Following a mostly dry January in the Bay Area, a wet weather pattern returns to the region beginning on the final day of the month.

The end to a Bay Area dry spell that has lasted nearly a month may be at hand soon, especially if a cold front heading toward the California coast from the Gulf of Alaska descends lower than its original projection, according to the National Weather Service. If not, the region may need to wait an extra day or two.

After a long dry spell accompanied by freezing temperatures in the Bay Area, rain is finally reentering the forecast, with an atmospheric river poised to soak the region in the coming days. The precipitation comes after forecasters initially expected the final weeks of the month to be completely dry,