The National Weather Service forecasts showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and into the evening in the Bay Area, producing as much as a quarter inch of rain.
The Bay Area and the Central Coast have been placed under a flood watch by the Weather Service, with rises in local creeks, streams and rivers possible, as well as ponding on roads and highways in urban areas. The rainfall could also result in mudslides, downed trees and power outages.A large, fast-moving, atmospheric river moved in from the Pacific Ocean earlier this week, dragging tropical moisture from around Hawaii. Rain showers are expected to last through the week, from the North Bay all the way down to Southern California.
The day before the storms and rainfall arrived, the City of Oakland opened two emergency temporary shelters at Jack London Square and in East Oakland to accommodate members of the local homeless community.
