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Storm Contributes To Miserable Evening Commute

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – A potent blast of wet weather took aim at the Bay Area's evening commute, bringing with a threat of water-covered roadways, heavy downpours and gusty winds, forecasters said.

The National Weather Service said the brunt of the latest storm front should arrive in the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose area by mi-afternoon Wednesday with the full fury expected to be released starting at around 4:30 p.m.

About an inch of rain is expected with 2 or more inches predicted for the North Bay and the mountains in the region.

Along with the downpours, forecasters said, the region will be raked by high winds threatening to topple even more trees and pulled down power lines.

A high-wind advisory was issued for all Bay Area bridges. Southerly wind gusts of 40-50 mph were to be expected.

Crews throughout the region were still cleaning up and repairing the damage left behind by the powerful storms that hit the region earlier this month.

Muir Woods – a popular tourist destination – remained closed on Wednesday as crews cleaned up redwoods that toppled during the stormy onslaught.

The threat of rockslides on O'Shaughnessy Boulevard in San Francisco due to the latest storm system required San Francisco Public Works to temporarily close the road Wednesday afternoon.

Wednesday's storm is the first of three fast-moving fronts that will move through the Bay Area by early Monday morning.

Rain was expected to linger into Thursday morning with a some isolated t-storms for Thursday afternoon over the hills as the cold/unstable core of the upper low passes through.

Any additional rain will bring with it threats of minor flooding in Wine Country and also mudslides in the water-logged Santa Cruz Mountains.

The storm coming in Thursday night would be a carbon copy of the first front – quick-hitting with similar rain totals though Friday.

Skies will clear on Saturday in time for the women's march in San Francisco, but precipitation will return early Sunday morning.

Again the totals would be an inch for the lower elevations and 2-3 inches for the coastal hills.

Meanwhile, U.S. Coast Guard officials are urging Bay Area boaters and beachgoers to take caution while along the coast because of strong weather conditions forecasted through this weekend.

Cold temperatures, rain, high winds and heavy seas are expected to affect Bay Area beaches from Sonoma County all the way down to Monterey County, according to the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard strongly encourages owners of small crafts such as skiffs, kayaks and paddleboards to properly secure them and mark them with identifying information in the event they break free.

Coast Guard officials encourage boaters to always have a working VHF-FM radio and lifejackets for all passengers and to file a float plan with friends, family members or a local marina before heading out on the water.

People taking their dogs to the beach should make sure to protect them from large waves and to not try to rescue the dog if it's in a surf zone, according to the Coast Guard.

In the Sierra, the storms will dump another several feet of snow. A winter storm warning was issued of the Lake Tahoe area beginning Wednesday until Thursday afternoon for above 5,000 feet.

Accumulations of up to 17 inches were expected above 7,000 feet with snow totals of up to a foot at the 5,000 foot level.

Similar conditions were forecasted for the Friday and Sunday storms.

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