The first round from a cold winter storm descending from Alaska brought blinding snow to the Sierra Nevada and, at its heaviest, sheets of sideways rain to the Bay Area. To hear the National Weather Service tell it, that was simply a warm-up for the second round.
“The next rain will be heavier, probably the heaviest that we’re going to have during this three-day storm period,” meteorologist Nicole Sarment said Friday morning. “But really, the biggest story is the cold that’s coming with it.”
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The storm has its origin in the Alaskan Gulf and its low pressure system has absorbed cold, arctic air. Thus, the rain and snow still to come will bring with it temperatures that are chillier than usual, Sarment said.
For the Bay Area, that is likely to mean temperatures that don’t get above the mid-50s until Tuesday next week. For the Sierra Nevada and Tahoe area, it means temperatures that won’t escape the 30s.
Winds also are likely to whip around. A wind advisory for the region was set to go into effect at noon Friday and last through 10 a.m. Saturday. Winds are expected to gust in most places in excess of 40 mph.
In the Sierra Nevada, the storm brought what forecasters called “life-threatening conditions.”
A blizzard warning remained in effect through 10 a.m. Saturday. Snowfall totals for Thursday were not available immediately Friday morning. Drivers on on Interstate 80 and U.S. Highway 50 needed chains or four-wheel drive. Authorities recommended not making an attempt to drive through the storms unless absolutely necessary.
In the Bay Area, most cities received between a quarter-inch and a three-quarters of an inch of rain. Ben Lomond in the Santa Cruz Mountains had 1¾ inches of rain in a 24-hour period ending at 5 a.m., and Valley Christian in the same area had 1.9 inches, the two highest totals. An inch fell on Saint Helena in Napa County and 1½ inches fell atop Mount Diablo in Contra Costa County.
Elsewhere, fourth-tenths of an inch fell in Dublin in Alameda County; a quarter-inch fell at Oakland International Airport and in Redwood City, and two-tenths of an inch fell in Concord. San Jose did not receive measurable rain, according to the weather service.
Most Bay Area residents seemed to survive Thursday’s pounding with their power intact. PG&E’s power outage map did not show any major power in the region Friday morning.
The next round of the wet stuff is expected is expected to arrive with a fury late Friday afternoon or early evening, Sarment said. It will then be followed by another round of rain on Saturday. Sarment said that by Sunday, most of the storm will have cleared the area, but there may still be occasional isolated showers.