Chances of rain around Humboldt County Sunday. The darker the green, the bigger the chance. Source: National Weather Service.

The first real rains of the season are scheduled to hit these shores sometime this weekend — possibly tomorrow, almost certainly Sunday. Overall, the National Weather Service expects us to get up to an inch or possibly more, depending on where you’re situated on the North Coast.

In its most recent area forecast discussion, published this afternoon, National Weather Services’ Woodley Island Office says:

[E] nough instability may be present for a few rumbles of thunder to be heard in coastal areas late tonight and Saturday morning. Brief heavy showers will be possible, however most areas will only have light accumulation. Isolated showers may continue through Saturday afternoon as westerly mid-level flow persists.

…

A better chance for rain will occur late Saturday night through Sunday as a more vigorous shortwave plows into the coast. The guidance has been very consistent with this feature for the last few days, sliding the a front with light to moderate precipitation across the region beginning very early Sunday morning in Del Norte County, spreading south and east through Sunday afternoon

You know what this means, too? It means that there will be some chaos on the roadways. As the Woodley Islanders office remind us, below, the blacktop is slipperiest when the first rains arive.  Drive with caution!

Says Woodley Island:

Total precipitation is expected to range from a tenth to half inch with locally higher amounts over 1 inch in northern Humboldt and Del Norte counties. The rain will not cause any major issues with rivers and even small creeks only having minor flow increases, but the rain will fall on road surfaces that have not experienced rain for several months. Thus built up oil on the roads from vehicles over the summer will make roads slick.