Light Showers, Possible Hail Expected in Bay Area Through Weekend

By Bay City News Service: 

Bay Area residents should expect rainy weather to arrive Thursday night and continue through the weekend, bringing with it colder temperatures, according to a National Weather Service forecaster.

Light showers are expected to fall onto the region after sunset Thursday as a weather system moves in from the north. The North Bay may get rain sooner, according to forecaster Bob Benjamin.

Through Sunday, there are anticipated periods of light rain accumulating to about .25 inches of precipitation in San Francisco and up to a half-inch in higher elevation areas, Benjamin said.

"This rain is not going to be real ominous," he said.

With the temperature dropping, there is the possibility of hail and thunderstorms Friday. Saturday will see light showers, he said.

A "second surge" of light rain will return Sunday, mostly affecting the coast, Benjamin said.

"It's not a huge amount by any means," he said.

He called Sunday's rainfall a "nuisance rain."

The end of this week and weekend will be colder with temperatures only reaching the upper 50s on the coast and the lower 60s inland.

Starting Monday, it will warm up with inland regions expected to break 80 degrees on Tuesday, he said.

Benjamin advised anyone heading to the Sierras on Friday to be prepared for snow and cold temperatures.