The Bay Area Will See Rain on Election Day. Here’s Where Showers Will Be Heaviest
Early morning voters may want to bring an umbrella or pack a rain jacket on their way to their local polling place on Tuesday, as showers will make it a rainy Election Day in the Bay Area.
National Weather Service meteorologist Rachel Kennedy said rain will approach the California coastline later tonight. Residents should expect the heaviest rain during morning commute times — especially in the North Bay, which could see up to a half inch of rain — with precipitation continuing through the early afternoon before drying out overnight.
The coastal North Bay could see thunderstorms as the main rain band moves on shore tomorrow morning, the NWS wrote in its daily forecast discussion.
“Just practice your typical preparedness for rain,” Kennedy said. “I’m sure we’ll all be very familiar with it, especially as we head into the rest of the winter.”
The rain will spread through the rest of the Bay Area and the Central Coast as the day goes on, Kennedy said, getting lighter and lighter as it heads into the East Bay and South Bay. These regions will see between .1 and .25 inches, with almost no accumulation in the Central Coast.
But the rain won’t last: Drier weather is expected to return Wednesday, with a warming trend that should last into next weekend. Meteorologists expect an impressive temperature rebound that could see temperatures in the high 70s to low 80s next weekend.
Researchers studying voter turnout have found that rain can impact election results by deterring voters from making the trip to their local polling place. However, a 2024 study showed that an increase in mail-in voting and early voting can dampen the impact of rain on Election Day.
Wendy Hudson, chief deputy registrar of voters for Sonoma County, said that the office does not expect rain to impact any of their polling places and that rain on previous election days has not impacted turnout.
Those with questions about where to vote on Tuesday can visit KQED’s Election Day guide for more information on how to vote.