For perhaps the final time until Christmas Day, the Bay Area was expected to receive moderate amounts of rainfall on Wednesday as showers move across the region, according to the National Weather Service.

Most population centers throughout the region could see up to one-full inch of rain on Wednesday. Forecasts showed at least one-half of an inch in San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, San Jose, Livermore and Concord.

The coastal regions and parts of the Peninsula could be in the upper end of that range, while the inland East Bay and rain-shadowed parts of the South Bay could top out at three-quarters of an inch, according to NWS meteorologist Brayden Murdock.

The rain won’t all dump out at once, however. NWS predictions showed a gradual build up beginning in the morning hours with showers potentially lingering into the late night or early morning Thursday.

“So (this weather system will be) slow moving, a lot of rain and eventually will add up,” Murdock said.

The slick roadways could extend commute times for those driving to work or school. BART warned riders Wednesday morning that trains were running slower due to wet tracks, so commuters may want to arrive to their stations earlier than usual.

Source: www.mercurynews.com