Get Ready! 'Potent' Storm System on Its Way to Redwood City, NWS Says

Commuters can expect wet upcoming commutes as rain and gusty winds move into the Bay Area Wednesday evening, with the heaviest rain expected Thursday morning, National Weather Service officials said.

Light rain will begin falling in the North Bay Wednesday evening and may become heavy with amounts of one to two inches possible, especially in higher elevations, according to the weather service. The storm will then make its way down towards the Peninsula.

Winds of 20 to 30 mph, with possible gusts of 45 to 50 mph at higher elevations, are also expected in the Bay Area Wednesday night through Thursday morning and could cause drought-stressed trees to fall, according to the weather service.

The agency released the following update on Wednesday afternoon:

Windy conditions will develop over the Bay Area as a potent storm system moves through the region Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Winds will be strongest over the higher elevations with local gusts up to 50 mph. These winds may cause trees and power lines to topple and make driving difficult for high profile vehicles. Persons in these areas should also consider anchoring any light outdoor objects, such as furniture.

A wind advisory is in effect from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. Thursday for the North Bay mountains, weather service officials said. The rainstorm will move south to the Monterey Bay area by later Thursday.

Weather service officials said a slight chance of thunderstorms exists Thursday afternoon and Thursday night as the air mass becomes unstable.

High surf conditions are also expected, with breaking waves exceeding 20 to 30 feet at the coast, according to weather service officials.

“One more hazard to be aware of is exceptionally large waves generated by this storm system, which are expected to begin to impact the coast Thursday evening,” NWS said. “The exceptionally large waves will be a hazard to mariners and beach goers alike with the high risk of beach visitors being washed off of the beach by a sneaker wave.”

– Bay City News Service contributed to this report. Image courtesy of the National Weather Service.