After months of a dry spell, rain may finally be coming to Northern California.
And we need it — really badly.
The National Weather Service anticipates that it will sprinkle, not shower. Sacramento Valley and the Bay Area are predicted to get roughly one-tenth of an inch of rain, starting Saturday and wrapping up early Sunday.
However, even a minor rainfall could be beneficial to the firefighter crews battling fires across the state. The drop in temperature should be coupled with an improvement of air quality as the lingering smoke dissipates. Additionally, rainfall will eliminate the dry vegetation that covers California’s landscape, acting as fuel for the fire’s growth.
2020 has been the most destructive wildfire season recorded in California history, with an alarming four million acres of land scorched as of October. For comparison, no calendar year between 1987 and 2019 reached even the 2 million-acre milestone.
Several major wildfires continue to burn through Northern California. These include the Zogg Fire in Shasta County; the Glass Fire in Napa and Sonoma counties; the August Complex in the Mendocino National Forest; and the North Complex near Plumas National Forest.
‘Weather experts have repeatedly suggested that rain is needed to subside the critical fire risk conditions that California struggles with.
“This should be something to help the firefighters contain the blazes,” CNN meteorologist Michael Guy said. “A front is pushing through the Pacific Northwest today which is bringing cooler, drier air. Rain through this period will impact the Mendocino area in Northern California to the Canadian border.”
Bay Area residents remain hopeful that the rainfall will improve the conditions.
“It’d be nice to have a change of weather,” said Daniela Torrey. “But I’m mainly hoping this helps out the crews dealing with the fires.”
When on a hike today, Torrey snapped pictures of the changing skyline.
“Rain is definitely on its way,” she said.
