'The Storm Door Is Officially Open' In Palo Alto, Officials Say

PALO ALTO, CA — Sunday brought showers and good news for Palo Alto residents ready to usher in fall weather amid a record-shattering drought in California: "The Storm Door is officially open," the National Weather Service said Monday.

It's unclear what the coming months will bring, but get ready for cooling temperatures and more rain this week and weekend as wet weather systems were expected to swoop into the Bay Area, officials said.

"Needless to say, we're just a tad excited," the weather service said.

Wind, wet roads and weather-related crashes are possible as a result, officials warned.
As of Monday morning, the forecast for Palo Alto said rain was possible again Tuesday through Sunday.

Here's the forecast for Palo Alto for the remainder of the week:

• Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. Calm wind becoming south southwest 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon.
• Tuesday Night: A 50 percent chance of rain, mainly after 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. Southeast wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
• Wednesday: A 50 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 65. South southeast wind 9 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
• Wednesday Night: A 40 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 57. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
• Thursday: A 50 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71.
• Thursday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57.
• Friday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66.
• Friday Night: A slight chance of rain before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52.
• Saturday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65.
• Saturday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54.
• Sunday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65.

Keeping an eye on the forecast? Here's how to decipher rain probabilities, according to the weather service.

• Slight chance of rain: 20 percent.
• Chance of rain: 30 to 50 percent.
• Rain is likely: 60 to 70 percent.
• Highest confidence in the arrival of rain: 80 to 100 percent.

A few storms are affecting the western United States, weather officials said. One storm affecting California will head next to the central Plains, where it is expected to bring snow to Wyoming.