Hope you enjoyed Thursday's relatively clear skies because the next onslaught of wind and rain hits the San Francisco Bay Area this evening and is expected to worsen Friday.
The flash flood watches go into effect at 7 p.m. for the coastal North Bay and mountainous areas, parts of the Monterey Bay area, the Peninsula and Santa Cruz Mountains. That's where several inches of rain is expected to fall, according to the National Weather Service.
"Greater Sonoma/Napa County areas should get hit pretty hard--particularly Napa and Petaluma area creeks," the NWS posted on its Facebook page, which is a consistent source of storm updates.
A high wind advisory starts at 8 a.m. Friday. Wind gust will be enough to blow down trees and power lines, problems that many areas have already experienced this week. Old La Honda Road in Woodside was closed for more than an hour Thursday when a tree fell across it and, Wednesday, hundreds of Pacifica residents lost power.
Gusts Friday could reach 60 mph. The wind advisory is in effect until 7 a.m. Monday.
A high surf advisory along the Bay Area coast will also be issued at 9 a.m. Friday and continue through 4 a.m. Saturday. Swells are anticipated to reach up to 16 feet, and local beaches may experience rip currents and erosion from the strong waves and surf.
A high wind advisory was issued for the Gold Gate Bridge at 1:10 p.m. Thursday. The California Highway Patrol advised motorists use caution while crossing the span.
Stormy weather will last through the weekend. The rain will let up Monday, but more wet weather is expected Tuesday.
—Bay City News contributed to the report.
