Next Blast Of Rain, Wind Rolls Toward The Bay Area: Forecast

SAN FRANCISCO — Spring may have arrived, but blustery and soggy weather will envelop the Bay Area into Wednesday, with temperatures likely to run unseasonably cool for most of the week ahead.

After a sunny start to the week, the National Weather Service expects rain to roll in by Monday evening and intensify Tuesday before showers taper off mid-week. Mostly sunny days will be back in the forecast from Thursday onward.

"Another storm system will move into the San Francisco Bay Area beginning late Monday night with the greatest wind and rain impacts anticipated on Tuesday," NWS Bay Area forecasters wrote Monday. "At this time, rain impacts are forecast to be less than previous storms, yet saturated soils will result in minor urban and small stream flooding and shallow landslides/rockslides."

Forecasters expect the highest winds will gust over the Santa Cruz Mountains, East Bay Hills and Diablo Range, and areas south through the Central Coast. While potentially not as strong as last week, there will be a threat of more downed trees and scattered power outages.

A wind advisory will be in place from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday around San Francisco, the Peninsula, Northern Monterey Bay, and the East Bay and Santa Clara valleys. A high wind warning will be active over the same period across the Santa Lucia Mountains, Los Padres National Forest, the San Benito mountains, and interior Monterey County, including Pinnacles National Park.

The forecast also includes some chance for a few thunderstorms developing Tuesday morning and afternoon along the Central Coast, potentially impacting communities south and west of Santa Cruz.

Here are a few more specifics from the National Weather Service:

North Bay, SF Peninsula, East Bay, South Bay

• Widespread rainfall expected Tuesday with lingering showers into Wednesday
  • 0.50-1.25" for most urban areas.
  • 0.75-1.50" along the coastal mountains and inland hills.
• Southerly winds will increase Tuesday morning as an area of low pressure develops off of the central California coast.
  • Wind gusts of 25-40 mph for lower elevations.
  • Gusts 40-45 mph in the costal gaps, ridges and highest peaks.

Santa Cruz County

• Widespread rainfall expected Tuesday with lingering showers into Wednesday.
  • 1.00-1.50" for lower elevations• 1.50-2.25" in the mountains.
  • Marginal risk (at least 5% probability) for flash flooding Tuesday.
• Southerly winds will increase Tuesday morning as an area of low pressure develops off of the central California coast.
  • Wind gusts of 25-40 mph for lower elevations.
  • Gusts 40-50 mph in the mountains• There is a 30-50% chance of Isolated gusts greater than 50 mph.

Monterey & San Benito County

• Widespread rainfall expected Tuesday with lingering showers through much of Wednesday.
  • 0.75-1.25" for lower elevations around the bay, the Salinas Valley, and interior Mountains.
  • 1.50-3.25" along the Big Sur coast and in the Santa Lucia Range.
  • Big Sur coast is in a Slight Risk (at least 15% probability) for flash flooding Tuesday.
  • Coastal Monterey Bay is in a marginal risk (at least 5% probability) for flash flooding Tuesday.
  • There is a 10-20% chance of thunderstorms from Tuesday morning into the early afternoon.
• Southerly winds will increase Tuesday morning as an area of low pressure develops off of the central California coast.
• Wind gusts of 35-45 mph for lower elevations.
• Gusts 45-55 mph in the mountains• There is a 30-50% chance of Isolated gusts greater than 55 mph.

The rain and wind should calm by Wednesday night, with the sun returning Thursday as temperatures nudge a couple of degrees higher. Clear and calm weather should stick around through the weekend.