Showers expected through Thursday in Sonoma County

Don’t put the umbrellas away.

Rain is expected to continue in Sonoma County through Wednesday, with a possibility of scattered showers Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

Santa Rosa can expect 1 to 1.5 inches of rainfall through Thursday, with up to 2 inches in the hills, said Will Pi, a National Weather Service meteorologist. However, Friday and Saturday should be clear.

Monday’s showers brought Santa Rosa’s total rainfall since Jan. 1 to 31.26 inches, Pi said. Since Oct. 1, the start of the rain year, the city has seen about 40.91 inches.

The county still is recovering from last month’s flooding that caused an estimated $155 million in damages as the Russian River hit its highest level since 1995. The flood damaged nearly 600 businesses and 1,900 homes countywide.

This week’s rain isn’t expected to have much of an impact on the Russian River.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration expects the river will rise to 15.6 feet in the Guerneville area Thursday morning, well below its flood stage of 32 feet.

But that doesn’t mean the rain won’t cause an inconvenience for Sonoma County residents - CHP reported roadway flooding Monday morning on two parts of Highway 21, north of Bodega Highway and north of Bay Hills Road. However, the flooding did not force closure of the road. the road was not closed due to the flooding.