Sonoma, Mendocino and part of Napa counties near 'Extreme Drought'

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Thursday's drought update hit our North Bay neighborhoods hardest, especially Sonoma County and Mendocino County.

Both counties now almost completely covered in "Extreme Drought." Part of Napa is also in that severe category.

This is the second highest level and a change from last week's "Severe Drought," the level just below.

Can you remember our last good soaking rain? For the North Bay, we recorded rain every day from December 12 - 29 last year.

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The lack of rain since prompted the Sonoma County Water Agency to start its annual process of drawing water from the Russian River weeks earlier than normal.

Our next chance of rain arrives Sunday.

A timing synergy is coming into better focus with light to moderate rain increasing from west to east Sunday afternoon.

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Rainfall amounts are not as consistent yet.

Forecast models project anywhere from .25" to nearly an inch in our Mountains.