What's with the rain? Are we back to January?

I've been curled up in bed today, under an afghan, with tea, cold medicine and, yes, my laptop. 

Right now, it's pouring outside like it's one of those fierce stormy January days. And, I feel like it's winter, with my stuffy nose, foggy brain, and the sound of rain dripping out my rain gutters. 

I was supposed to go on a hike today, but canceled because of my cold. We probably would have canceled because of this rain, which started in around 7:30 a.m. 

I always like the rain. So, I'm not complaining. I'm just surprised. For my own selfish purposes, it's probably good that it's cool, wet, winter-like day like this, when I'm nursing a cold, instead of a sunny day in the 80s. 

The National Weather Service says that showers will probably continue into the night, but that more May-like sunny skies and temperatures should return tomorrow and last into the weekend. 

The photo was shot a year ago February during a walk in the rain with my son. I've decided to be bed-bound today. 

Get your sandbags! Get your sandbags! Get ready for the rain!

Walnut Creek has set up stations around the city where you can get sandbags to protect your home and property from the possibility of flooding and rapidly rising streams and creeks due to an expected onslaught of rain in the next week.


The National Weather Service warns of a strong series of storms to hit the Bay Area, starting this weekend and going into next week.  Rain could start as early as tomorrow (Saturday), but more likely on Sunday, and continue through Friday.  Heavy rain is expected on Wednesday and Thursday, "creating possible downed trees and power lines."

If you're in a vulnerable spot in Walnut Creek, here's where you can pick up sand bags. Each sandbag station is set up with sand, empty sandbags and shovels. It's a good idea to bring your own shovel if you can.

--Lancaster Road at Orchard Lane

--Howe Homestead Park, 2950 Walnut Boulevard

--Larkey Park, 2771 Buena Vista Avenue

--Heather Farm Park, 301 N. San Carlos, north parking lot

Lightning, thunder, oh my!

Did you see it? Did you hear it? I saw the flash of light and then heard the loud rumble, plus the downpour. Pretty cool, huh? My husband went for a walk in the rain earlier today. Romantic ...

Anyway, the National Weather Service says that thunderstorms might continue in our area tonight, and the winds might pick up. Showers should continue through tomorrow. The possibility of rain will continue through the week.

Did it snow early this morning? Yes, it did!

Here's a photo of the back window of a car in my neighborhood. Other cars also had similar sprinklings of that white powdery stuff, as did a clump of dirt and leaves in my front yard.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for the East Bay hills after snow fell throughout the Bay Area this morning. We're in the midst of a wet and cold storm, with a freeze watch in effect through Tuesday morning and temperatures to fall into even the mid- to upper twenties.

Snow was said to have fallen in the East Bay hills at elevations as low as 1,000 feet. But, my home is nowhere near that high, and we had a rare and light dusting of snow in our neighborhood, not too far from downtown.

The snowfall is expected to taper off late this morning. Sigh. No White Christmas, or even White Pre-Christmas.

So far, minor power outages in Walnut Creek; Any problems where you live or work?

UPDATE CHEZ MOI: Water leaking into basement. Getting out the towels and have the pump going. Unfortunately, or fortunately, the water needs to be about 3/4 inch deep for the pump to suck up the water. I just have a pool in one corner, and it's not that deep.

How about you?

EARLIER: PG&E's power outage map is showing that up to 500 customers are without power around Oak Road and Waldon, and another pocket of customers are without power around Alamo's Round Hill Country Club.


I should probably pop home to see if water is leaking into my basement. I can see outside my window at work that the rain is coming down pretty hard and that the wind has whipped up.


Hope you're all staying as dry as possible, and not huddling inside with the power out.

Rain! Didn't it sound wonderful this morning?

Just got back from a short run in the rain. I'm soaked! But it was some kind of wonderful.

It wasn't too cold out, and the hurricane-force winds had not yet whipped up, as they are expected to do by mid-day.

It was dark as I set out for a trot around my neighborhood. It was hard to see the puddles and new patches of mud, and the new rivers that were rushing down through the gutters. I had to watch where I set down my feet, and I missed a few times, so my feet got soaked. I felt the drops on my face, hair, arms, and legs. The drops were gentle, constant, a murmur. A car would pass, and its headlights would illuminate what a true downpour I was running in.

But the air felt fresh and clean, and I'm wide awake, and calm with the beauty of this season's first big rain. I almost didn't make it out this morning. It was delightful to wake this morning and hear the ping of drops against our bedroom window, and that music of rain in the background.

Our window was open, letting in that fresh cool air, but my husband I were cozy under our quilt. Halfway between sleep and waking, that sweet drowsy place of dreams and promise.

But, now, reality. To the shower, to work, and, before I go, I must roll up some towels by the door of our basement, in case the rain, which is expected to be pretty constant and heavy today, causes some leaking into the room.

Get ready for the rain and wind. Big storm sweeping into the Bay Area

I'm excited. As much as I like this mild, sunny October weather, I also like storms. And we have one coming into the Bay Area. The National Weather Service says that heavy and potentially high winds are expected to accompany a significant rainstorm that will arrive late Monday and last into early Wednesday.

It is a "potent storm, especially for October. ... A potentially serious weather situation ... This will be a very dramatic change from the typical late summer patter this area has been experiencing."

Expect light rain to begin Monday afternoon, with the heaviest rain and winds coming in Tuesday. Rainfall could reach up to 3 inches along the coast and in the valleys.

The upside to the rain? Well, we can use it in our parched wildlands and maybe it will lower the fire danger through the rest of the fire season.

The downside? Urban and small stream flooding ... High winds that can knock down trees and power lines ... Hazardous driving conditions ... For those living near any areas burned in any summer fires, there is a risk of mud and debris flowing down hills.

The storm originates from Melor, a Western Pacific typhoon that hit Japan last week. I know, I know. This is meterology 101, but it is humbling, right now, to think that a weather event that on the other side of the world will soon affect us.