Rain returns to the North Bay

Rain arrived early Wednesday a little ahead of schedule - the front end of two storms expected to drop as much as two inches of rain in the North Bay valleys.

The two storms aren't anything special. There shouldn't be any torrential downpours, no frightening wind gusts, no freezing temperatures.

But they'll bring rain. And during this drought year that is something special.

"Unfortunately it won't make a huge dent in the drought" but anything helps, said Austin Cross, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Monterey.

Wednesday's storm should get better as the day goes on, picking up to steady rainfall in the afternoon.

Santa Rosa could see about 3/4-of-an-inch of rain with heavier rain in the usual spots including the western hills of Sonoma County, said Cross.

Gusts could be as strong as 30 mph and afternoon temperatures were expected to be in the 50s, said Cross.

Today's storm will trail off Thursday, leaving behind perhaps a few stray showers.

Then before dawn Friday the next storm is due.

"It should start before people get up and be stronger as people are commuting," Cross said.

Rain should fall throughout Friday and then taper off Saturday.

While the North Bay tends to hog many of the region's storms, Friday's should focus more on the South Bay and Santa Cruz area where the hills were expecting 2-4 inches from that storm alone.

Weather pictures show dry skies Sunday through Tuesday.

Rain could return by the middle of next week.

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