First fall rain arrives in Bay Area, officials urge caution

Bay Area to see first fall rain, officials urge caution on roads

The Bay Area?s first fall rain is expected Monday into Wednesday prompting safety warnings from officials.

MILL VALLEY, Calif. - The Bay Area is expected to see its first measurable rain of the season this week, with two systems bringing modest rainfall starting Monday and continuing through Wednesday. While the early precipitation is welcome, officials are warning residents not to let their guard down. 

Fire season is still far from over.

"This first rain really does give us a start, but we really need to get later into the season, into November and December, where we really have some wetting rains with some larger numbers to really get out of the situation," said Bret McTigue, a battalion chief with Marin County Fire.

The National Weather Service expects scattered showers early in the week, with a second, slightly stronger system arriving midweek. Rain totals are expected to remain modest, but enough to make roads slick and contribute to minor travel disruptions.

CHP is preparing for a rise in calls, as drivers navigate wet roads for the first time in months.

"We're looking at slick conditions, we're looking at debris that has sat over the summer on hillsides washing down," said Sgt. Andrew Barclay with CHP’s Golden Gate Division. "Our biggest word of advice to everyone is adjust your speeds and give yourself a bigger distance between the vehicle in front of you."

Some drivers in Marin are already preparing.

"When this time of year happens, I like to change my windshield wipers, get new ones, and make sure my tires are good and nicely treaded," said David Braverman of Larkspur.

Stephanie Freed of San Rafael is taking precautions at home.

"Today in the yard, we were getting ready for the rain by just buttoning everything up, making sure that anything we had out that can’t get wet is moving in the garage," she said.

Freed also said she’s especially cautious when driving in the first rain of the season.

"We are super careful during the first rain because I feel like everybody drives a little crazy and doesn't think about how slippery the roads get, so I feel like there’s always inevitably a lot of accidents," she said.

Though the showers may bring some temporary relief from dry conditions, fire officials are urging continued vigilance.

 McTigue said the region is still deep in fire season, and some of the state’s most devastating fires occurred after early season rain.

"History shows us in the Bay Area specifically that some of our most devastating fires have occurred even after our first rains - the Camp Fire in 2018, the Tubbs Fire in 2017, the Thomas Fire in 2017," he said.

Smoke drifting into the region from the Moon Fire burning in southwestern Oregon also contributed to an air quality advisory over the weekend, which lifted late Sunday.

Marin County Fire says it typically doesn’t scale back staffing levels until November. For now, crews remain fully staffed and ready to respond.