Rain returns to Bay Area and could stick around through Christmas

"Rain was expected to return to the Bay Area overnight Monday and could stick around through next week, potentially complicating holiday travel, according to the National Weather Service forecast office in Monterey. The North Bay will welcome the first salvo of showers, the agency said in an area forecast discussion. The wet weather will then spread south to the Peninsula by Tuesday afternoon. Showers are expected to continue into Wednesday."

"There will be a brief break in the rain before the atmosphere reloads with another system, according to the agency. The atmospheric reload' will come in the way of a low spinning up over the Pacific north of (Hawaii) and another storm system swinging into the (Pacific Northwest), forecasters said. This set up will allow for a moisture plume to take aim at the (Pacific Northwest) before sliding down the (Northern California) coast on Friday."

"The North Bay and coastal mountains could see 2 to 5 inches of rain; the rest of the Bay Area and Monterey Bay region 1 to 2 inches; and the interior Central Coast less than an inch, according to the agency. Sunday into Monday is shaping up to be the heaviest rainfall period. Meanwhile, confidence continues to increase that impactful weather will return beginning around Dec. 22 and continuing through Christmas, according to the agency."

Rain will return to the Bay Area overnight Monday and could continue through next week, complicating holiday travel. The North Bay will receive the first showers, spreading to the Peninsula by Tuesday afternoon and continuing into Wednesday. A brief break will precede another system fueled by a low north of Hawaii and a storm entering the Pacific Northwest, producing a moisture plume down the Northern California coast on Friday. North Bay and coastal mountains could receive 2 to 5 inches; the rest of the Bay Area and Monterey Bay region 1 to 2 inches. Heaviest rainfall is expected Sunday into Monday. Impactful weather is likely Dec. 22 through Christmas, affecting West Coast holiday travel.

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