Cold front to bring rain to Sonoma County beginning Friday night

A cold front moving into the area Friday night into Saturday morning could bring as much as a half-inch to an inch of rain to some coastal mountain ranges, the National Weather Service predicts.

Less rain is predicted for more inland areas of Sonoma County. The cold front and rain could move into the area around 10 p.m. on Friday night and last until 4 a.m. on Saturday morning.

The area is expected to dry out Saturday afternoon, while a second cold front could move in late Sunday and last through Monday, National Weather Service Meteorologist Brooke Bingaman said Wednesday.

Even in the areas of heavier predicted rainfall, it should “be a largely beneficial rain,” Bingaman said.

“At this point we’re not seeing evidence of long standing really heavy rain rates that would cause flooding or debris flows,” in burn areas, she said. Well into the traditional wet season, the Bay Area is well behind average rainfall totals.

Bingaman called the weekend’s predicted moisture “a step but not a big step” in the right direction. “In many areas we are 7 to 10 inches below where we should be,” she said.

Rain systems that bring significant moisture are increasingly unlikely after the end of April, Bingaman said.

You can reach Staff Writer Andrew Graham at 707-526-8667 or andrew.graham@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @AndrewGraham88