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Chance of dry lightning for the Bay Area
Dry lightning, which produces little to no rainfall, can spark wildfires.
OAKLAND, Calif. - The Bay Area could be watching the sky closely late Sunday into Monday as monsoon moisture pushes north into California.
While it’s still too early to pinpoint exactly where thunderstorms could develop, the bigger concern isn’t heavy rain; it’s dry lightning. Lightning that produces little or no rainfall can spark wildfires, especially after our long, dry summer.
El Niño expected to strengthen, what it could mean for the Bay Area
A newly released monthly report from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center shows that El Niño is not only here, but it’s expected to continue strengthening through the fall and winter months.
Area to watch more closely
- Santa Cruz Mountains
- South Bay hills
- East Bay hills and the Diablo Range
- Possibly interior Monterey and San Benito Counties
Those higher terrain locations typically have the best chance of seeing isolated afternoon or evening thunderstorms if enough instability develops. Forecast confidence on exact locations should improve over the next 24–48 hours.
The Source: This report was compiled by meteorologist Roberta Gonzales.