1st rain in months hits North Bay (w/video)

Light sprinkles fell over the North Bay Wednesday night, but forecasters don’t expect it to make a dent in the region’s rainfall deficit.

The showers, mostly intermittent patches, were expected to continue through the night, more than likely clearing by Thursday afternoon at the latest.

A storm, coming in from the northwest - not from Hurricane Odile in Mexico - was responsible for the inclement weather, the region’s first rains in weeks, according to the National Weather Service.

Meteorologist Austin Cross urged drivers to be mindful of slick roads.

Santa Rosa is expected to get a little more than a tenth of an inch of rain, Cross said. More rain is expected along the coast - about two to three-tenths of an inch.

“It won’t solve the drought, but it’s the first rain we’ve had in awhile,” Cross said. “People may not remember what it feels like.”

He said the last “measurable” showers in Santa Rosa fell on April 4 when forecasters recorded a tenth of an inch of rain.

Staff Writer Elizabeth M. Cosin contributed to this report. You can reach Staff Writer Eloísa Ruano González at 521-5458 or eloisa.gonzalez@pressdemocrat.com.