****

The anticipation of a significant change in weather looms over the Bay Area as a stalled front is set to begin moving on Friday, bringing widespread rain to the region, according to National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist Roger Gass. The front has already caused significant precipitation in some areas, but this shift will extend the reach of the rainfall.

On Thursday, the North Bay is expected to receive more rain while the East Bay and South Bay will remain relatively dry amidst windy conditions. The heavy rain experienced on Wednesday and expected in the coming days is attributed to a powerful "bomb cyclone" off the coast of British Columbia. This intense weather phenomenon initially spared much of the East Bay and South Bay from substantial rainfall.

Richmond recorded the highest amount of rain in the East Bay, with eight-tenths of an inch over a 24-hour period. In contrast, Orinda saw about two-thirds of an inch, and Ben Lomond in Santa Cruz County registered just under half an inch. San Jose, Oakland, San Francisco, and the Peninsula experienced only light rainfall, the highest being two-tenths of an inch at the Oakland airport.

The rainfall is expected to intensify significantly on Friday and Saturday as the system moves off the coast. Gass mentioned that some locations in the East Bay could receive up to 1 1/2 inches of rain, while the South Bay might see a little over an inch. There is potential for variability, but a more substantial amount of rain is anticipated compared to earlier in the week.

The North Bay, already hit hard by the storm, could face further heavy rainfall. Santa Rosa recorded nearly 7 1/2 inches of rain between Wednesday and early Thursday, Kentfield saw 5 1/2 inches, Point Reyes received three inches, and Napa recorded 2 3/4 inches. The NWS has issued a flood watch for Marin, Sonoma, and Napa counties through early Saturday and a high surf advisory from Big Sur to the Sonoma Coast, with expected waves between 14 and 22 feet.

In addition to rain, the storm front has brought snowy conditions to the Sierra Nevada, which are expected to continue Friday. Travelers should anticipate chain controls and strong winds, gusting up to 55 mph, with sustained speeds between 15 and 25 mph.

The projected weather system is poised to be the most significant storm in the Bay Area in approximately nine months, with rain expected to taper off on Saturday in the East Bay and South Bay, before potentially returning Sunday and early next week.