Stronger than normal rain forecast on track for end of week

A seasonally stronger than normal rain storm remains on track to bring parts of the Bay Area 1-3" inches of rain by the weekend.

While the timing of the storm is not abnormal for this time of the year, KTVU meteorologist Steve Paulson reports that it's a stronger system than the Bay Area normally sees in October.

Projections from the National Weather Service shows the storm arriving Thursday night in the North Bay and spreading to the rest of the Bay Area by Friday.

Areas north of San Francisco could see between 1-3" inches of rain on Friday alone, with the Russian River area projected to see 3-5" inches of rain for the entire weekend.

South of San Francisco will see less rain with only a half inch projected for most areas on Friday, but more than that for the rest of the weekend.

Steve Paulson predicts that many low lying creeks and rivers including the Guadalupe river could see rapid rises by Sunday.

This is the rainy season's first atmospheric river, which is region in the atmosphere responsible for bringing water vapor from the tropics.

The projected rain will be the most that the Bay Area has seen in the last 6 months.

Since this is the first big rain of the season, the California Highway Patrol is warning drivers to be extra careful on the roads during the Friday commute.

Oils that have built up on the roads for the whole summer are likely to be released by the rain, creating slicker than normal conditions and lots of crashes.

Weather officials also said that it's important to prepare for the rain by changing windshield wipers, checking tires, fixing leaks at home and finishing outdoor projects.

The projected rain will be the most that the Bay Area has seen in the last 6 months.