Multiple rainstorms, cold temperatures some light snowfall are in the Bay Area’s forecast over the next week, culminating in a potential atmospheric river by the middle of the week, according to the National Weather Service.
The winter weather is likely to end up producing isolated showers dropping a quarter-inch of rainfall over the next several days, according to the NWS, along with the possibility of thunderstorms that could result in as much as three-quarters of an inch.
The next storm system is likely to result in a few showers Sunday and Monday before a more potent weather system blankets the Bay Area Tuesday and Wednesday.
The potentially moderate atmospheric river could drop up to 3 inches of rain in urban areas and double that amount at higher elevations.
Updates on the Bay Area’s weather forecast can be found at weather.gov/sanfrancisco.
24 comments
Good Lord! If it isn’t an “Atmospheric River” it is an Atmospheric Drought. Stop it already with the fear mongering. When I was just a lad we called these rain storms. Try using straightforward English instead of these B.S. terms of terror.
When I was a kid they would just call it rain. Now it’s always a storm.
Its just the new term for what they used to call a Pineapple Express. Tropical moisture, drawn up in a long river-like band that then dumps larger than average amounts of rain.
They aren’t fear mongering, just trying to describe a more potent rain system.
So the rainy season might begin with a few sprinkles. This going to be epic for this time of year. We better all Shelter-in-place for an extended period of time.
I would bet that the rainfall for all the systems coming next week will be only half of what is predicted. The trajectories for the cold fronts have not followed the patterns we have seen in earlier years, with milder prefrontal south winds and post frontal north winds, and less rain. I hope I’m wrong.
Atmospheric……..River????????????
Are just making things up? I’m no meteorologist, but is this just a fancy name for something else???
Gotta create a new name to make it sound better than “wind and rain.”
The old phrase just wasn’t cool enough.
The scientific name is “zonal flow”
Created for California.
“Atmospheric river” isn’t a new term. It’s been around for at least a decade.
Our chickens are going to be miserable next week.
Way down upon de Atmospheric River,
Far, far away-hey.
Wo, dat’s where my heart is yearning ever,
Home where de old folks stay.
All up and down de whole creation,
Sadly I roam.
I’m a still a-longin’ for de old plantation,
Oh, for de old folks at home.
Rain can be confused with rein as ‘rein in’ or control an individual; and reign as in ‘reign over’ an occupied people. Both acts of aggression.
Better to use ‘atmospheric river’ which conveys it’s native origins and power over oppression…
@Russ: An atmospheric river is a long and narrow moisture plume. They deliver rain over a longer period of time over a narrower range, unlike other weather systems that might deliver rain over a wider region in a smaller period of time.
@chuckie the troll: The term atmospheric river has been in use since the early 90s, and has been accepted to define a specific class of weather pattern. The term is not a “fear mongering” word. Light, medium and strong atmospheric rivers are seen as beneficial. They can help California build up it’s snow pack, and put a lot of water back into our watersheds and reservoirs. The dangers come from an extreme or exceptional atmospheric river, which we are not projected to have.
TYVM
No, the word “river“ has an actual definition. It doesn’t matter how long they have used this BS term it doesn’t make it a real thing. It’s a fear inducing made up term for heavy rain. That’s it. It’s not all scientific or educated. It’s fear marketing propaganda just like 99% of media. For those that haven’t caught on yet…it’s how they pay their bills
“The concept of channeled surface flow, however, remains central to the definition.“
River, (ultimately from Latin ripa, “bank”), any natural stream of water that flows in a channel with defined banks . Modern usage includes rivers that are multichanneled, intermittent, or ephemeral in flow and channels that are practically bankless. The concept of channeled surface flow, however, remains central to the definition. The word stream (derived ultimately from the Indo-European root srou-) emphasizes the fact of flow; as a noun, it is synonymous with river and is often preferred in technical writing. Small natural watercourses are sometimes called rivulets, but a variety of names—including branch, brook, burn, and creek—are more common, occurring regionally to nationally in place-names. Arroyo and (dry) wash connote ephemeral streams or their resultant channels. Tiny streams or channels are referred to as rills or runnels.
https://www.britannica.com/science/river
I hear the murder hornets are on the way back and they are pissed
I prefer the Russian River.
Fake News….
It’s real and its called SCIENCE!!! Its an actual thing.
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/147822/potent-atmospheric-rivers-douse-the-pacific-northwest
it isn’t science just because some crack pots says it
Weather people must be so bored. They go so excited every time it rains and they have to come up with new exciting terms each year. They are like the PR department for Mother Nature
“Atmospheric river”
what won’t the left make up!
heck cut to the chase, “the sky is falling, the sky is falling, AAHHHH!”
bwahahahahahaha…………
I like “Marine Layer” insteda fog.
Marine layer and fog are not synonyms . A marine layer is a specific kind of air mass that can forms over an ocean or lake, when a cool body of water cools warm air. Fog can form in a marine layer if conditions allow, but fog is not a marine layer, and a marine layer is not fog.
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