisories may be issued by the NWS in the coming days.

After Sunday we will see a drying trend which may last into the first week of April. Long range models don’t suggest any big storms at this point, but they do hint at a return of low pressure to the West along with cooler than average temperatures into the 2nd week of April.