Flood advisories are in effect across the Bay Area as a storm system moves through the region this evening, according to the National Weather Service.

The biggest storm to hit the Bay Area in roughly seven months began to douse much of California on Monday afternoon, slowing motorists, dropping snow in the Sierra Nevada, and providing a clear signal that the winter rainy season has begun.

A cold front from the Gulf of Alaska was expected to bring half an inch to 1 inch of rain for most Bay Area cities, with up to 2 inches in the Santa Cruz Mountains and Big Sur by the time it was all over.

The steady rain began around lunchtime Monday, hitting the North Bay first and working its way south. Forecasters said it was likely to continue overnight into early Tuesday, stopping around mid-morni

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