Overnight Showers Across Bay Area; Sunday Night Atmospheric River Shifts To Northwest

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A rapidly moving cold front triggered showers across the San Francisco Bay Area early Thursday.

While the rain provided further relief from the extreme drought conditions, a more potent weekend atmospheric river has shifted its path, missing Northern California and heading toward the Northwest.

"Rainfall amounts have been pretty decent over the North Bay with a few hundredths to a few tenths," the National Weather Service said. "Highest amounts have over the coastal mountains like Mt Tam which is approaching three quarters of an inch."

"The morning commute will not be a total washout," weather service forecasters said. "Some wet roads will be possible. Shower activity will have ended by Thursday afternoon."

Initially, forecasters believed a Category 1 atmospheric river would roll into the Bay Area Sunday night, bringing more intense rainfall.

By Thursday morning, forecasters were rolling back on that prediction as the potent moisture plume out in the Pacific began tracking northward.

"The latest atmospheric river guidance has backed off on potential for Monday and Tuesday," forecasters said. "It now looks like California still gets a moisture push, but the stronger push previously advertised has shifted north. Deterministic models have also backed off on precipitation on Monday/Tuesday."

Meanwhile, federal drought officials released their latest weekly update Thursday morning showing improvements in the parched conditions in the Bay Area.

Mendocino, Sonoma, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties were all in extreme conditions.

While Napa, Contra Costa and Napa counties remain locked in exceptional drought conditions.