Brace yourselves, Sonoma and Napa! Another round of rain and wind is heading your way as we kick off 2026, though thankfully, it's not expected to be as brutal as the pre-Christmas chaos. Remember the fallen tree that crushed a Guerneville home and several vehicles?
Light rain began on Wednesday morning, with forecasts predicting up to 1.5 inches of rain in lower elevations and a whopping 3 inches in the mountains by Friday evening. Napa County is looking at around 2.5 inches during the same period.
But here's where it gets interesting: A new atmospheric river is expected to roll in late Friday night, potentially dropping another 2.5 inches of rain on lower areas by Sunday night, with local mountains possibly seeing up to 4 inches. Napa County can expect similar conditions.
Windy weekend ahead! Gusty winds are anticipated to pick up on Friday night, starting around 8 p.m. Expect speeds up to 35 mph in local communities and a stronger 40 mph in the mountains throughout the weekend. The good news? These gusts should be about half as strong as last week's, which hit 80 mph at higher elevations.
The latest forecasts from the California Nevada River Forecast Center (operated by NOAA) indicate no flood watch is in effect, and the Russian River isn't expected to flood. The river is predicted to crest Monday morning at 25 feet, well below the flood stage of 32 feet.
"It doesn’t seem to be as bad as last week, but it’s still an opportunity to take it seriously," says Rachel Kennedy, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Bay Area office in Monterey. Light rain may even linger into Monday and Tuesday.
Sonoma County is still recovering from the damage on December 24th, when gusts reached 79 mph at the highest elevations. The saturated soil from several days of rain made trees more susceptible to falling.
The previous atmospheric river, which started on December 19th and ended the day after Christmas, brought a deluge of 5.33 inches of precipitation to the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport, the National Weather Service's main reporting station in Sonoma County.
What do you think? Are you prepared for the upcoming weather? Share your thoughts and concerns in the comments below!
