Drizzle arriving on Friday morning provided a preview of light to moderate rain and colder temperatures that are forecast throughout the Bay Area this weekend, according to the National Weather Service.
Portions of the Bay Area may see light to moderate rain into the afternoon, with heavy rain in some isolated instances, according to Rachel Kennedy, a National Weather Service meteorologist. A low-pressure system coming from the Gulf of Alaska was travelling along the coast of California, she said; the first round of rain will come from the system’s outer edges.
Kennedy forecast moderate rainfall in the East Bay, South Bay and central coast Friday morning into the afternoon and evening. The North Bay and Peninsula were expected to get light to moderate rain of their own from Friday afternoon into evening.
Most lowland areas in the East Bay, South Bay and central coast were expected to receive between half an inch and 1 inch of rain, while the North Bay could get between 1.5 and 2 inches. The Santa Cruz Mountains were expected to receive as much as 3 inches of rain, though that number may only reach an inch and a half.
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Kennedy also forecast a possibility of scattered thunderstorms throughout the Bay. On Friday, the main threat will hover over the ocean and reach parts of the Nouth Bay, but the possibility will move south, into Contra Costa County and other areas, on Saturday.
The NWS also put out a wind advisory for much of the region, including the coastline from Marin and Sonoma counties south to Monterey, as well as hills in the East and South bays, lasting through 2 a.m. Saturday. Winds in those areas are expected to reach between 20 to 30 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph. A high wind warning, with winds reaching 30 to 40 mph and gusts up to 65 mph, was in effect for the same time period for the Santa Lucia Mountain area and the Los Padres National Forest.
For those traveling to the Sierra Nevada, the National Weather Service put out a winter storm warning, predicting snow as heavy as 3 feet in higher elevations by Sunday evening.
The Bay Area’s cold front will give way to colder temperatures throughout the weekend, Kennedy said. Throughout Saturday and Sunday, the highs are forecast to remain in the upper 50s to lower 60s.
Next week, Kennedy said, high pressure would build again, with drier conditions starting on Monday.