El Niño Storms Hitting Bay Area This Week; Commute Hassles Predicted
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The next in a series of strong Pacific storm systems was slated to hit the Bay Area Monday evening, part of the first wave of expected El Niño storms.
The first of three storms began Monday morning; by Thursday night the Bay Area could see up to a total of five inches of rain in wettest locations, according to KPIX 5 weather anchor Roberta Gonzales.
After Monday morning's light-to-moderate rain, cloudy skies were expected in the afternoon ahead of the second storm Monday night through Tuesday morning, said Gonzales.
The third storm was expected to bring the heaviest rain of all three storms and should impact the Tuesday morning commute, said Gonzales.
More rainfall was expected to occur during the peak morning commute hours on Wednesday as well. People should expect delays and possible flooding in areas with poor drainage, according to National Weather Service forecaster Bob Benjamin.
He said the storms appear to signal the start of El Nino conditions, described by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as unusually warm equatorial sea temperatures across the Pacific Ocean.
"The previous systems we saw had a lot of cold air, with temperatures at freezing or near freezing. In this system, we'll see the temperatures remain about the same through the day and night with the clouds remaining low," Benjamin said.
Passengers at San Francisco International Airport can expect some flight delays as a ground delay program was put into effect this morning, SFO spokesman Doug Yakel said.
Ground delay programs, which reduce the flow of aircraft into the airport, are often triggered by weather conditions such as rain or heavy fog at SFO, Yakel said.
Passengers are encouraged to check with their airlines prior to arriving at the airport for any delays or updated information regarding their flights.
Should any passengers be stranded overnight, Yakel said the airport is equipped with blankets and pillows and will work with restaurants within the airport to stay open later to accommodate passenger needs.
TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Bay City News Service contributed to this report.
